What’s Up with STDs

The Real Deal

STDs are out there and they are the real deal Holyfield! At some point or another we’ve all heard about them and how detrimental they can be. To be frank nothing has changed in that aspect. It is important to protect ourselves and the absolute best way is to remain abstinent. In all honesty who is remaining abstinent? There are some great people out there who are refraining from sex, but when we look at the statistics it shows there are a lot of people who are indulging just as well. If you are a consenting adult, then who can stop you? The important thing to remember is protection. If you’re not going the abstinent route then the next best thing is condoms, dental dams and other practices that involve safe sex. How safe can sex be? According to most condom commercials about 99%.

All Sex Runs the Risk of STD Infection

For the love of football or your favorite sport (it’s football season), please do not feed into the belief that you can only catch an STD if you have a certain type of sex. STDs can be transmitted through oral, anal, and vaginal sex. A major key is to know who you are having sex with and before engaging in any sexual acts; it may be in each of your best interest to visit a clinic and get tested together. If you cannot have an open discussion with your partner it might be best to hold off on the sex. At the end of the day, it is your health that is up for discussion.

Silent but Deadly

Most STDs have silent symptoms meaning many people do not know they are infected. In fact, the most common STD among teenagers; Chlamydia, rarely has symptoms. No symptoms mean that you run the risk of possibly infecting others. The fact of the matter is that most STDs are common and can be cured with a few antibiotics. Do not underestimate the seriousness of STDs, they can be life altering and without proper treatment they can cause immense damage. When it comes to your sexual health, it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you are sexually active get tested regularly. It’s imperative you know your status.

Getting Tested

After all the discussion of STDs you’re probably wondering what does an STD test involve? Most involve you simply peeing in a cup but others may require additional testing such as genital fluid swabs, blood drawing or a doctor taking a peek at your genitals. However, with 24/7Labs we require you to pee in a cup but with some testing a blood drawing is needed. Most STD testing can be done within 15-20 minutes and results come back within 3-4 days. 24/7Labs ensures that control of your health is in your hands. There’s no need to be fearful of getting tested. Fear not knowing your status and infecting others.

Most Common STDs

HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
Chlamydia
Gonorrhea
Syphilis
Herpes
Trichomoniasis
HIV/AIDS