(Know the Facts About STI’s first appeared in the Public Opinion Newspaper in November 2015.) Cathy McAfee, Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner at Keystone Women’s Care in Chambersburg, shares what you need to know about sexually transmitted infections, how to lower your risk, and why seeing a health care provider is so important.
transmitted infection (STI) includes all infections that are spread through sexual contact with another person vaginally, orally or anally. Risk factors include having more than one sexual partner, having a partner who has had more than one sexual partner, having sex with someone who has an STI, using intravenous drugs or having sex with someone who uses intravenous drugs.
Common STI’s
Sexually transmitted diseases and sexually transmitted infections are the same. They can be caused by a virus or bacteria. These include gonorrhea and chlamydia, human papilloma virus, syphilis, genital herpes, HIV, trichomonas, hepatitis b, and hepatitis c. These are the most common STI’s, not a complete list of all sexually transmitted diseases.
Treatment
If you are diagnosed with an STI it’s important to seek immediate treatment of the infection for your health and the health of your partner. It’s always important to share medical history with your provider, as this helps guide treatment. If you are pregnant or suspect pregnancy it is important for your health care provider to guide you towards options available for treatment that are safe during pregnancy.
Often No Symptoms
Regular care by a women’s health care provider offers patients important prevention options and customized treatment plans. Prevention is the key to treating an STI. People with STI’s usually do not know they have a sexually transmitted infection. Often there are no symptoms and this is why regular health care visits are so important.
Prevention
To protect yourself from STI’s it’s important to know your sexual partners and limit the number of partners you have. To further lower your risk of infection, use a condom every time you have vaginal, oral or anal sex. Another important step toward prevention includes getting immunized – there are vaccinations that will help prevent hepatitis b and certain strains of the human papilloma virus.
For more information about Keystone Women’s Care, click here.