Britain has been experiencing a surge in Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI's) following the end of lockdown in June for... obvious reasons, prompting an urgent statement from Doctors and pharmacists about the importance of getting tested.
Healthcare service FROM MARS found recent Google data that revealed there has been a huge increase in people searching for cures for the most common STI's between November 2020 and October 2021.
To be precise, in this timeframe, over 28,000 people searched for the phrase 'how to get rid of genital warts', 19,790 have turned to Doctor Google for a cure for chlamydia, and 9,430 people have been searching for ways to relieve themselves of gonorrhoea.
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But whilst the search data is being skewed somewhat by the fact that those three STIs are amongst the most well-known, there's another infection to be wary of that can be transmitted without the need for intercourse.
HPV, or the Human Papillomavirus, is a common virus that is transmissible through direct skin-to-skin contact. There are more than 150 subtypes of HPV viruses, and nearly 40 are known to be transmissible by sexual contact.
The virus is considered to be the most common form of STI, and nearly all sexually active men and women are likely to contract it at some point in their lives.
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Although there is no cure for the virus itself, many HPV infections often go away on their own and are cleared from the body by the immune system without the host ever knowing.
However, certain strains of HPV do persist, and this can result in debilitating genital warts and even cancer.
Worldwide HPV infections are known to be responsible for all cases of genital warts and around 5 percent of all new cancers occurring in both men and women.
Using condoms every time you have sex can drastically help reduce the spread of HPV.
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However, as condoms do not cover all of the genital area, they are not 100 percent effective in preventing the spread of the virus.
A person suffering from genital warts can also help reduce the spread of HPV by avoiding sexual activity until they have been removed.
Generally speaking, STI's are easily treated with antibiotics if they are detected early, so don't be afraid to speak to a doctor if you've had unprotected sex with a new partner recently.
The same applies if your partner has shown symptoms, you've been in a situation where you could have been exposed to an infection, or you're looking to conceive.
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Common signs of infection can include strange and smelly discharge, unusual pain or bleeding after sex, pain in your abdomen or testicles, pain while urinating, itching or burning sensations around your genital area, growths such as blisters, sores, or warts and black powder or little whitish dots inside your underwear.
If you suffer from any of these symptoms, please seek advice from a medical professional immediately.
Featured Image Credit: NetflixTopics: Sex