Oklahoma is ranked 7th among 50 states in chlamydial infections in 2016.

Oklahoma has seen a significant increase in sexually transmitted disease infections over the past few years, causing great concern among the public health community. Many public health officials point to the rise of social networking and anonymous hookup apps as a primary driving factor of the increase.

“The increased use of social media and these apps to have hook-up sex has facilitated more sexual contact among people who don’t know the health of the person they’re having sex with,” said State epidemiologist Kristy Bradley.

“It’s mainly for like just hooking up, not really dating,” said former Tinder user Keith Pratt. “There’s not a lot of interaction before the engagement. It’s let’s meet, and you don’t know what you’re gonna get.”

Many of the most common STDs, like gonorrhea and chlamydia, can be cured with simple medicines. But since symptoms of these diseases vary from person to person and some never show symptoms at all, the only way to know for sure that you have an STD, or HIV, is to get tested.

If left untreated, STDs can cause long-term health issues. For example, in women, untreated gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which could lead to the formation of scar tissue that blocks fallopian tubes; ectopic pregnancy, or a pregnancy outside the womb; inability to get pregnant; and long-term abdominal pain.

Bradley said it’s important for Oklahomans who are sexually active to get tested. If you have only one sexual partner, the recommendation is to get tested once a year. If you have multiple partners, you should get tested every three to six months.

Private Testing Center strives to combat the ongoing STD/HIV epidemic in the United States by providing safe, easy, and confidential STD testing at over 2,000 locations around the country. There are several testing labs in and around the Oklahoma City area, meaning the answers about your sexual health are never very far away. And with same-day appointments and most lab visits wrapping up within 15 minutes, there’s no reason not to schedule a test.

Don’t leave this aspect of your health to chance. Undiagnosed and untreated, STDs can cause irrepairable harm to your body, and you may unwillingly propagate the disease by infecting other sexual partners. Schedule a test with us today.