STI and STD differences explained as sexual health experts fight stigmas

For decades, the terms 'STI' and 'STD' were used interchangeably.

Apparently, however, a number of key differences actually exist between the two of them, which doctors are now emphasising in a bid to improve accuracy and remove harmful stigmas.

The first and more obvious difference is their names. STIs refer to sexually transmitted infections, while STDs refer to sexually transmitted diseases.

Previously, the term STD was used to cover all bases.

Despite it being a more accurate description in most instances statistically, in recent years, doctors have become increasingly concerned with the negative way the term has been interpreted.

Their issue was primarily aimed at the way youngsters had been educated about sexually transmitted diseases, with the latter word sounding like a life sentence, or something a person should be shamed for in the streets.

Infections usually precede sexually transmitted diseases (Getty Stock Images)

What sexual health experts are now attempting to highlight is that an infection precedes a disease.

In the initial state of infection, when symptoms often go unnoticed, a person isn't yet battling a disease. As such, the term 'STI' is being pushed as a better descriptor of their condition.

For reference, the most common STIs are chlamydia and gonorrhoea, the symptoms of which don't always show themselves.

In cases of infection, a virus, bacteria or parasite has entered the body and begun multiplying. This can happen in numerous different ways - through skin-to-skin contact, or the transmission of bodily fluids, for example.

Using 'STD' to describe these early stages suggests that a patient has a medical problem that comes hand-in-hand with several symptoms, which technically, they don't. Therefore, it's seen as misleading.

An infection should only constitute as a disease when it starts to cause symptoms - only once the infection has begun inflicting damage onto cells.

An infection should only constitute as an 'STD' when symptoms appear (Getty Stock Images)

What often catches people out, however, is that not all diseases started off as infections. This only applies to sexual health cases.

On top of this, not all infections develop into diseases.

An example of this is the super-common HPV (human papilloma virus), which often doesn't present any symptoms and which clears up on its own over time. Therefore, it's an STI, not an STD.

Only when the body fails to clear up the infection on its own can it cause symptoms like genital warts to appear, making it a disease.

Though symptoms of STDs can vary greatly depending on their nature, the most common to look out for are:

• Sores, lesions or rashes around the genitals
• A change in the colour, amount or smell of vaginal discharge
• Penile discharge
• Unusually bleeding
• Pain during sex
• Pelvic pain
• Swollen testicles
• Tingling or itching of the genitals
• Rectal bleeding
• Swollen lymph nodes.

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