Better Safe Than Sorry

Better Safe Than Sorry

“I’m not having any symptoms, so I don’t think I need to get tested.”

This is a famous phrase and a common preconceived notion. Why wait for that surprise Herpes outbreak? I hear many patients say that they have been taking over-the-counter medicine because they think the discomfort during urination is just a UTI, or self-diagnosed Urinary Tract Infection. More often than not, the self diagnosed UTI turns out to be Chlamydia, Gonorrhea or Trichomoniasis. While all three are easy to treat, they can cause very serious health issues if left untreated. The scariest thing is many people have NO symptoms.

“I’ve only had one partner”

This brings me back to 6th grade Health class. Every time I hear this I think of the way exposure to STD’s was explained to me. Say you have only had one partner, but that one partner had 3 other partners. Well, now you have been exposed to 4 people, and everyone that the others have had sexual contact with. The amount of indirect partners adds up fast! So, with that in mind, do yourself and your health a favor…Get tested!