America’s STD rates are currently at an all-time high, but they shouldn’t be. These alarmingly high rates can easily be brought down with the correct education and increased STD testing numbers.

Our team at AFC Urgent Care Bronx Webster Ave. highlights the importance of getting STD-tested if you are sexually active below, so read on!

What Is an STD?

STDs, or sexually transmitted diseases, are infections that typically spread from one person to another during vaginal, anal and oral sex. They’re actually quite common, and lots of people who have them don’t have any symptoms.

Without treatment, STDs can lead to serious—potentially devastating—health problems, which we’ve listed below.

Health Problems Caused By STDs

• Male and female sterility
• Blindness
• Damage to major organs
• Cervical cancer
• Cancer of the vagina, penis, anus or throat
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can damage a woman’s fallopian tubes, leading to pelvic pain and sterility
• Pain during urination or intercourse

Why Is STD Testing So Important?

Getting tested for STDs is one of the best things you can do for your sexual health. Why, you ask? Well, because many STDs don’t show symptoms, getting regular STD tests can help you stay ahead of potential infections. Additionally, getting regularly tested will let you know if you do have an STD, which will allow you to get treatment as early as possible to help relieve viral STD symptoms and cure bacterial STDs.

If you’re sexually active, you should be tested for STDs at least once a year. If you have more than one partner or don’t always practice safe sex by using a condom each time you have intercourse, however, you should be tested at least every three to six months.

Ways to Prevent STDs

• Practice abstinence. The surest way to avoid getting STDs is to not have sex.
• Reduce your number of sex partners. This can decrease your risk for STDs. It is still important that you and your partner get tested, and that you share your test results with one another.
• Practice mutual monogamy. Mutual monogamy means that you agree to be sexually active with only one person, who has agreed to be sexually active only with you. Being in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner is one of the most reliable ways to avoid STDs.
• Use condoms. Condoms lessen the risk of infection for all STD, but can still get certain STDs, like herpes or HPV, from contact with your partner’s skin even when using one.

At our AFC Urgent Care Bronx Webster Ave. center, we offer discreet and easy STD testing. If you would like to be tested, visit us today.