Patient Education
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Straightforward information on testing, treatment, and the infections condoms do not fully prevent.
Most of the women who walk into the office have been told very little about sexually transmitted infections beyond "use a condom." Condoms matter enormously — but several STIs spread through skin-to-skin contact in areas a condom does not cover, and the most common infections produce no symptoms whatsoever in the people carrying them.
That combination is why testing, rather than symptom-watching, is the foundation of sexual health. An infection you do not know about is still an infection that can be passed on, and in some cases still one that can affect your fertility years later.
Symptoms and warning signs
- Frequently none at all — chlamydia and gonorrhea are silent in most women who have them
- Unusual vaginal discharge, or a change in color, consistency, or odor
- Burning with urination, or needing to urinate more often
- Pelvic or lower abdominal pain
- Bleeding between periods or after intercourse
- Genital sores, blisters, ulcers, or warts
- Itching, irritation, or a rash in the genital area
Causes and risk factors
- New or multiple sexual partners
- Inconsistent condom use — though condoms do not fully prevent herpes, HPV, or syphilis, which spread by skin contact
- A partner who has not been tested, or whose status you do not know
- A previous STI, which raises the likelihood of another
- Beginning sexual activity at a younger age
- Douching, which disrupts the vaginal environment that ordinarily offers some protection
How it is diagnosed
- Urine or vaginal swab testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea
- Blood work for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B and C
- Swab of a lesion, and blood antibody testing, for herpes
- Pap smear and HPV testing, which detect the cervical changes HPV can cause
- Wet mount microscopy for trichomoniasis and other causes of discharge
- Testing of the throat or rectum where relevant to your exposures
Treatment options
Bacterial infections are curable with antibiotics. Viral infections are not cured, but they are very manageable — and treatment substantially reduces transmission.
- Antibiotics for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis — these infections are fully curable
- Antiviral medication to suppress herpes outbreaks and lower the chance of passing it on
- Antiretroviral therapy for HIV, which today allows a normal life expectancy
- Treating partners at the same time, so the infection is not simply passed back
- HPV vaccination and hepatitis B vaccination as prevention
- PrEP — pre-exposure prophylaxis — for people at ongoing risk of HIV
- A test of cure or repeat testing after treatment, where guidelines call for it
Dr. V on chlamydia and gonorrhea
Her video on genital herpes is also in the library, and the Safer Sex seminar covers this ground in depth.
When to book an appointment
- You have had a new partner, or a partner whose testing status you do not know.
- You have any genital sore, unusual discharge, or burning with urination.
- A partner has told you they tested positive for something.
- You have never been screened, or it has been a long time — most people are overdue.
Frequently Asked Questions
1Do you always have symptoms with an STI?
2Are they all curable?
3Can an STI make it hard to conceive later?
4How often should I get tested?
5Do condoms protect against everything?
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Testing is easier than worrying.
A confidential conversation and a straightforward set of tests answer most of the questions people lose sleep over. Get in touch to arrange screening.
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