According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are over one million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) occurring each day around the globe. Every year, there are around 357 million new infections which can be any one among the four most common curable STIs which are syphilis, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. Read more about that on this reference.
What do these surging numbers imply? Is the lack of self-control of most people these days to blame? Do we lack proper sex education both at home and in school? Is the general moral breakdown the culprit? What if we say it’s all of the above? Apparently, several factors that led from one thing to another have contributed to these alarming figures that reveal how prevalent STDs are around the world.
For example, these days, the easy access to internet has also meant easy access to websites that showcase pornography. As a result, some individuals who got addicted with pornography have fueled their uncontrolled sexual passion. After all, whatever you feed your mind with can be revealed in your words, actions, and lifestyle as a whole.
Even the simple TV shows, books, music, and movies that many people deem normal and harmless, could be filled with content that can subconsciously fuel uncontrolled sexual desires. The media and entertainment industry have also portrayed a loose sexual lifestyle as fun, harmless, and no big deal. Clearly, it has been glamorized everywhere.
The surging numbers of STD cases around the world as a bad consequence of engaging in a sexually active lifestyle with multiple partners is no fun though. Although curable STDs such as chlamydia are less serious than HIV or herpes, they could lead to serious reproductive health issues such as infertility, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirths, and mother-to-child transmission of STIs. What’s more, even though some cases are asymptomatic, there are also some infected individuals who have experienced painful symptoms such as bleeding between periods and after sexual intercourse, painful urination, and swelling and burning sensation around the genital area.
Should You Get Tested?
Asymptomatic cases are even more risky than those who exhibit obvious symptoms of a person who has contracted an STI. Apparently, those who don’t experience any symptoms aren’t compelled to schedule a medical checkup of their reproductive health or get tested for any STI. Unknowingly though, they may be spreading the disease or they may suffer irreversible damage in their reproductive system when chlamydia or other less serious STI is left untreated.
So, who should get tested?
- If you experience obvious symptoms of an STI.
Common symptoms of an STI include unusual odorous discharge from the genitals, bleeding after sexual intercourse or between periods, swelling, itching or burning sensation around the genital or rectal area, painful urination, abdominal pain, and fever.
- Individuals who have previously engaged in a morally loose lifestyle.
If you have previously engaged in a morally loose lifestyle such as having multiple sexual partners, you should get yourself tested of chlamydia and other STIs. The more sexually active a person is with multiple partners, the more he becomes vulnerable to bacteria, viruses, and parasites that are sexually transmitted.
- Couples who are thinking of taking their relationship to a more serious level.
Does it matter to get tested even if you and your partner agree to get married and be faithful to each other throughout your entire lifetime together? This can be essential. Though each of you might be confident that you are free from any of those infections, having yourselves undergo testing shows your concern and commitment to your significant other’s health and welfare. This action can foster trust and security that are both essential in the foundation of a loving and thriving relationship.
Moreover, making sure that both of you are free from any STD, makes your marriage a secure and ideal place to raise healthy children in the future.
- Pregnant women.
As mentioned earlier, chlamydia and other types of STIs can lead to serious consequences and complications when left untreated, especially for pregnant women. Chlamydia can infect the eyes of a newborn baby, causing conjunctivitis and blindness. Mothers who have been infected of other STDs may suffer from premature labor and stillbirths. This is why pregnant women should have themselves tested for any STIs at the start of their pregnancy.
Home Test Kits are Conveniently Accessible
If you fall under any of those categories mentioned above, it’s time you get yourself tested. Nowadays, it’s so easy and convenient to do so. You don’t have any reason to hesitate and postpone it. Home test kits for chlamydia and other STIs eliminate the need to set an appointment at the doctor’s office. Most of all, it’s more private and the result is confidentially revealed. Read more about that here.
All you have to do is to order a test kit online. Then, once you get the test kit, read and follow the instructions carefully. Prepare the bodily specimen or swab that is needed. Then, once the sample is ready, it will be sent to the laboratory for testing. You will get your result via email or through a private access to the website. That easy.
Early detection is key to avoiding the serious impact of STIs to your reproductive health. However, you don’t have to suffer any of these if you uphold high moral standards, be faithful to your marriage partner, or stay single for the rest of your life. The last option sounds unlikely for you? Then, the first and second are non-negotiable.
Treatment
Chlamydia trachomatis can be treated by taking antibiotic. It can either be a one-time dose, or you might need to take it once daily or you even multiple times a day for five to ten days.
In most cases, the infection can treated within one to two weeks. While getting treated, you should abstain from sex. It is also best that your sexual partner or partners get the treatment even they don’t show signs or symptoms of having chlamydia. If not, it is likely that the infection will be passed on back and forth.
To read more on topics like this, check out the health category.
