“It won’t happen to me”– and yet it does.

According to a study performed in August 2022, 1 in 4 college students have been diagnosed with a Sexually Transmitted Infection, or STI. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation and stigma around STIs, but hopefully this article dispels some of that.

First, what exactly is an STI? A Sexually Transmitted Infection is any infection spread from one person to another during any kind of sexual intercourse. An STI is the same thing as a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) but most medical and public health providers are switching over to using STIs as there’s less stigma around the word “infection” vs the word “disease”, plus, many STIs can be asymptomatic, and your immune system may have the ability to fight it off without you even realizing you have an infection.

Some of the most common STIs are chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, hepatitis A/B and the most common STI according to the CDC: Human papillomavirus (HPV). As mentioned previously, STIs don’t always have symptoms attached – you can contract or transmit one without even knowing you (or your partner) have an STI. Fortunately, most STIs have similar symptoms if you do end up showing symptoms.

According to the Mayo Clinic, STI symptoms may include: sores or bumps on the genitals or around your mouth, pain during sex, painful or burning urination, fever, and lower abdominal pain. There are also some symptoms that vary between men and women. If you suspect you have an STI, go to urgent care or the University Health Center, where you can get tested for an STI. It’s smart to get tested any time you start having sex with someone new, for your safety and theirs.

(Contributed/vecteezy.com)

Now that you know some of the symptoms of STIs, how can you prevent them? The number one way to prevent getting an STI, aside from abstaining from sex, is by using a condom. Condoms and other safe sex tools can be found at the University Health Center or at the Women and Gender Resource Center located on the 2nd floor of the Culp. Practicing safe sex allows you to reduce your risk of pregnancy and STIs. Additionally, discussing STIs with your partner can keep both of you safe and healthy.

Vaccines exist for HPV and Hepatitis A & B, so making sure you stay up to date and vaccinated can prevent you from an STI, as well as getting cancer from an untreated HPV vaccine. If you are diagnosed with an STI by a medical professional, you will get prescribed an antibiotic or antiviral, depending on which STI you have. It’s important to remember to stay safe while you’re having fun, because one mistake can be a party pooper.

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