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6 Minutes Read

What's The Difference Between An STI And An STD?

If you’ve ever Googled sexually transmitted diseases or STDs, then you’ve probably come across the term sexually transmitted infections, or STIs. You might be wondering what the difference between an STD and an STI actually is. Well, they are not technically different things—STI stands for sexually transmitted infection, while STD stands for sexually transmitted disease. They’re used interchangeably to describe any infection that can be spread through unprotected sexual activity, but these acronyms are often used as adjectives to describe the specific types of infection you might have contracted.



SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION (STI)

STIs are infections that can be sexually transmitted. Some of these infections include HIV, genital herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HPV. 


There are many different symptoms associated with STIs. Sometimes there may not be any symptoms at all. The most common STD symptom treatment is antibiotics. Symptoms may appear between 2-6 weeks after contracting an STD. What's the difference between an STD and an STI? An STD can only be contracted through sexual contact whereas, if you have a cold sore on your lip, for example, it could spread to your partner via oral sex or kissing. So what's the difference between an STD and an STI? Well, first off, as stated above, an STD is usually limited to being contracted through sexual contact whereas an STI can also be caught from other types of contact like sharing infected needles or having unprotected sex with someone who has another type of infection like Herpes.


SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE (STD)

Most people think that a sexually transmitted infection (STI) is just a fancy word for an STD. However, there are big differences between these two terms. In fact, in many cases, you can get one without ever having contracted the other. Let's take a look at what these two terms really mean. 


An STD is any infection that can be spread through sexual contact. There are over 20 types of STDs. Some of the most common include chlamydia, herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), syphilis, and gonorrhea. You can get some types of STD by skin-to-skin contact with someone who has it or through bodily fluids like saliva or semen. However, there are other kinds of STDs that require direct genital contact to pass from person to person. What's the difference between them? Well, if your partner has an STD then you can have it too--even if they don't show symptoms. That being said, not all STDs are symptomless so sometimes catching something might depend on your ability to notice something out of the ordinary. When left untreated, some types of STDs can lead to severe health problems such as infertility or cervical cancer.


CHLAMYDIA

STIs are sexually transmitted infections, which are caused by a variety of microorganisms. The most common one is chlamydia, which can cause serious complications if left untreated. As with any infection, symptoms vary from person to person but may include: pain or burning sensation when urinating, discharge from the penis or vagina, lower abdominal pain and pelvic inflammation. Left untreated, it can lead to infertility in men and women. If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible so they can prescribe treatment. You should also use protection every time you have sex because even people without STDs can transmit them through unprotected intercourse. And always remember that practicing safe sex makes all the difference between getting an STD and not!


GONORRHEA

A sexually transmitted infection is any disease that is passed from one person to another by intimate contact. Gonorrhea is one of these infections, but it can be cured with proper treatment. In many cases, gonorrhea does not cause symptoms in either men or women. This means that someone could have gonorrhea without knowing it, then pass it on to his or her partner(s) without knowing. If you experience any unusual discharge from your genitals or a burning sensation when urinating, see your doctor immediately. The STD Symptom Treatment for gonorrhea includes antibiotics like penicillin or ciprofloxacin. These will get rid of the infection quickly so it cannot spread to other people through sexual contact. For some patients, the STD symptoms treatment may take more than one dose.


SYPHILIS

An STD is a sexually transmitted disease. The term STD is more commonly used when talking about HIV or herpes. An STI is a sexually transmitted infection. It includes any infection passed from one person to another by having sex, like gonorrhea, chlamydia, or syphilis. What's the difference? A sexually transmitted disease means that it can affect your health in a number of ways, including causing long-term health problems like infertility and cancer. An STI doesn't always have symptoms. Some people don't know they have an STI until they get tested for it at their annual physical. Even if you're not showing symptoms, you could still pass an STI to someone else during unprotected sex if you don't know your status. That's why it's important to get tested every year with your doctor or sexual partner (if you're monogamous). When do I need treatment? If you have any STD symptoms treatment should be sought right away.


HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV)

Sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, are a broad category of viral and bacterial diseases that are passed on from one person to another during sexual contact. The term includes chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus (HPV), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) (also known as genital herpes), syphilis, trichomoniasis, HIV/AIDS, and more. A sexually transmitted disease, or STD, is simply any infection contracted through sexual activity that is not caused by an STI. These include: bacterial vaginosis (BV), scabies, pubic lice, and yeast infections. 


Although most cases of STDs do not require treatment, it's important to note that some will only be treated if they are detected early. If left untreated for too long, some STDs can cause severe health complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women and male infertility in men.


ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS)

AIDS is a condition where your body cannot fight off infection or disease. There are many types of infections that can cause AIDS, but the most common is HIV. Anyone who has unprotected sex with someone who has HIV has a very high risk of getting AIDS. Other factors, such as sharing needles for drug use, can also put you at risk of acquiring AIDS. If left untreated, AIDS will eventually lead to death. Early detection of symptoms combined with medical treatment can help slow down the progression of the virus so it doesn't develop into full-blown AIDS. The sooner the symptoms are detected and treated, the less chance there is that they will advance. Symptoms include persistent flu-like illness, swollen lymph nodes in the neck or armpits, dry cough, skin rash on the trunk of the body, fever over 100 degrees F (37 degrees C), and weight loss greater than 10% in six months' time.


HPV

There are many types of sexually transmitted diseases, but the most common is HPV. HPV is a virus that spreads from person to person during sexual contact. The majority of people who have it do not know they have it, as there are no symptoms. In some cases, HPV can cause genital warts, which often appear about three weeks after exposure to the virus. You can treat genital warts with medication prescribed by your healthcare provider. You can also reduce your risk of getting HPV by practicing safe sex or abstaining from sex. If you find out you have an STD, seek treatment right away. Treatment options vary depending on what type of STD you have and how long you've had it, but typically include antibiotics.


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