One incredibly important step in protecting your sexual and long-term health is to ensure you do not have any undetected sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
While you may think you feel fine, and you haven’t noticed any signs or symptoms of an STI, they often can go unnoticed. Spread through any form of sex or sexual contact, STIs are caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Most STIs can be treated and cured with a single round of antibiotics, while viral STIs can be actively managed with antivirals.
Alpha Clinics offers free and confidential testing for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia to women and their partners.
The Most Common STIs
There were over 2.2 million STI cases reported in the US in 2024. Some STIs include:
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Syphilis
- Trichomonaisis
- Pubic lice
- Human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause genital warts
- Herpes simplex virus (HSV)
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which can cause AIDS
Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are bacterial. While parasites cause trichomoniasis and pubic lice, and viruses cause HPV, HSV, and HIV.
Signs and Symptoms
STIs vary when it comes to showing signs and symptoms. Some STIs go undetected for a long time without many or any noticeable symptoms. That’s why you should pursue STI testing even if you don’t notice anything has changed.
However, here are some signs or symptoms that should cause you to pause and seek STI testing:
- Sores or bumps on the genitals or in the oral or rectal area
- Painful or burning urination
- Discharge from the penis
- Unusual or odorous vaginal discharge
- Unusual vaginal bleeding
- Pain during sex
- Sore, swollen lymph nodes, particularly in the groin or more widespread
- Lower abdominal pain
- Fever
- Rash over the trunk, hands, or feet
Protect Your Sexual Health
STIs can lead to serious long-term health issues, so it’s essential to always consider your sexual health.
After abstinence, the second-best way to prevent STIs is to be in a committed, monogamous relationship with someone who doesn’t have any STIs. Some STIs, especially viral ones, can change your life and lead to long-term management and medications. Some STIs, such as HPV, are known to cause cancer later in life. You cannot be too safe when it comes to preventing STIs.
Pregnancy and STIs
STI testing is a routine part of prenatal care. In fact, STI testing usually happens right away to ensure healthy outcomes for the pregnancy. If you are pregnant, you do not want to delay STI testing.
Even if you’re considering an abortion, there’s a risk of spreading an existing STI further into your reproductive system during any abortion procedure, which can lead to a serious infection known as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can cause infertility and chronic pelvic pain, so prioritizing STI testing before you choose any pregnancy option is a vital step.
Schedule your no-cost pregnancy confirmation appointment today and ask us about STI testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea.