45

Around 2010, an image of blue, pus-covered, lesion-filled labia went around the internet, giving rise to the name “blue waffle disease.” Some blamed a sexually transmitted illness (STI). But the sickness isn’t real.

The claims that followed the picture were almost as scary as the picture itself. Some users said that blue waffle disease was an STI that only happened to people with vaginas. A common belief was that this made-up STI only happened to women who had a lot of sex partners. 

The name comes from the slang words “blue waffle,” which means a dangerous vaginal infection, and “waffle,” which means vagina. It was said that blue waffle disease would leave sores, bruises, and blue spots on the skin.

This is false: no known disease with that name or those symptoms, at least not the “blue” part. However, there are some STIs that can cause discharge and sores in people who are sexually active and get the virus or bacteria.

Sexually spread diseases that are real 

There may not be a blue pancake disease, but there are a lot of other STIs. It is essential to know that your chance of getting an STI goes up if you are sexually active. If you want to avoid getting an STI, you might want to check your genitalia often.

By reading this list, find out how the most common STIs make you feel. 

BV, or Bacterial Vaginosis 

Source: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that BV is the most common vaginal infection in women ages 15 to 44. Too many or too few of the bacteria that usually live in the vagina cause it.

Some people get it for unknown reasons, but doing things that can change the pH balance in the vaginal area raises the risk. Some of these are douching and having a new or more than one sex partner. 

• BV doesn’t always show signs. If it does, here are some things you might notice:
• The vaginal fluid that is thin and white or greyish; a fishy smell that gets worse after sex; pain, itching, or burning in the vaginal area; a burning feeling when you urinate; 

Having Chlamydia

Chlamydia is very common and can happen to both men and women. It can be spread through oral, anal, or vaginal sex.

If you don’t treat chlamydia, it can lead to significant problems and make it hard for women to get pregnant. It can be cured only if you and your partner(s) get help.

There are no signs for many people who have chlamydia. If you get signs, they might not show up for a few weeks.

Some Vaginal Signs Could be: 

• Unusual vaginal fluid that burns when you urinate
• Some signs that something is wrong with the penis or testicles are penis discharge, burning when you urinate, pain, and swelling in one or both testicles.
• If you have anal sex or chlamydia moves from another part of your body, like the vagina, to your rectum, you may notice:
• painful fluid from the rectum, bleeding from the rectum 

Gonorrhea

• This STI can be caught by anyone sexually active. Gonorrhoea can happen in the genitalia, rectum, or throat, and it can be passed from person to person through oral, vaginal, or anal sex.
• There may be no signs or symptoms of gonorrhoea. How you feel depends on what kind of problem you have and where it is.
• When someone has a penis, they may feel pain and growth in their testicles and urinate. The penis may also leak yellow, white, or green fluid. 

• People who have a vagina may feel pain or burning when they urinate, have more vaginal discharge, or bleed between periods.
• lower back pain while having sex
• Why do rectal infections happen?
• pain and discharge from the rectum
• Itchy anal area
• Pelvic bleed
• Having painful bowel movements 

Genital Herpes

It can be caused by two different kinds of herpes simplex virus (HSV):

HSV-1 and HSV-2

Most of the time, it’s spread through sexual touch. HSV-2 causes most cases of vaginal herpes.

After you get the virus, it stays asleep in your body but can wake up anytime. There is no way to get rid of genital herpes.

If you have any signs, they will likely start between 2 and 12 days after exposure to the virus. About ninety out of ten people who have genital herpes will have very mild signs or none at all.

During the First Stage of Herpes, These Signs may Show up: 

Long-lasting sores increased virus shedding, meaning HSV is more likely to spread during this time. Symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, body aches, and headaches.

Herpes effects can happen again and again after these signs go away. Symptoms during an outbreak are usually not as bad as during the first, and they probably won’t last as long, either.

Some signs of repeated outbreaks are prodromal symptoms.

When someone has herpes, these generally start a few hours or days before the lesions appear. They feel like shooting pains in the lower body and the genital area. You may know you have an outbreak of herpes if you have these early warning signs. 

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Most people who get an STI get HPV. Based on the National Cancer Institute Reliable Source

HPV comes in over 200 different kinds. Based on the many kinds of HPV, 40 types can infect the mucous membranes, which include the mouth, genital area, and rectum.

Most people who are sexually active will get some kind of HPV at some point in their lives. People who touch each other can get it, and it can affect your genitalia, rectum, mouth, and throat. 

Some kinds can cause genital warts. Some of them can lead to cancer, like cancer of the womb, rectum, mouth, and throat. Different types of bacteria cause cancer and warts.

Cancers that can Happen Because of HPV are Trusted Source:

• breast cancer
• cancers of the oropharynx
• all cancer
• prostate cancer

Most HPV cases go away independently and don’t show any symptoms. However, the virus can still be passed on to your sexual partners because it stays dormant in your body. 

Vaginal warts caused by HPV can look like a single bump or a group of bumps in the vaginal area. They come in different sizes and shapes, like cabbage. They can be flat or raised.

Gerd and vaginal warts are not the same thing. HPV causes Gerd.

See your doctor right away for an STI test if you notice any changes that don’t seem right, like discharge, bumps, or sores. 

How to Get Checked for Real STIs 

STIs were present in about 20% of the U.S. population in 2018, the most recent year for which the CDC gathered data. It’s not real, so no one has blue waffle disease.

A lot of these people haven’t been diagnosed yet, and it’s not just because their STI signs aren’t obvious or aren’t there at all.

There is still a negative view about STI testing that keeps people with treatable conditions from getting the care they need.

Some STDs can get worse over time and cause problems that can make it impossible to get pregnant or even cause some types of cancer. It’s essential that people who are sexually involved feel good about getting STI tests. 

Who Should Get an STI Test?

• STI testing is probably helpful for sexually active people. In particular, it’s essential if You’re getting sexual with a new person.
• You and your partner are about to have sex without a condom or any other barrier method of birth control.
• You regularly have sex with more than one person.
• Your partner has sex with other people or has more than one partner.
• You are showing signs that could mean you have an STI.

People who are in long-term, stable relationships may not need STI testing if they had it done before they started dating. A lot of people don’t get screened, though. Before they become a more severe problem, it’s essential to rule out any STIs that don’t show clear signs. 

STIs that you Should Check for

Get help from a medical worker to determine which STI testing would be helpful for you. Different people have different sexual experiences, so it’s best not to worry too much about getting an STI that you probably won’t have.

A Doctor or Other Health Care worker Might Suggest Tests that Find the Following:

• Chlamydia and gonorrhoea HPV
• HIV and hepatitis B
• Trichomoniasis and syphilis
• They probably won’t ask for a herpes test unless you’ve had contact with the virus or asked for one directly.
• Not all of these STIs may be found at your regular sexual health screening. Many people who work in health care don’t always check for STIs. 
• Be sure to ask your doctor about STI testing and confirm which tests are taking place. Openness and honesty are essential, as talking candidly about your STI risk will help a healthcare professional work out which tests to recommend.
• Testing after sexual behaviour that wasn’t agreed upon
• Sexual abuse can make people feel alone and traumatized, on top of any health effects like STIs.
• It is recommended that you talk to a medical worker if someone has forced you to do something sexual or if you have experienced sexual violence.
• You can get help from the Rape, Abuse, and Incest Network (RAINN) by calling their national hotline for sexual abuse at 800-656-4673. All of the information is kept secret and private. 

What you Should tell Your Doctor Before Getting an STI Test

It’s good to let your doctor know the following when you ask for an STI test or go in for a regular checkup:

What kinds of birth control do you use, what medications do you regularly take, and any possible STI exposures you may be aware of? Also, if you are in a monogamous relationship, how many other sexual partners you or your partner have had? If you are pregnant, some STIs can cause congenital disabilities in unborn babies. If you regularly have or have had anal sex, because many standard STI tests can’t find these types of STIs. 

Where Can You Get Checked out?

STI tests can be done in several places, such as a doctor’s office. You can ask for quick STI tests from your doctor or a healthcare worker in an office or emergency room.

NHS centres that are paid for by the government. A lot of the health programs run by your local government can test for STIs like HIV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis. A few people may also check for trichomoniasis, herpes, and hepatitis. 

We are planning to have a baby. This charity charges different prices for STI tests based on your income, demographics, and ability to get help.

Some drug stores. You might be able to get tested for gonorrhoea, HIV, chlamydia, and syphilis at the drugstore near you.

I was testing at home. The FDA has only cleared one kit for testing for STIs at home. It is the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test. You can get a home test through Lets Get Checked, Everlywell, Nurx, and STD Check if you don’t live in the United States. 

The law Might say that Your Doctor has to tell Someone About your Condition.

Some STIs are diseases that need to be reported. In other words, your doctor will have to tell the government that you tested positive for that STI. Some of these are:

• Chlamydia and gonorrhoea
• hepatitis C
• HIV and syphilis
• A chancroid 

What Kinds of STI Tests are There?

The person who works in health care will do an STI test in several ways. After you tell your doctor about any changes to your anus or genitalia, they may suggest one of the options below:

Use swabs. A doctor or nurse puts a cotton swab into your urethra to get cells from a part of your reproductive system. A lot of doctors use cervical, vaginal, or urinary swabs to check for STIs. A doctor can also take an anal test from someone who has anal sex.

Tests for blood and pee. A test of your blood or pee could show that you have chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV, or syphilis. However, these may not be reliable or show any infectious organisms you got more than two weeks to a few months ago. 

Examine the body physically. Skin problems like genital warts and HPV show up around your anus and genitalia. A doctor or nurse may look at any lumps, bumps, or sores that don’t seem normal to see if an STI is the cause. To be sure of the diagnosis, they may also ask for a swab or a blood/urine test.

To see more questions and answers about STIs, click here. 

I have frequently asked questions about blue waffle disease.

What does blue waffle cancer mean?

The STI is made up and was spread around the internet as a scam. Supporters said it could turn the vagina blue and make the person look bad.

How can I get cold blue waffles?

It’s not real, so you can’t.

For what reason do I know I have blue waffle disease?

You can be sure you don’t because it’s all made up.

Don’t rule out all changes in your genitalia, though, because they could be signs of an accurate STI. If you have vaginitis, you might have redness, inflammation, itching, and discharge with a smell.

Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and trichomoniasis are some of the STIs that can cause vaginitis.