When it comes to sexual health, it is a common tendency for people not to give it a second thought unless they are symptomatic. However, you should bear in mind that a vast assortment of sexually transmitted diseases do not manifest with any symptoms. As such, you could have contracted a disease and be unaware of its presence until your health becomes severely affected. As a precaution, it is recommended for both men and women to pay an occasional visit to a sexual health clinic, such as Travellers Medical Services, to determine whether they may be suffering from a disease and are unaware of it. Here are a few of the common STDs that you should be wary of if you have an active sexual life.

HPV

HPV stands for Human Papillomavirus. It is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases, yet a majority of people who have it may not even be aware that they are infected. There are a couple of reasons why HPV is so prevalent. Firstly, HPV comes in numerous types of strains. Therefore, it spreads quite quickly.

Secondly, HPV is typically asymptomatic. Thus, you may have contracted it years ago but will still be the vision of perfect health. It should also be noted that some strains of HPV are perfectly harmless and you could live your entire life with the virus and not be aware of it.

Nevertheless, some strains can cause health complications down the road in the form of genital warts and, in some extreme cases, cervical cancer. The best way to protect yourself from HPV is to ensure that you are vaccinated to reduce the risk of any health issues.

Chlamydia

Another sexually transmitted disease that you should be wary of is chlamydia. This type of disease is caused by a bacterial infection and can be asymptomatic. However, in some cases, you may find that the vagina or penis will start to secrete a strange discharge. Some individuals may even experience a burning sensation whenever they urinate.

It should be noted that even though chlamydia may not be present with any symptoms, women that are infected could end up passing the infection to their unborn children if they have a vaginal birth. As such, it is always best to seek routine testing for this disease and have it treated.

One thing to note about chlamydia is that some people run the risk of the infection recurring, even after treatment. If not treated with each occurrence, both men and women stand the risk of eventual infertility.