There can be many reasons why people aren’t motivated to get tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). While the reason might range from their fears of the results to fears of how it can affect their social relationships, or perhaps even a fear of the STIs themselves, there are some people who also assume that they are simply “clean” because they exhibit no visible symptoms at all.
While these are all equally valid and understandable responses, it places not just you, but your loved ones in harm’s way. By ignoring the possible risks, you are possibly dealing with long-term health consequences and a bigger headache down the road. Here are some of the short- and long-term consequences that arise from having STIs unknowingly.
Developing complications
STIs, when left untreated, can cause severe health problems. While some of these might remain undetected over many years, often without any visible outward signs, Outward signs and discomfort are often the ways people benchmark the need for seeking professional help, but sexual health professionals know how important it is to get treatment earlier on. It can not only be way more effective, it can also be less expensive and take less time to complete as the STI has not severely compromised the health of a patient.
Infecting others
It also goes without saying that being unaware of your STIs makes it all the riskier as you might unknowingly spread it amongst your partners or loved ones. Regardless of whether you use condoms or practise safe sex, the risk of transmission is still notable. There are also STIs like human papillomavirus (HPV) that can be easily transmitted even when a condom is used.
Knowing your condition will allow you to take better safety precautions. Sharing your condition with your partner can also allow them to adopt safety practices that will help decrease the odds of them contracting an STI with you.
It should also be noted that the spread of some STIs like HIV can be prevented through the use of antiretroviral drugs that mitigate the virus’ long-term dangers while reducing the transmission rate to zero should the virus be fully suppressed.
Getting or passing more STIs
While we’ve already touched on the risks of spreading STIs, many people do not think about the risks of contracting more STIs should they remain unaware of the dangers of their lifestyles. Moreover, the danger of contracting multiple STIs is very real, and safeguards should be taken if you lead an active sexual lifestyle, especially with multiple sexual partners.
There are also infections of certain STIs, especially those in which you develop lesions and open sores like herpes and syphilis, have been shown to increase your risk of contracting HIV. This is because these open sores give viruses an easy entry point into your body. This can be particularly dangerous for those who engage in sexual intercourse as these ulcers might be internal.
Still, it isn’t just HIV that is a concern as those that have contracted STIs are prone to contracting more infections if they do not identify the point of infection and continue their lifestyle unknowingly
Conclusion – a word from the professionals
An early diagnosis and awareness of STIs not only allows you to get treatment before complications, getting more STIs or before other people become implicated and infected, it also gives you peace of mind for those who know they are clean from diseases.
Making an informed choice is the way to go, especially when STD tests can be done quickly, anonymously and effectively with just a short visit. If you have any more questions, drop us a message at Elyon Clinic and our professionals will be keen to help you get the right care and treatment you need
