Worst Case Scenarios With Different Untreated STDs
Because they mostly seem to be asymptomatic, their severity could become either underestimated or simply ignored. Nevertheless, if left unattended, sexually transmitted diseases can move from asymptomatic conditions to lethal diseases. This has been confirmed by about 20 million new cases of STIs reported annually in the United States only. In this article, we present the dangerous outcomes of different untreated STDs and raise your awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.
03 October 2024
6 min read
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Gonorrhea: The Silent Damager
Gonorrhea, otherwise more colloquially referred to as 'the clap', is an infection transmitted through any available body orifice; these include the vagina and penis, but also the mouth, anus, and eye. Even where there is no penetration, or even when sex toys are shared, it can be acquired. Dual treatment is highly advisable for this infection, considering its tendency to occur along with chlamydia.
If left untreated, gonorrhea can cause serious complications, including blindness and blood and joint infections for babies born to infected mothers. Unfortunately, types of gonorrhea are becoming resistant to antibiotics, which is turning it into a 'Super Bug'.
Risks Associated with Untreated Gonorrhea
Untreated gonorrhea increases the risk for transmission of HIV dramatically. Complications in women include scarring of the fallopian tubes, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. In men, complications include scarring of the urethra, infection of the prostate gland leading to sterility, and inflammation of the urethra. Newborns are at risk of severe joint infections, blindness, and life-threatening blood infection.
Chlamydia remains one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections, and there were more than 1.7 million cases reported in the United States in 2017. Amazingly, 48% of the men infected and about 70% of the women had no symptoms, which facilitated this silent epidemic to continue. The correct usage of protection, such as condoms, coupled with efficient antibiotic treatment, are ways through which the long-term complications of chlamydia can be minimized.
Risk of Untreated Chlamydia
If chlamydia is left untreated, it might become an increased risk to HIV, PID, and infertility in men. It may cause women an unwanted miscarriage, infertility, or pre-term labor. This could also result in pneumonia, lung infections, conjunctivitis, and early birth. A newborn may develop ear infections.
Although it is now less lethal due to medical advances, HIV remains a serious, even life-threatening disease if not treated. Antiretroviral therapy is the mainstay of treatment against HIV and prolongs survival in the patient. However, delays in ART obscure the prognosis.
Risks Associated with Untreated HIV
If left untreated, it can also lead to extreme weight loss, an increased risk of heart diseases, stroke, liver or kidney diseases, cancer, osteoporosis, premature aging, pneumonia, and death due to AIDS.
Syphilis is generally a bacterial infection that often presents mild and usually painless symptoms or signs that may go unnoticed. These range from a single, painless genital sore, which may appear at its primary stage, to a skin rash at its secondary stage. The disease can become lethal, though, if it progresses to the tertiary stage of the disease after years.
Risks of Untreated Syphilis
If left untreated, syphilis can lead to inflammatory lesions, large ulcerations of skin and tissues beneath the skin, enlargement of the liver, internal hemorrhage, loss of muscle coordination, deformation, dementia, seizures, or even death.
Hepatitis B and C are viral infections that spread either by bodily fluids or blood, which basically assail the liver. While the initial stages of hepatitis B have symptoms just like any other flu, the disease can take a serious turn if not treated on time. Hepatitis C is believed to be the most dangerous of all hepatitis infections, as it does not show any symptoms in many patients until its discovery at a very advanced stage.
Hepatitis B Treatment
There is no cure, but symptoms of hepatitis B can be managed, and more than 90% of healthy adults naturally recover within the first year. Vaccination is also available to prevent contraction of the hepatitis B virus.
Untreated Hepatitis B Risks
If left untreated, hepatitis B poses the risk of jaundice, fibrosis, and cirrhosis of the liver, hepatocellular carcinoma, liver failure, and death.
As of now, no vaccine for hepatitis C exists, but available treatments can manage the condition.
Risks for Untreated Hepatitis C
Untreated hepatitis C may make a person acquire jaundice, cancer, cirrhosis, or end-stage liver disease. If hepatitis C reaches the advanced stage, it may result in sleepiness, confusion, and even disorientation because of the toxins building up within the brain. Other risks include heart attack, stroke, type-2 diabetes, kidney failure, thyroid diseases, hypertension, gallstones, and death.
Herpes: The Unseen King of STDs
Herpes is one of the more common STDs. One in six U.S. citizens between the age of 14 and 49 has HSV-2 virus that causes genital herpes. Shockingly, 80% of those who carry this virus do not know their condition as the virus can remain dormant for many years and can spread even when no symptoms are apparent.
Treating Herpes
Antiviral medicines can shorten outbreaks, reduce infectiousness, and help ease such herpes symptoms as tingling, itching, and redness.
Risks of Untreated Herpes
Herpes is highly unpredictable. Some people have only one outbreak, after which the virus may not return for many years; other people develop heavy and frequent outbreaks. If herpes is left untreated, it may lead to further infections, especially in people whose immune system is already compromised.
One should protect one's sexual health and practice safe sex since the complications of untreated STDs are serious. The seriousness of testing, thereby treating them as early as possible, goes a long way in the prevention of these diseases from progressing into life-threatening diseases. Remember, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.
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