Sexually Transmitted Infections
Sexually transmitted infections are common but preventable. At Reid Health, our OB/GYNs and women’s health providers can guide you through prevention, testing, and treatment.
Getting the care you need for sexually transmitted infections
Sexual health plays an important role in your relationships and self-esteem. However, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can affect your ability to enjoy sex, and they can lead to long-term health issues. Fortunately, many STIs can be treated effectively when they’re diagnosed in an early stage.
The OB/GYNs and women’s health providers at Reid Health have the expertise, compassion, and understanding you need to address (and prevent) conditions that interfere with sexual health.
What are sexually transmitted infections?
STIs are viruses or bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infections that spread from one person to another during sex. You can spread or get an STI during all types of sexual activity, including vaginal sex, anal sex, and oral sex. STIs can also spread through blood transfusions or from a pregnant or breastfeeding mother to her baby.
STIs can affect sexually active people of all ages, but they’re most common among people in their teens and 20s.
Types of sexually transmitted infections
There are more than 20 types of STIs. The most common are:
- Chlamydia
- Genital herpes
- Gonorrhea
- Hepatitis B
- HIV
- Human papillomavirus, or HPV
- Pubic lice
- Syphilis
- Trichomoniasis
Symptoms of STIs
Not all STIs cause symptoms. However, when symptoms occur, women might experience:
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Burning or pain when urinating
- Increased urinary frequency
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Pelvic pain
- Sores or blisters in the vagina, anus, or mouth
- Vaginal burning or itching
- Vaginal discharge or odor
STI testing
STI testing can help your provider diagnose infections early before they cause serious complications. You can be tested for STIs during a routine medical visit, often getting results within a few hours.
Because many STIs don’t cause symptoms, your Reid provider can recommend testing based on your age and other factors. A common STI test for HPV, which an OB/GYN or women’s health provider performs during an annual well-woman visit, can help you learn if you have a strain of the virus that can cause cervical cancer.
STI testing typically involves one of the following:
- A pelvic exam
- Blood test
- Fluid or tissue sampling
- Urine test
Treating STIs
If you have symptoms or a test suggests you have an STI, seek care as soon as possible. Early treatment can prevent long-term health issues, including infertility, pregnancy-related problems, and organ damage.
Based on your diagnosis, your provider can treat you with antibiotics (used for bacterial and parasitic infections) or antiviral medications (used for viruses). Some treatments can reduce your risk of spreading the infection to sex partners, but always ask your provider when it’s safe to have sex after being treated for an STI.
Some STIs can’t be cured, so treatment for those conditions often includes long-term medications to prevent flare-ups, limit symptoms, and reduce transmission.
STI prevention: How to protect yourself
Your Reid provider can talk with you about ways to lower your risk of getting HIV and other STIs. Testing is a key step in this process, so before having sexual activity with someone new, both you and your partner should be tested.
Reducing your number of sexual partners and using a condom each time you have sex can also lower your risk, as can being vaccinated against HPV and hepatitis. Both of those sexually transmitted infections can largely be prevented through vaccination, so ask your provider whether the vaccine is right for you.