Whether you been with your partner for three months or three years that shouldn’t stop you for getting tested for a sexually transmitted disease. According to Washington& Lee, around 25% of college students has a sexually transmitted disease. What’s even worse is that about around 80% of the time a person who is affected by an STI can experience unnoticeable symptoms. Doesn’t matter your sexual orientation because an STI can affect anyone.
Here are some of the most common STIs among college students
Chlamydia- One of the most unnoticeable STIs is Chlamydia because there aren’t any symptoms. Chlamydia is very serious because without treatment it can cause infections and lead to infertility. Chlamydia is easy to cure once it’s caught early. The longer you wait to get tested the more harm you are doing to your body.
Signs of Chlamydia
- Pain or a burning sensation during peeing
- Pain during sex
- Bleeding between period
- Lower belly pains
- Abnormal discharge
Gonorrhea – Just like Chlamydia, a person might have gonorrhea without experiencing symptoms. Others might experience gonorrhea symptoms but might confuse it for being an infection such as a UTI.
Signs of gonorrhea
- Burning sensation when you pee
- Bleeding between periods
- A weird color discharge that is yellow or bloody
Gonorrhea can also be traced in the anus if you have anal sex and can spread easily to the rest of your intimate areas. Some of the signs of gonorrhea in the anus are itching in or around the anus, discharge coming from your anus and pain when it’s time for a bowel movement.
Genital Herpes- Another popular STI among sexually active college students. There are two types of herpes viruses; HSV 1 and HSV 2. HSV 1 is connected with cold sores found on the lips and sores that can be found on the eye. HSV 2 is associated with genital herpes. Both of these herpes viruses are extremely contagious. According to Washington & Lee University around 1 in 5 people have genital herpes. Genital herpes can spread to the vagina, anus, and mouth when a person affected by herpes has sex with another person.
Signs of Genital Herpes
- Itchiness and redness
- Blisters form and break
- Rash
- Intimate area might have skin irritations that can be mistaken for a mosquito bites or ingrown hair
It’s important for La Salle students to take our health seriously. If you are sexually active you should make time to visit the Student Health Center at La Salle. La Salle offers services for students to get tested for sexually transmitted infections. Any full-time day undergraduate commuter and residential student can be seen in the Student Health Center. What’s great is that there is no charge for care and assistance by the nurse practitioners and physicians. Although the thought of getting tested might seem scary, your health must come first