Do Not Ignore Your Sexual Health – Get Tested For STIs

 

The year 2020 was slated to see cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis hit record highs.

But it did not. Rather, the figures showed a downturn.

Is this good news? 

Perhaps Covid-19 has kept people away from bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and parties – settings that provide opportunities for unsafe sex.

Experts in sexual health, however, tend to disagree.

They say the corona virus pandemic has severely impacted the efforts to lessen STIs or sexually transmitted infections.

“Cases are largely undetected”, says a doctor at an STI clinic in Arlington.

“It is a serious matter. Untreated STIs can lead to infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, and even death in newborns”. 

It is possible that health workers responsible for contact tracing of gonorrhea and syphilis have been diverted to Covid-19 cases – leading to an even more shortage of staff.

A majority of STD clinics have reported shutdowns or severely reduced working hours. 

Medical professionals also believe many persons infected with a sexually transmitted infection are avoiding going for a test for fear of being exposed to Covid-19.

It is by now well-known that the most effective tool for control of STIs is timely diagnosis and treatment.

If people are unable or unwilling to access tests and treatment, this country may see a continued and unbridled increase in STI cases. 

It is not surprising that the C.D.C. (The Center for Disease Control and Prevention) is alarmed. 

The agency has issued alerts to medical professionals nationwide on the issue, with concurrent recommendations that screenings and testing must not see a let up.

 

Priorities must be accorded to women that are pregnant and or under the age of 25, and people who are at high risk. 

The recommendations say, at the moment, routine testing can be deferred till Covid-19 restrictions are removed. 

We must keep in mind that the reported cases of STIs at the beginning of 2020 were higher than those during the corresponding period in 2019.

With stay-at-home orders in place, the number of cases must have plummeted, but we may see a spurt when establishments open up.

It is possible that the corona virus outbreak may have moderated sexual activities on the whole. High levels of stress and anxiety may be contributing to lower desires.

With establishments closed, singles are finding fewer opportunities to hook up.

Yet, they say online dating apps are logging record downloads. 

It is yet unclear whether this is translating into more sex.

Perhaps things are under wraps. 

Messages of social events and gatherings during this pandemic suffer shaming and therefore people may be reluctant to disclose or discuss such matters.

 

The final say is, you must not ignore your sexual health, especially during these Covid-19 days. 

As people gradually learn to live a new normal, you cannot afford to live with compromised immunity.

And mind you, an STI can compromise your immunity.

Put aside any hesitancy. 

 

In Arlington, free STD testing and treatment sources are available. If not, you can schedule an appointment with a lab to get a sample collected and the results delivered to you.

You can also make use of an at-home testing kit. You ship it to a lab for analysis and get results via email or on the website.

How Unprotected Sex Can Haunt You for a Lifetime

 

The only way to never get an STD is to never have sex. Sounds impractical? Well, you need not abstain from this beautiful activity simply because you want no sexually transmitted disease. It is possible to stay sexually healthy even when you are sexually active. 

However, as doctors point out, sexually active people can hardly be 100% safe from STDs. Yet, you can drastically cut down the risk of contracting an infection by taking appropriate safety measures during sex. 

And, if you have had unprotected sex with somebody, you must walk in the Pentagon STD testing clinic to make sure you are fine. 

The first step

The one thing you must do whenever you have sex is to use a condom. Also, it would be better if you ask your partner about his/her sexual history and health. Many people dislike revealing their sex indulgences. Some may get annoyed. 

Having sex with people with high-risk sexual behaviors puts you into a greater risk of contracting an infection. So, if you know the person has such a behavior, you have two choices:

• Do not have sex with them

• Use a condom for vaginal sex and dental dam for oral sex

Extra cautious

Do you know America has one of the highest numbers of STD infected teenagers in the world? 

According to doctors, teenagers hardly have STDs on their minds when they have sex for the first time. They just do it. Teenage pregnancies are on the rise. Mostly, the young people are more concerned about pregnancies than diseases. 

 

You must be concerned about both, advise doctors. Both teenage boys and girls should be concerned, remarks a doctor. At times, the onus lies only on the female to be extra cautious. This shouldn’t be. 

What if you had your first time unprotected?

A lot of people remember their first time when they indulged in the activity in an immature way. However, they are now mature and responsible enough to take care while having sex. 

Yet, as doctors put it, many viruses and bacteria causing STDs stay in your body for years. Say, you are 30. You had your first sexual encounter at the age of 18. It was without a condom. You didn’t know the girl/boy much then. You could be carrying HIV without your knowing! It’s been 12 years and now you might develop symptoms. You may be surprised because you are now taking safety measures. 

That’s why doctors emphasize all sexually active people to get themselves tested for STDs atleast once in their lifetime, if not more. 

STD screening in Arlington is easily available near you. 

Benefits of walking in an STD clinic

• You can walk in without an appointment. 

• You need no doctor’s prescription to undergo a test. 

• The clinic offers a variety of STD tests, including a comprehensive STD panel. If you are unsure what test is right for you, please consult an in-house doctor. 

• The clinic conducts testing and treatment on the same day. 

• There is hardly a waiting time. Testing takes just about 10 minutes. 

• The clinic is affordable. 

• The clinic offers anonymous testing. 

Pentagon STD testing clinic is just around the corner. Walk-in today and ensure your sexual health. 

Stdexpressclinic.com is a popular Pentagon STD testing clinic offering anonymous testing. Log on to the site and know more about affordable STD screening in Arlington. 

When Should You Visit STI Clinic in Arlington?

If you are sexually active and notice any sign such as abnormal itching, swelling, boils, sores, or pain on your private parts, you must immediately talk to a doctor about this and undergo STD testing. Symptoms of STD come and go, but that does not imply that you are free from the infection. The pathogens have incubation periods in which they may multiply and develop symptoms. Then they go dormant and, later, silently multiply in your body. 

So, even if the symptoms are mild, such as a painless sore on your genitals that goes away by itself after a few days, you must walk in a STI clinic in Arlington. 

Do you know the only way to confirm whether you are infected with a sexually transmitted disease is to undergo a test? 

The deceptive nature of STDs

Don’t depend on symptoms because, in most STDs, they fail to show up. Even if they do, the symptoms are deceptive. 

For example, you may be infected with Chlamydia and get a sore throat as a symptom. Now, who, in the world, would imagine that a sore throat can be a Chlamydia infection! People usually think a sore throat to be, well, a sore throat. They treat it and go on with their life, little knowing that the Chlamydia pathogen is wreaking havoc inside their bodies and the sore throat was a sign that the pathogen is present inside the body. 

That’s why doctors emphasize to walk in a STD clinic without hesitation as soon as you realize you are exposed of any sexually transmitted infection. Millions of people die of STDs, despite the fact that most of the STDs are curable. How unfortunate! 

One of the major reasons is that people are too hesitant to talk about sexually transmitted infection. They would rather suffer in silence than talk to a doctor. 

Difference between STI and STD 

STI or sexually transmitted infection is an infection, which is not yet developed into a disease. This is when the pathogen has entered your body and may show or not show signs. 

STD or sexually transmitted disease is the later stage of infection, when the pathogen has established itself in your body and has started to cause damage or complications in your body. You begin to get symptoms of the disease. 

One of the finest examples of differentiating STI and STD is HIV and AIDS. 

HIV is the infection stage, while AIDS is the last stage of HIV wherein the infection has developed into a full-blown disease and has started damaging your organs. 

The best way to deal with STDs is to catch them in the STI stage. You should never hesitate to walk in STI clinic near Arlington, VA, when you believe you are exposed. 

STD clinics conduct anonymous STD testing. It hardly takes 10 minutes and you can avail yourselves treatment the same day. Let’s be more alert when it comes to STIs so that we stop them from turning into STDs. A test in time can save you.