STD cases are steadily increasing, and they’re currently at an all-time high.

These infections carry a lot of stigma, but the fact of the matter is that they challenge the health and wellness of millions of people across the United States. In fact, they can lead to many serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses.

Our AFC Urgent Care Easley team further elaborates on STDs below, so read on.

What Are STDs?

STDs, or sexually transmitted diseases, are infections that spread from one person to another during vaginal, anal and oral sex. They’re really common (one in five people have one, according to the CDC), and lots of people who have them don’t have any symptoms.

Without treatment, STDs can lead to serious—even devastating—health problems, which we’ve listed below.

Health Problems Caused By STDs

• Male and female sterility
• Blindness
• Damage to major organs
• Cervical cancer
• Cancer of the vagina, penis, anus or throat
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can damage a woman’s fallopian tubes, leading to pelvic pain and sterility
• Pain during urination or intercourse

So Should I Get Tested for STDs?

If you are sexually active, then yes, you should! In fact, getting tested for STDs is one of the best things you can do for your sexual health, and you should be tested for STDs at least once a year. Furthermore, if you have more than one partner or don’t always practice safer sex by using a condom each time you have intercourse, you should be tested every three to six months.

When caught early enough, most STDs are treatable and even curable. Those that aren’t curable can be managed once you know you have them. We’ve listed some effective and common ways to prevent STDs below.

Ways to Prevent STDs

• Practice abstinence. The surest way to avoid getting STDs is to not have sex.
• Use condoms. Condoms lessen the risk of infection for all STD, but you can still get certain STDs, like herpes or HPV, from contact with your partner’s skin even when using one.
• Have fewer partners. First, make sure you know that neither of you has an STD, then have sex with one person who is only having sex with you. This will drastically lower your STD risk.

Do you think you may have an STD, or do you have further questions about STDs? Don’t hesitate to stop by our AFC Urgent Care Easley center today!