Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs/STDs) Mega Guide

Quick Facts. No Shame

Real Protection

MEGA COMPARISON TABLE

Condition	What It Is	Main Cause	Is It an STI?	Common Symptoms	Curable?	What If Untreated
Yeast Infection	Fungal overgrowth (Candida)	Microbiome imbalance	❌ No	Itching, thick white discharge	✅ Yes	Chronic discomfort, recurrent infections
BV (Bacterial Vaginosis)	Bacterial imbalance	Loss of healthy bacteria	❌ No (but sex‑linked)	Fishy odor, thin discharge	✅ Yes	Higher STI risk, pregnancy issues
Vaginitis	Vaginal inflammation	Yeast, BV, irritation	❌ Sometimes	Itching, burning, discharge	✅ Depends	Chronic irritation
Chlamydia	Bacterial STI	Sexual contact	✅ Yes	Often silent, discharge, pain	✅ Yes	Infertility, PID
Herpes (HSV‑1/2)	Viral STI	Skin‑to‑skin contact	✅ Yes	Blisters, sores, tingling	❌ No (manageable)	Recurrent outbreaks
Syphilis (All Stages)	Bacterial STI	Sexual contact	✅ Yes	Sores, rash, later organ damage	✅ Yes (early)	Brain, heart damage
Gonorrhea	Bacterial STI	Sexual contact	✅ Yes	Burning, discharge	✅ Yes	Infertility, joint infection
HIV	Viral infection	Blood/sexual fluids	✅ Yes	Flu‑like early, later immune damage	❌ No (treatable)	AIDS if untreated

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR TODAY

Don’t wait if any of these apply:

Burning when peeing
Unusual discharge or smell
Sores, bumps, or blisters
Pelvic or testicular pain
A partner tested positive
You had unprotected sex
Anxiety about symptoms won’t stop

TeenThreads truth:
👉 Testing early = simple fixes. Waiting = bigger problems.

“WHAT TO SAY AT THE CLINIC” — TEEN SCRIPT

You can literally say this (copy/paste energy):

“Hi, I’m here to get tested for STIs.
I had sex recently and want to be safe.
I don’t have all the symptoms, but I want a full check.
I’d also like to talk about prevention options.”

If you’re nervous, add:

“I’m a teen and I want to understand my options confidentially.”

Clinics hear this every day. You won’t shock anyone.

MYTHS vs FACTS

Myth: “If it doesn’t hurt, it’s fine.”
Fact: Many STIs are silent.

Myth: “Only certain people get STIs.”
Fact: STIs follow exposure, not identity.

Myth: “Testing means something is wrong with me.”
Fact: Testing means you care about your future.

Myth: “HIV ruins your life.”
Fact: With treatment, people live long, full lives.

QUICK QUIZ : TeenThreads Style

1️⃣ Which STI often has NO symptoms?
✅ Chlamydia

2️⃣ Which condition is NOT an STI?
✅ Yeast infection

3️⃣ Can gonorrhea become harder to treat?
✅ Yes (antibiotic resistance)

4️⃣ What does U = U mean?
✅ Undetectable = Untransmittable

5️⃣ Is herpes curable?
❌ No, but it’s manageable

TRUSTED SOURCES: LEARN‑MORE LINKS

CDC – STIs Overview
https://www.cdc.gov/std
CDC – HIV
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv
Mayo Clinic – STIs
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions
Cleveland Clinic – Sexual Health
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health
NHS – Sexual Health
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sexually-transmitted-infections-stis/
MedlinePlus – STIs
https://medlineplus.gov/sexuallytransmitteddiseases.html

FULL STI & RELATED TOPIC LIST

(Women’s Health Style Index)

These are key STI‑related topics you’ll see across TeenThreads guides.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV)
Chancroid
Chlamydia
Genital herpes
Genital warts
Gonorrhea
Granuloma Inguinale (Donovanosis)
HIV/AIDS
Human papillomavirus (HPV)
Lymphogranuloma Venereum (LGV)
Molluscum Contagiosum
Mycoplasma genitalium (Mgen)
Pap test (Pap smear)
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
Sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy, and breastfeeding
Syphilis
Trichomoniasis
Viral hepatitis (A, B, C, D, E)

Many of these have their own TeenThreads deep‑dive guides with symptoms, testing, treatment, and prevention.

Related information from womenshealth.gov

TeenThreads Final Message

Getting informed isn’t “doing too much.”
It’s owning your future.

No shame.
No fear.
Just facts, protection, and confidence.

By TeenThreads Content Team