December 13, 2023 • 23 mins
Are you brave enough to challenge the taboos? This episode of 'Demystifying DNA' is doing just that, as we shed light on the often overlooked and misunderstood world of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Together with my co-host, Nick Cuevas, we explore the alarmingly high rates of STIs among American young adults and the most prevalent ones, like genital herpes and HPV. We're breaking down barriers and stigmas, addressing the limitations of condoms, and emphasizing the importance of knowing your status with the availability of at-home tests. Let's strip away the myths and foster a more open dialogue around sexual health.
Now, let's tackle the elephant in the room - STI screening, early detection, and education. As we find ourselves in the middle of a pandemic, the conversations around viral strands like HPV have become more crucial than ever. We explore the various transmission methods and the potential risks of skin-to-skin contact. Testing isn't gender-specific - it's necessary for all. We advocate for proactive measures like vaccinations and a routine check-up regime. We also discuss the role of P23 Health in facilitating this early detection process. Integration of these practices into your relationships could be a game-changer. Let's make sexual health a priority, together.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
P23 Theme Music (00:04):
P23 Knowledge, access, power.
P23, wellness and Understandingat your fingertips P23.
And that's no cap.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (00:21):
Welcome back to Demystifying DNA, the
podcast, where we explore topicsoften wrapped in secrecy and
stigma.
I'm your host, dr TiffanyMontgomery, and in this second
episode focusing on sexualhealth, we'll delve back into
the world of sexuallytransmitted infections.
(00:43):
We aim to share light on thiscrucial subject, breaking down
barriers and challenging thetaboos that often hinder open
conversation.
Join me and my co-host, nickQuavis, as we continue to foster
a dialogue that's not onlynecessary but long overdue.
(01:07):
I've introduced you all to Nickon our last episode and I will
present him to you again today.
Partner, spouse, dad, son, youname it.
(01:29):
This man's got titles, he's gotexperience and he's going to
work together with me and helpus demystify these issues
together.
Nick Cuevas (01:42):
How you doing doctor, How's it going?
I just cannot complain.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (01:45):
I'm glad to be back here talking to you
again.
Nick Cuevas (01:49):
Yeah, this is great .
I had a great conversation withyou last time.
It was awesome.
We got a lot of feedback, a lotof people liked it, and it was
a great choice for you to wantto continue this conversation.
It's going to be a good one.
I can't wait to get started.
I have some good questions foryou.
Also, this whole DNA stuff andSTI, how it all kind of marries
(02:14):
in together, is kind of mindblowing.
I just really can't wait tolearn more.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (02:19):
You had some time to kind of digest and
I think our listeners got todigest.
I think that it's aconversation that's welcome and
needed, because the UnitedStates has the highest rate of
STD infections among first worldindustrialized countries.
(02:43):
This is according to RushUniversity and also supported by
the CDC.
There are 20 million newsexually transmitted infections
every year in the US, and almosthalf of them are among people
(03:05):
15 to 24.
Nick Cuevas (03:09):
Wow, that's 15 to 24.
So you're talking about peoplethat just became adults.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (03:18):
That's crazy, that's right, and in that
age group the most common STDis genital herpes, so one in
about every six people that arebetween the ages of 14 and 49.
Have genital herpes.
(03:39):
About 90% of people who haveherpes don't know they have it,
because they may not have anysymptoms or very mild ones.
The thing about herpes is thatit can be transmitted even when
there are no visible sewers, andit can be spread by oral sex.
(04:02):
Herpes is not curable, but itcan be managed with antiviral
medications.
Nick Cuevas (04:10):
Hmm, so that means you're, you're stuck with it for
life, you are period Wow youare and that's sad, but that's
this part of what it is.
I mean, at least the medicinethat they do give out, it
subsides it right.
I mean it makes it you'relivable, you're able to function
.
Dr. Tiffany Montgome (04:28):
Absolutely .
We have great antiviralmedications and treatments, but
you know, I'd have to argue, thebest way to combat it is
prevention being educated, beinginformed and Making sure that
you don't contract it.
And I think that was one of thebiggest motivating factors
(04:50):
behind P23 right removing thosebarriers so people know how to
get those tests and they don'tfeel uncomfortable about doing
it.
You don't want people to Notget the test because they don't
want to go to the doctor andtalk about it and you know,
maybe their mom is always in theroom when they go to the doctor
(05:11):
, or their spouse, or there area lot of uncomfortable
situations.
Sometimes you buy yourself andyou still don't want people to
look at you because you need torequest a test, right.
And so we want to remove thosestigmas.
We want to remove thosebarriers and give people like
private ways to really focus oneducating themselves and being
(05:34):
informed about their health, allparts of it, and that really
includes sexual health.
So I think it's just importantto know your status, your
options and be comfortableenough To investigate and
challenge these things on yourown.
Nick Cuevas (05:52):
Yeah, very true it's.
It's a great thing to know that, because you know a lot of
people Do struggle with that.
I would assume.
You know I I couldn't imaginehaving one and then having one
and having to deal with that,with telling my spouse or
Partner or you know anybody.
(06:14):
That would be Something thatwould be challenging.
And then the good part about itis, as these at home tests that
are around now Provide that's,you know, just that clarity
finding out kind of in adiscrete way where you don't
feel kind of embarrassed or youdon't have any of those things
that are just stopping you fromgetting tested.
(06:35):
I mean, you know used to bejust go to the doctor, but you
know you might not feelcomfortable around the doctor
discussing those things, and sothe test that, that that we
provide at P2 3, that's a greatway to to not have to worry
about things of that nature.
I mean you could actually justdo it on your own, find out the
(06:58):
results pretty quickly and thenknow what to do next, take the
next steps, and and the wholeworld doesn't have to know about
it.
I.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (07:07):
I think that one of the biggest things
you know we used to educate ouryounger folks and our sexually
active folks that condoms werethe way to go right and use
protection and go for thecondoms.
And while condoms are fantasticfor things like chlamydia, hiv
(07:32):
and gonorrhea, condoms don'tprovide 100% protection from
herpes and human papillomavirusor HPV, which are the two most
common sexually transmitteddiseases or sexually transmitted
infections.
How are you saying Herpes andHPV can infect areas that are
(07:53):
not covered by condoms, such asthighs, buttocks, mouth or the
anus?
Hpv is the virus that can causegenital warts and cervical,
anal, throat and penile cancer.
There are vaccines that helpagainst that and those things
(08:16):
are not even effective againstall strands.
So we have to be mindful of ourstatus and our partner status.
I don't want you to feel like,well, I shouldn't even use the
condom because condoms are great.
I gave you the list of thingsthat you could use the condom
for, but you have to be informedabout who you're with and share
(08:36):
that information.
So you have the information andyou have to share it with the
person that you're sleeping withif you want to be socially
responsible.
If you say well, doc, how do westop the herpes.
How do we stop the HPV?
Right now there's no cure.
We have vaccines.
But how do we stop it is byhaving these conversations.
Nick Cuevas (08:58):
Yeah, facts Facts is good to know.
I mean, listen, I need you totalk to somebody like myself who
is not fully educated on allthese different acronyms, hpv
and all of these things.
Can you at least highlight oneor two of them and just specify
(09:19):
the main differences?
I know Chlamydia and syphilis,but HPV can you elaborate on
that a little bit more?
Dr. Tiffany Montgome (09:30):
Absolutely .
I'm glad you asked because youuse these acronyms and you think
so many times that people areaware of them but, this is a
great time to just stop and saywhat is it Right?
So HPV is for the humanpapilloma virus.
It is a common sexuallytransmitted infection that can
(09:55):
cause warts or cancer in somecases.
Okay, Thanks.
Nick Cuevas (09:59):
Chlamydia.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (10:00):
There are more than 100 types of HPV.
So I think for lay people orfor us common people, we didn't
really talk about viral strands.
It was more of something thatwas talked about in the medical
community, in the public healthcommunity.
But once COVID-19 came into thepicture it became more of
(10:23):
common or everyday conversationfor us.
With COVID-19, we know westarted out with one strand and
then you started hearing aboutmutations and now we have
however many strands.
Nick Cuevas (10:37):
I don't wanna date the broadcast.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (10:38):
I say 21 , and tomorrow four more strands
will pop up, right, so we'lljust say that there are numerous
, and we keep hearing aboutmutations.
We hear about the Omicronstrand and et cetera, et cetera.
All viruses mutate like this.
This is how they survive, andthat includes HPV.
Hpv has been around so longthat we now have 100 strands.
Nick Cuevas (11:03):
That's crazy.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (11:06):
As we talked, I said cervical, penile
throat cancer, anal cancer.
Hpv is spread from skin to skincontact.
That means minus theejaculation, minus the switching
of saliva by the kissing.
This is touching okay.
Nick Cuevas (11:26):
That's crazy, I'm sorry.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (11:27):
Back in my day we would hear things like
oh, I sat on the toilet seatand got that right.
This is one of those things thatyou can almost do that with
right Any scan to scan contactor surfaces, that kind of thing.
You want to be mindful of it.
Not all viruses live that longon surfaces so that's not a
(11:47):
biggest risk or as big of a riskas skin to skin contact, but
that's something you have to bemindful of.
Sometimes it goes way on itsown so you can get it and it'll
be like a cold virus whereyou'll have it for a little
while and it'll go away.
Other times it'll stay andit'll cause problems.
But the best way is to bescreened and tested Again.
(12:13):
It really lives at the base ofthe cervix so most women are
tested.
With men we've started doingsomething where we do like a
oral screening or we take asaliva test and we look for HPV
in the throat area or mouth oralcavity.
We also have a swab where wewill look at the anal cavity.
(12:38):
If you're using that for sexualcontact of any kind and that's
not just that's men, straight orgay A lot of people will have
sexual practices or activitiesthat involve anal stimulation.
So you want to make sure thatthe areas of your body that
you're using for sexual pleasureare areas that you test.
(13:01):
A lot of men don't get an HPVtest other than maybe oral or
anal, because it is very hard toconvince a man to do a swab of
the penis and take that cottontip and put it into the shaft of
the penis right, it's painful,it's uncomfortable.
(13:23):
I see your face right now.
I see a lot of guys' face whenI talk about this so men it's
not something that's commonlyscreened for or tested for.
But with women annually or everythree years, depending on
whatever the timeframe is thattheir gynecologist gives them
they will be screened for thisvirus Most commonly.
(13:47):
If your partner is testedpositive, you two, both may have
some treatments or someprotocols or some monitoring
that you do to make sure thatthose cells are not changing so
that if cancer is detected isdetected very early.
That's the best type of cancerto detect is early cancer.
(14:08):
But these are some of the STIsthat are not well known or
talked about because they're notimmediately symptomatic.
You may not have pain withurination.
You may not have, you know,burning or itching or discharge.
(14:31):
You won't see these types ofthings right.
It's a little quiet, sneakyviruses that tell yourselves hey
, you should mutate, you shouldgive us more cells so we have
more time to you know partake.
And as they're making thatEnvironment perfect for them,
mutations will happen and soyou'll end up Triggering some
(14:54):
type of cancer or some type ofcellular change.
So that makes it a very seriousSTI.
You still want to watch out forit.
You still want to take it veryseriously.
A lot of Providers willrecommend that you get
vaccinated, exinated.
They all will recommend thatyou have a screening test
(15:16):
performed, and those are thetypes of tests that p23 loves to
support.
We believe in screening, earlydetection, prevention and
education.
That combination, right there,is our path to removing these
(15:37):
barriers and Making healthcare aluxury for all.
Nick Cuevas (15:42):
Very true.
That's exactly that was leadinginto something that I was going
to ask you about, also becauseI'm not single.
I have a fiancee.
But if I was single right andthe way that you're describing
how STI is work in general andall the different Variables and
all the different ones that theyhave out there If I was to get
(16:06):
intimate with somebody, Iwouldn't even know what to do.
The first thing I would do isobviously Getting at home test
kit and get screened and have mypartner get screened before we
start anything.
I mean it's it's just Crazy thethe amount of stuff that's out
there that we just don't knowabout.
I mean, you're a doctor, so youstudy this and but the average
(16:28):
common man and woman, you know,we know two or three of them
that we've heard Just do outtime chlamydia and syphilis and
so on.
But there's so much more to itand the fact that we do offer
something that will Help youdetect and just feel comfortable
(16:50):
and feel free enough to goahead and Do what you got to do
with your partner without havingthat thing that's on top of
your shoulders all the timeWeighing you down or just being
concerned about that because,remember, I mean when you're in
a relationship or when you starta relationship, you don't
really know what was going onprior, prior to you being there.
(17:11):
You know, you might hear aboutit.
They might say, yeah, you know,I had one partner such and such
ago, but you're still Wondering, you know in the back of your
mind.
So these tests are areimperative in my estimation.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (17:27):
I mean, I have to agree with you.
I would just say, make it acommon, normal practice, like,
for example and maybe we havethis discussion and we invite a
single person, cause I don'teven know what that's like.
Nick Cuevas (17:42):
I'm married.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (17:44):
I'm a research scientist, you know,
and I'm I don't know, I guesswhat you call old school maybe.
But what even my long-termmarried self does is we just
make it a fun regular thing thatwe do.
I'm monogamous.
(18:04):
I believe my husband to bemonogamous I'd be devastated if
he wasn't.
But we still do regular testing, whether it's for research and
development, for new essays atP23, or if it's just us having
fun, just kind of looking atwhat that sample collection
looks like or what that workflowlooks like or what we can learn
(18:27):
from these samples.
It's fun for me, and so he kindof plays along.
You know how your wife mightlike, or your girlfriend might
like, movies that are lovestories, right, and they make
her cry, but she makes you sitthere through them.
So he kind of tuffs it out withme with all these things that I
like to do and it's not for me.
It's not a trust thing, it'sjust a staying current with
(18:49):
different things.
For example, one of the neweressays that we test for at P23
is something called Mycoplasmagenitalium.
This used to be something thatwas tested in the micro lab and
maybe it cultured in 14 to 30days.
If it was provided enough timeand the right conditions to grow
(19:13):
, you would be able to detect itand do something about it.
But as we've providedinnovation in the world of
clinical diagnostics andmolecular clinical diagnostics,
this bacteria that can causesexually transmitted infections.
It infects the genital and theurinary tract of both men and
(19:36):
women.
Nick Cuevas (19:37):
Wow.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (19:38):
Very similar to gonorrhea.
It can cause symptoms likeinflammation, pain, discharge,
bleeding.
I remember decades ago peoplewould say in college my
girlfriends would say I knowsomething is wrong, but I tested
negative for chlamydia andgonorrhea.
Well, we didn't even know thenthat this organism was out there
(20:01):
or that we could test for it.
There was no PCR available.
We're able to identify moreorganisms, provide more testing,
and when you have thesesymptoms, how do you treat them,
and so this is something thatis fun, it's exciting, it's
intriguing for me, and you onlyhave these types of tests
(20:23):
through research, developmentand innovation.
It's transmitted throughvaginal and anal sex without a
condom through from an exposedperson.
It can be diagnosed now withthe molecular samples and we can
detect it in urine or swabs.
(20:43):
It's treated with antibiotics,but some are resistant to
antibiotics.
So it's important to really getyour PCR, and especially at a
place such as P23, where you'regoing to have the organism and
the antibiotic resistance to gowith it, so you'll have that
insight on not only what youhave and how to treat it.
(21:05):
There are a number of bugs andinfectious diseases out there.
So I would recommend single,married, curious.
Make it just a regular thingthat you do Once a month, once a
year.
Come up with your own testingschedule.
(21:25):
Work with your healthcareprovider or your health coach at
P23, and come up with thatright cadence for when you
should be tested, how often andwhat that mix looks like for you
.
There are a lot of greatresources to provide a lot of
details about STIs.
(21:45):
Don't look at them as likenasty things that nobody can get
or that you can't get.
Let's say you actually do siton that public toilet seat right
.
These are things that you haveto be mindful of now and I want
to raise that awareness and givepeople a comfortable, private
(22:05):
and safe place to have thoseeducated and informed discussion
.
As we bring today's enlighteningdiscussion to a close, I, Dr.
Tiffany Montgomery, along withmy co-host, Nick, would like to
inspire all of our listeners totake a proactive stance on their
health.
Has our dialogue today sparkedyour interest or raised concerns
(22:29):
regarding your sexual health?
There's a straightforward andprivate solution at your
fingertips.
Are you keen to understand moreabout your sexual health from
the privacy of your own home?
Consider the simplicity andconvenience of an at-home
testing kit with P23.
(22:51):
These kits are designed forconfidentiality and ease.
We offer crucial insights intoyour sexual health.
You can purchase these valuablekits at P23health.
com Thank you for being with ustoday.
Embrace curiosity, arm yourselfwith knowledge and step forward
(23:16):
in taking control of yourhealth journey, gene by gene,
and remember we are with youevery step of the way.
["kissing P23".
P23 Theme Music (23:31):
P23, knowledge access power.
P23, wellness and understandingat your fingertips P23,.
And that's no cap.
P23 Knowledge, access, power.
P23, wellness and Understandingat your fingertips P23.
And that's no cap.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (00:21):
Welcome back to Demystifying DNA, the
podcast, where we explore topicsoften wrapped in secrecy and
stigma.
I'm your host, dr TiffanyMontgomery, and in this second
episode focusing on sexualhealth, we'll delve back into
the world of sexuallytransmitted infections.
(00:43):
We aim to share light on thiscrucial subject, breaking down
barriers and challenging thetaboos that often hinder open
conversation.
Join me and my co-host, nickQuavis, as we continue to foster
a dialogue that's not onlynecessary but long overdue.
(01:07):
I've introduced you all to Nickon our last episode and I will
present him to you again today.
Partner, spouse, dad, son, youname it.
(01:29):
This man's got titles, he's gotexperience and he's going to
work together with me and helpus demystify these issues
together.
Nick Cuevas (01:42):
How you doing doctor, How's it going?
I just cannot complain.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (01:45):
I'm glad to be back here talking to you
again.
Nick Cuevas (01:49):
Yeah, this is great .
I had a great conversation withyou last time.
It was awesome.
We got a lot of feedback, a lotof people liked it, and it was
a great choice for you to wantto continue this conversation.
It's going to be a good one.
I can't wait to get started.
I have some good questions foryou.
Also, this whole DNA stuff andSTI, how it all kind of marries
(02:14):
in together, is kind of mindblowing.
I just really can't wait tolearn more.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (02:19):
You had some time to kind of digest and
I think our listeners got todigest.
I think that it's aconversation that's welcome and
needed, because the UnitedStates has the highest rate of
STD infections among first worldindustrialized countries.
(02:43):
This is according to RushUniversity and also supported by
the CDC.
There are 20 million newsexually transmitted infections
every year in the US, and almosthalf of them are among people
(03:05):
15 to 24.
Nick Cuevas (03:09):
Wow, that's 15 to 24.
So you're talking about peoplethat just became adults.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (03:18):
That's crazy, that's right, and in that
age group the most common STDis genital herpes, so one in
about every six people that arebetween the ages of 14 and 49.
Have genital herpes.
(03:39):
About 90% of people who haveherpes don't know they have it,
because they may not have anysymptoms or very mild ones.
The thing about herpes is thatit can be transmitted even when
there are no visible sewers, andit can be spread by oral sex.
(04:02):
Herpes is not curable, but itcan be managed with antiviral
medications.
Nick Cuevas (04:10):
Hmm, so that means you're, you're stuck with it for
life, you are period Wow youare and that's sad, but that's
this part of what it is.
I mean, at least the medicinethat they do give out, it
subsides it right.
I mean it makes it you'relivable, you're able to function
.
Dr. Tiffany Montgome (04:28):
Absolutely .
We have great antiviralmedications and treatments, but
you know, I'd have to argue, thebest way to combat it is
prevention being educated, beinginformed and Making sure that
you don't contract it.
And I think that was one of thebiggest motivating factors
(04:50):
behind P23 right removing thosebarriers so people know how to
get those tests and they don'tfeel uncomfortable about doing
it.
You don't want people to Notget the test because they don't
want to go to the doctor andtalk about it and you know,
maybe their mom is always in theroom when they go to the doctor
(05:11):
, or their spouse, or there area lot of uncomfortable
situations.
Sometimes you buy yourself andyou still don't want people to
look at you because you need torequest a test, right.
And so we want to remove thosestigmas.
We want to remove thosebarriers and give people like
private ways to really focus oneducating themselves and being
(05:34):
informed about their health, allparts of it, and that really
includes sexual health.
So I think it's just importantto know your status, your
options and be comfortableenough To investigate and
challenge these things on yourown.
Nick Cuevas (05:52):
Yeah, very true it's.
It's a great thing to know that, because you know a lot of
people Do struggle with that.
I would assume.
You know I I couldn't imaginehaving one and then having one
and having to deal with that,with telling my spouse or
Partner or you know anybody.
(06:14):
That would be Something thatwould be challenging.
And then the good part about itis, as these at home tests that
are around now Provide that's,you know, just that clarity
finding out kind of in adiscrete way where you don't
feel kind of embarrassed or youdon't have any of those things
that are just stopping you fromgetting tested.
(06:35):
I mean, you know used to bejust go to the doctor, but you
know you might not feelcomfortable around the doctor
discussing those things, and sothe test that, that that we
provide at P2 3, that's a greatway to to not have to worry
about things of that nature.
I mean you could actually justdo it on your own, find out the
(06:58):
results pretty quickly and thenknow what to do next, take the
next steps, and and the wholeworld doesn't have to know about
it.
I.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (07:07):
I think that one of the biggest things
you know we used to educate ouryounger folks and our sexually
active folks that condoms werethe way to go right and use
protection and go for thecondoms.
And while condoms are fantasticfor things like chlamydia, hiv
(07:32):
and gonorrhea, condoms don'tprovide 100% protection from
herpes and human papillomavirusor HPV, which are the two most
common sexually transmitteddiseases or sexually transmitted
infections.
How are you saying Herpes andHPV can infect areas that are
(07:53):
not covered by condoms, such asthighs, buttocks, mouth or the
anus?
Hpv is the virus that can causegenital warts and cervical,
anal, throat and penile cancer.
There are vaccines that helpagainst that and those things
(08:16):
are not even effective againstall strands.
So we have to be mindful of ourstatus and our partner status.
I don't want you to feel like,well, I shouldn't even use the
condom because condoms are great.
I gave you the list of thingsthat you could use the condom
for, but you have to be informedabout who you're with and share
(08:36):
that information.
So you have the information andyou have to share it with the
person that you're sleeping withif you want to be socially
responsible.
If you say well, doc, how do westop the herpes.
How do we stop the HPV?
Right now there's no cure.
We have vaccines.
But how do we stop it is byhaving these conversations.
Nick Cuevas (08:58):
Yeah, facts Facts is good to know.
I mean, listen, I need you totalk to somebody like myself who
is not fully educated on allthese different acronyms, hpv
and all of these things.
Can you at least highlight oneor two of them and just specify
(09:19):
the main differences?
I know Chlamydia and syphilis,but HPV can you elaborate on
that a little bit more?
Dr. Tiffany Montgome (09:30):
Absolutely .
I'm glad you asked because youuse these acronyms and you think
so many times that people areaware of them but, this is a
great time to just stop and saywhat is it Right?
So HPV is for the humanpapilloma virus.
It is a common sexuallytransmitted infection that can
(09:55):
cause warts or cancer in somecases.
Okay, Thanks.
Nick Cuevas (09:59):
Chlamydia.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (10:00):
There are more than 100 types of HPV.
So I think for lay people orfor us common people, we didn't
really talk about viral strands.
It was more of something thatwas talked about in the medical
community, in the public healthcommunity.
But once COVID-19 came into thepicture it became more of
(10:23):
common or everyday conversationfor us.
With COVID-19, we know westarted out with one strand and
then you started hearing aboutmutations and now we have
however many strands.
Nick Cuevas (10:37):
I don't wanna date the broadcast.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (10:38):
I say 21 , and tomorrow four more strands
will pop up, right, so we'lljust say that there are numerous
, and we keep hearing aboutmutations.
We hear about the Omicronstrand and et cetera, et cetera.
All viruses mutate like this.
This is how they survive, andthat includes HPV.
Hpv has been around so longthat we now have 100 strands.
Nick Cuevas (11:03):
That's crazy.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (11:06):
As we talked, I said cervical, penile
throat cancer, anal cancer.
Hpv is spread from skin to skincontact.
That means minus theejaculation, minus the switching
of saliva by the kissing.
This is touching okay.
Nick Cuevas (11:26):
That's crazy, I'm sorry.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (11:27):
Back in my day we would hear things like
oh, I sat on the toilet seatand got that right.
This is one of those things thatyou can almost do that with
right Any scan to scan contactor surfaces, that kind of thing.
You want to be mindful of it.
Not all viruses live that longon surfaces so that's not a
(11:47):
biggest risk or as big of a riskas skin to skin contact, but
that's something you have to bemindful of.
Sometimes it goes way on itsown so you can get it and it'll
be like a cold virus whereyou'll have it for a little
while and it'll go away.
Other times it'll stay andit'll cause problems.
But the best way is to bescreened and tested Again.
(12:13):
It really lives at the base ofthe cervix so most women are
tested.
With men we've started doingsomething where we do like a
oral screening or we take asaliva test and we look for HPV
in the throat area or mouth oralcavity.
We also have a swab where wewill look at the anal cavity.
(12:38):
If you're using that for sexualcontact of any kind and that's
not just that's men, straight orgay A lot of people will have
sexual practices or activitiesthat involve anal stimulation.
So you want to make sure thatthe areas of your body that
you're using for sexual pleasureare areas that you test.
(13:01):
A lot of men don't get an HPVtest other than maybe oral or
anal, because it is very hard toconvince a man to do a swab of
the penis and take that cottontip and put it into the shaft of
the penis right, it's painful,it's uncomfortable.
(13:23):
I see your face right now.
I see a lot of guys' face whenI talk about this so men it's
not something that's commonlyscreened for or tested for.
But with women annually or everythree years, depending on
whatever the timeframe is thattheir gynecologist gives them
they will be screened for thisvirus Most commonly.
(13:47):
If your partner is testedpositive, you two, both may have
some treatments or someprotocols or some monitoring
that you do to make sure thatthose cells are not changing so
that if cancer is detected isdetected very early.
That's the best type of cancerto detect is early cancer.
(14:08):
But these are some of the STIsthat are not well known or
talked about because they're notimmediately symptomatic.
You may not have pain withurination.
You may not have, you know,burning or itching or discharge.
(14:31):
You won't see these types ofthings right.
It's a little quiet, sneakyviruses that tell yourselves hey
, you should mutate, you shouldgive us more cells so we have
more time to you know partake.
And as they're making thatEnvironment perfect for them,
mutations will happen and soyou'll end up Triggering some
(14:54):
type of cancer or some type ofcellular change.
So that makes it a very seriousSTI.
You still want to watch out forit.
You still want to take it veryseriously.
A lot of Providers willrecommend that you get
vaccinated, exinated.
They all will recommend thatyou have a screening test
(15:16):
performed, and those are thetypes of tests that p23 loves to
support.
We believe in screening, earlydetection, prevention and
education.
That combination, right there,is our path to removing these
(15:37):
barriers and Making healthcare aluxury for all.
Nick Cuevas (15:42):
Very true.
That's exactly that was leadinginto something that I was going
to ask you about, also becauseI'm not single.
I have a fiancee.
But if I was single right andthe way that you're describing
how STI is work in general andall the different Variables and
all the different ones that theyhave out there If I was to get
(16:06):
intimate with somebody, Iwouldn't even know what to do.
The first thing I would do isobviously Getting at home test
kit and get screened and have mypartner get screened before we
start anything.
I mean it's it's just Crazy thethe amount of stuff that's out
there that we just don't knowabout.
I mean, you're a doctor, so youstudy this and but the average
(16:28):
common man and woman, you know,we know two or three of them
that we've heard Just do outtime chlamydia and syphilis and
so on.
But there's so much more to itand the fact that we do offer
something that will Help youdetect and just feel comfortable
(16:50):
and feel free enough to goahead and Do what you got to do
with your partner without havingthat thing that's on top of
your shoulders all the timeWeighing you down or just being
concerned about that because,remember, I mean when you're in
a relationship or when you starta relationship, you don't
really know what was going onprior, prior to you being there.
(17:11):
You know, you might hear aboutit.
They might say, yeah, you know,I had one partner such and such
ago, but you're still Wondering, you know in the back of your
mind.
So these tests are areimperative in my estimation.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (17:27):
I mean, I have to agree with you.
I would just say, make it acommon, normal practice, like,
for example and maybe we havethis discussion and we invite a
single person, cause I don'teven know what that's like.
Nick Cuevas (17:42):
I'm married.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (17:44):
I'm a research scientist, you know,
and I'm I don't know, I guesswhat you call old school maybe.
But what even my long-termmarried self does is we just
make it a fun regular thing thatwe do.
I'm monogamous.
(18:04):
I believe my husband to bemonogamous I'd be devastated if
he wasn't.
But we still do regular testing, whether it's for research and
development, for new essays atP23, or if it's just us having
fun, just kind of looking atwhat that sample collection
looks like or what that workflowlooks like or what we can learn
(18:27):
from these samples.
It's fun for me, and so he kindof plays along.
You know how your wife mightlike, or your girlfriend might
like, movies that are lovestories, right, and they make
her cry, but she makes you sitthere through them.
So he kind of tuffs it out withme with all these things that I
like to do and it's not for me.
It's not a trust thing, it'sjust a staying current with
(18:49):
different things.
For example, one of the neweressays that we test for at P23
is something called Mycoplasmagenitalium.
This used to be something thatwas tested in the micro lab and
maybe it cultured in 14 to 30days.
If it was provided enough timeand the right conditions to grow
(19:13):
, you would be able to detect itand do something about it.
But as we've providedinnovation in the world of
clinical diagnostics andmolecular clinical diagnostics,
this bacteria that can causesexually transmitted infections.
It infects the genital and theurinary tract of both men and
(19:36):
women.
Nick Cuevas (19:37):
Wow.
Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (19:38):
Very similar to gonorrhea.
It can cause symptoms likeinflammation, pain, discharge,
bleeding.
I remember decades ago peoplewould say in college my
girlfriends would say I knowsomething is wrong, but I tested
negative for chlamydia andgonorrhea.
Well, we didn't even know thenthat this organism was out there
(20:01):
or that we could test for it.
There was no PCR available.
We're able to identify moreorganisms, provide more testing,
and when you have thesesymptoms, how do you treat them,
and so this is something thatis fun, it's exciting, it's
intriguing for me, and you onlyhave these types of tests
(20:23):
through research, developmentand innovation.
It's transmitted throughvaginal and anal sex without a
condom through from an exposedperson.
It can be diagnosed now withthe molecular samples and we can
detect it in urine or swabs.
(20:43):
It's treated with antibiotics,but some are resistant to
antibiotics.
So it's important to really getyour PCR, and especially at a
place such as P23, where you'regoing to have the organism and
the antibiotic resistance to gowith it, so you'll have that
insight on not only what youhave and how to treat it.
(21:05):
There are a number of bugs andinfectious diseases out there.
So I would recommend single,married, curious.
Make it just a regular thingthat you do Once a month, once a
year.
Come up with your own testingschedule.
(21:25):
Work with your healthcareprovider or your health coach at
P23, and come up with thatright cadence for when you
should be tested, how often andwhat that mix looks like for you
.
There are a lot of greatresources to provide a lot of
details about STIs.
(21:45):
Don't look at them as likenasty things that nobody can get
or that you can't get.
Let's say you actually do siton that public toilet seat right
.
These are things that you haveto be mindful of now and I want
to raise that awareness and givepeople a comfortable, private
(22:05):
and safe place to have thoseeducated and informed discussion
.
As we bring today's enlighteningdiscussion to a close, I, Dr.
Tiffany Montgomery, along withmy co-host, Nick, would like to
inspire all of our listeners totake a proactive stance on their
health.
Has our dialogue today sparkedyour interest or raised concerns
(22:29):
regarding your sexual health?
There's a straightforward andprivate solution at your
fingertips.
Are you keen to understand moreabout your sexual health from
the privacy of your own home?
Consider the simplicity andconvenience of an at-home
testing kit with P23.
(22:51):
These kits are designed forconfidentiality and ease.
We offer crucial insights intoyour sexual health.
You can purchase these valuablekits at P23health.
com Thank you for being with ustoday.
Embrace curiosity, arm yourselfwith knowledge and step forward
(23:16):
in taking control of yourhealth journey, gene by gene,
and remember we are with youevery step of the way.
["kissing P23".
P23 Theme Music (23:31):
P23, knowledge access power.
P23, wellness and understandingat your fingertips P23,.
And that's no cap.
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