What is the difference between STI and STD? This question may come to mind for many people, especially when frequently using these two terms. But is there really a difference between them, or are they two sides of the same coin? We will illustrate the meaning of each sti and std and the main difference between sti and std in detail.
Before illustrating the difference between sti and std, we should know what each of these abbreviations refers to. STDs mean sexually transmitted diseases, while STI refers to sexually transmitted infections. Both actually mean the same thing, especially since these diseases are caused by some types of bacterial and viral infections. Scientists believe that using the term STI is more appropriate.
However, there is one underlying difference between sti and std: a sexually transmitted infection (STI) cannot be called a disease (STD) unless the patient shows symptoms.
Also read: How to decrease the risk of SIDS
When a person is infected with any sexually transmitted infection and his immune system is unable to overcome it, he may actually develop a sexually transmitted disease (STD). The severity of the condition increases as the condition of late detection, and according to the type of infection.
Talking about the difference between sti and std, and which is worse, STD is the worst, because the patient here has signs and symptoms, and needs a treatment plan.
This highlights the importance of ensuring a comprehensive health examination, including an STD test in Dubai or your country of residence in general, to detect the STI early.
One of the most important facts about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is that they are among the most common and widespread infections in many countries. For example, CDC statistics indicate that the number of STIs worldwide is approximately 374 million per year.
The majority of STIs are caused by chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, and infection rates are highest among those between the ages of 14 and 24.
If you’re wondering how to decrease the risk of STDS, the first step is to get screened regularly for types of Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
Also read: how to reduce diabetes type 2
The main medical difference between the meaning of infection and disease is as follows:
Infection means the arrival of an infectious microorganism into the human body. It is considered the first step in the path to disease. No symptoms appear at the onset of infection. In some cases, an infection may not develop into a disease if the immune cells are able to overcome the microorganism before it spreads with a higher load in the body.
As for the disease, it indicates that the person is suffering from a medical condition that has obvious causes and symptoms. Unfortunately, most sexually transmitted diseases are asymptomatic and are only discovered by chance or during a comprehensive body examination. Therefore, experts recommend the necessity of making sure to do a comprehensive annual or semi-annual examination that includes doing an STD Test in Dubai to detect these diseases early.
Perhaps the lack of symptoms in patients with sexually transmitted diseases, especially chlamydia, is what makes the term sexually transmitted infection more accurate.
Briefly, we can say that all STDs start as STIs
The most common types of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and infections are:
Caused mainly by a bacterial infection with no symptoms; if left untreated, it can cause infertility and many health complications.
It’s one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). It also occurs due to a bacterial infection. Infection can cause pain and discharge. Doctors say that failure to follow a treatment plan can lead to joint pain, and possibly infertility.
A bacterial infection causes syphilis, it is considered one of the most dangerous and potentially life-threatening sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Therefore, it is always included in the screening panel of STD Test in Dubai at Lana Life Care Clinic, where you can receive the best homehealth care services and accurate lab test at home.
This sexually transmitted disease is caused by a viral infection, hence its abbreviation, HIV.
Unfortunately, there is currently no definitive cure for AIDS, but the treatment plan relies solely on slowing the onset of symptoms by strengthening the immune system as much as possible.
There are also some other types of sexually transmitted diseases, such as: Genital herpes, Human papillomavirus (HPV), Inflammation of the vagina (Vaginitis), and others.
It is worth noting that the hepatitis B virus can also be transmitted from one patient to another through sexual contact.
Also read: Bilirubin blood test
The difference between STI and STD is that most infections are asymptomatic, but when the infection spreads and persists in the body and symptoms appear, the disease has taken hold.
The incubation period varies, and symptoms may appear in various parts of the body. Some types of sexually transmitted infections may not show any symptoms.
In general, the most common symptoms that may accompany sexually transmitted diseases are:
Regardless of the difference between STI and STD, it should be noted that symptoms vary greatly from one case to another, depending on the type of infection and the severity and progression of the sexually transmitted disease.
Most sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) lead to numerous serious health complications, the most common of which is infertility, along with severe pain in various parts of the body, particularly in the bones and joints.
HIV, in particular, results in a severely weakened immune system, making any infection, even a minor one, extremely life-threatening.
Some cases have also had a very negative impact on the health of the central and peripheral nervous systems of the body as a result of sexually transmitted infections.
Also read: Ferritin Blood Test
Blood tests are performed to detect sexually transmitted diseases using modern techniques that detect antibodies to bacteria and viruses in the patient’s blood, such as the ELISA technique. Sometimes, the patient may need to undergo PCR tests to confirm the infection.
If you’re a Dubai resident and want to maintain your privacy and safety, you can benefit from the lab test at home services offered by Lana Life Care Clinic to accurately conduct an STD test in Dubai. The clinic relies on a certified home nursing services team that collects the required sample from the patient at home and immediately sends it to the laboratory.
Now that we know the difference between STI and STD, it’s important to note that healthcare providers follow a specific protocol to diagnose these diseases.
The doctor will perform a clinical examination of the patient and detect any recent symptoms of unknown cause.
He will also, of course, ask the patient specific questions about his sexual life. Answers must be honest to help the doctor accurately diagnose the case.
The doctor may also direct the patient to undergo some important medical tests, such as:
Also read: A regular blood test check up
Management and treatment may help cure some, but not all, types of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Treatment aims primarily to:
What Treatment Is Available for STIs/STDs?
The main Treatments which are available for STIs/STDs include taking medications like:
Sometimes, the treatment plan may include some additional medications as well, depending on the patient’s general health condition.
Not only should you know the difference between STI and STD, but you should also know how to decrease the risk of STDs by:
Lana Life Care Clinic has been and continues to be the largest clinic specializing in all types of homehealth care services in Dubai.
We offer all lab test at home services as well as home nursing service via a full staff of certified male and female nurses.
Lana Life Care is also the go-to destination when you want to do an STD Test in Dubai, as we conduct comprehensive and integrated examinations so that we can detect any types of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, especially in the early stages of infection that are asymptomatic, which highlights the difference between STI and STD.
Not only that, but we also guide patients on How To Decrease The Risk Of STDS if the result is negative, and how to manage the condition if the results are positive and confirm infection.
At Lana Care Clinic, we are committed to maintaining complete patient privacy and safety, and we also strive to provide our services promptly and at very reasonable and competitive prices.
It generally differs from test to another, but on average it can take from 1 to 3 days, However, some tests like PCR can take longer times.
The cost of a comprehensive STD test varies from one medical center to another based on several factors, such as the number of infections detected, the techniques used, the experience of the provider, and others.
The most common STI/STD includes: Chlamydia, Genital herpes, Gonorrhea, HIV/AIDS, Syphilis, Human papillomavirus (HPV), Trichomoniasis, Hepatitis B Virus, and Vaginitis.
It can result in many pregnancy complications, such as premature labour thus causing many issues to the fetus, which can end with death. It can also lead to Infection in the uterus after birth.
Untreated STIs can lead to serious complications such as infertility, permanent joint pain, weak immunity, and perhaps, death.
Some home remedies may help strengthen the immune system and improve health to prevent infection before it turns into a disease, as we mentioned when explaining the difference between STI and STD. However, it is necessary to follow the medical treatment plan set by the treating physician.
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection, and it is caused when the patient is infected with a type of bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis.
The difference between STI and STD is that the STI means the microorganism has reached the body without showing symptoms, and when symptoms appear, this means that the infection has turned into a disease. Therefore, we can metaphorically say that STI is better because the body may overcome the infection and eliminate it without turning into STD.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sex/sti-vs-std#short-answer
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/blog/sti-vs-std-whats-the-difference
