Just a few years ago, we were told to switch the common abbreviation of STD to STI, which left room for a lot of confusion. Is an STI not an STD? What is the difference between STI vs. STD? Is an STD more serious? It’s time to finally find out what you have been wondering for the last few years. Continue reading below to discover the differences between Sexually Transmitted Infections and Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
An organism causes sexually Transmitted Infections — any bacteria, virus, or parasite — that is passed from one person to another during various sexual acts or intimate contact. Most STIs are transmitted between sexual partners through unprotected anal, oral, or vaginal sex.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
A Sexually Transmitted Disease is exactly that — a disease. So does that mean that all infections are diseases? Yes and no. Not all diseases begin with an infection, but many do. Sexually transmitted diseases have all started as sexually transmitted infections and developed into diseases. The infection begins as the virus, bacteria or parasite enters the body and begins multiplying. As it does, it creates an infection and spreads throughout the body. Once the bacteria or virus has entered the body, the infection can become a disease. A Sexually Transmitted Disease (or disease of any kind) is classified as when the foreign organism officially disrupts the body’s natural state, processes, and functions.
The Stigma
Apart from the general medical definitions differentiating disease and infection, STDs were changed to STIs because of the stigma surrounding the word disease. Venereal disease and sexually transmitted disease — both terms have been around for a while and have developed a bad connotation. The word infection generally sounds less severe and does not garner as much negativity. An infection can indeed (in most cases) be cured, while diseases can become a long-term health battle.
When STIs Are Left Untreated
Leaving STIs untreated can cause long-term health problems in both men and women. The issue is that some STIs can have little to no symptoms! In fact, men are less likely to have symptoms when an STI is present, while women are more likely to develop long-term health complications. The most common STIs are chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HPV. Although many of these are treatable with prescribed antibiotics, it is vital to take STIs seriously and not delay treatment.
Getting Tested
While many STIs are easily treatable, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get tested regularly! STIs left untreated in both men and women can cause serious health conditions — and being diagnosed with an STI is very common. It is estimated that 4 out of every 1,000 people have an STI in Canada! Luckily, InfoRouge provides STI testing at the clinic and with their at-home medical services.
Visit inforouge.com to book your next STI screening, or call us at 514 – 360 – 7300 for more information.