The latest Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to rise in the United States, with combined cases of common infections such as syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia reaching an all-time high in 2018 [1].
When untreated, STIs can cause severe health problems - from possibly raising your risk of contracting HIV to infertility and pregnancy complications. Fortunately, it’s possible to avoid these issues by taking some simple steps when it comes to your sexual health: one of these being regular sexual health screening. The good news? Screening doesn’t have to be complicated - in fact, you can now test from the privacy of your own home with LetsGetChecked’s range of at-home Sexual Health Tests.
STIs: What you should know
It’s estimated that over 1 million STIs are contracted every day worldwide [2] and the majority of these STIs show little to no symptoms, making it difficult to recognize the infection without the help of a test.
Untreated STIs: What are the health risks?
Some of the most common health risks associated with untreated STIs include:
- Infertility
- Heart disease
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
- Epididymo-orchitis
- Neurological problems
- Brain damage
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Birth defects
What symptoms should I look out for?
STIs are known to have a range of signs and symptoms. Unfortunately, this often includes no symptoms making it easy for the infection to go unnoticed until complications begin to occur.
The symptoms of STIs vary depending on the type of STI contracted, the length of time you have had the infection, and your gender. With that said, there are some common symptoms that you should know.
STI symptoms in men
- Pain or burning during urination
- Pain during sex
- Abdominal pain
- Bumps on the genitals or anus
- Ulcers on the genitals or anus
- Unusual discharge or drip from the penis
STI symptoms in women
- Pain or burning during urination
- Pain during sex
- Abdominal pain
- Bumps on the genitals or anus
- Ulcers on the genitals or anus
- Unusual vaginal discharge
Regular sexual health screening is key when it comes to ensuring both you and your partner remain happy and healthy. LetsGetChecked’s range of at-home Sexual Health Tests allows you to check for some of the most common sexually transmitted infections from the comfort of your own home. Online results will be made available within 2-5 days and our dedicated medical team will be available to answer any questions you may have throughout the process.
You should consider taking a test if:
- You become sexually active
- You have had unprotected sex
- You are experiencing symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection
- You are entering into a new sexual relationship
- You have received a notification from a previous partner that they are infected (STIs can remain dormant for years and/ or take up to three weeks to become detectable.)
How it works
1. Choose the test that’s right for you and we will ship it using next day delivery. From the moment the test leaves our facility, you will be notified by text message or email and you can track it all the way to your door.
2. You will complete a quick activation step, whereby you activate your test and answer a number of health-related questions from your personalized dashboard.
3. Your health record is reviewed in real-time by a LetsGetChecked medical team member and additional support services will be provided to you as needed.
4. You will collect your sample at a time that is comfortable for you. You don't need to work on a doctor's or laboratory's schedule.
5. After collecting your sample, you will have a prepaid shipping label to get the sample back to the laboratory for processing. You can track the sample from the moment it leaves your door and you will receive a notification when it arrives in our lab.
6. Once your sample has been processed, our team of doctors will review your results. A member of the nursing team will contact you to deliver your results and discuss the next steps. We can provide advice on lifestyle changes to improve your health and in some cases, we can offer prescriptions.
References
