Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Guide

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Guide

Sexually transmitted diseases are escalating nowadays when more people have started entering into multiple sexual relationships. They might not consider this ethically wrong but the fact remains that such people are more prone to sexual diseases. However, if unfortunately one gets infected by any such disease, it is better to start ailment as soon as possible for these diseases have the potential to ruin your entire life. People often are embarrassed and scared to disclose their problem to others even to their friends but they fail to realize that delaying diagnose is compromising with their life. Thus, as soon as you fear a sexually transmitted infection, approach a doctor.

This article informs the readers about certain primary STDs and their symptoms.

1. AIDS and HIV

• Transmitted through- AIDS and HIV are two more or les related diseases. The HIV stands for the ‘human immunodeficiency virus’ and the disease that spreads through it is known as AIDS i.e. ‘acquired immune deficiency syndrome’. HIV travels through blood. It can be transmitted from one HIV positive person to his partner through sex. It can also pass on from the HIV positive mother to her child through infected breast milk and even from an infected syringe or other equipments that come into contact with the blood of the HIV positive to any other individual who is treated with the same devices.

• Symptoms- weak immune system and susceptible to more infections than usual. HIV gets translated to AIDS when the HIV patient acquires a particular indicative illness.

• Preventive Measures- not much available yet. But avoid taking drugs. Maintain hygiene.

2. Chlamydia

• Infected via- the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis is the cause of this infection. Once this bacterium enters the individual’s body it affects his mucous membranes, eyelids and even reproductive tissues.

• Symptoms- the symptoms Chlamydia often confused with another similar STD called Gonorrhea and even with Conjunctivitis due to eyelid infection. The common symptoms to this disease are pain during sex, burning and abnormal discharge. Chlamydia can be without any typical indications also.

• Prevention- the disease is curable. As a precautionary measure one should maintain hygiene during sex and get medical check up done in order to avoid infection.

3. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

• Usually women are afflicted by this disease. It is a an infection in the upper genital tract and reproductive organs including ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes.

• Spreads through- Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are the two STDs that are most often responsible for this disease. Women between 15 to 25 years of age are more prone to be infected by it. Excess douching can also lead to PID for it cleanses the naturally beneficial bacteria from the women’s vagina.

• Symptoms- When ailing PID, women might experience pain during intercourse, burning and even fever.

• Precautions and Cures- antibiotics are useful to cure PID. But it is recommended to get frequent check ups done and in case the disease is discovered medicines and proper treatment should commence the very moment for PID can be unexpectedly harmful in later stages.

4. Gonorrhea

• Infects the individual’s sensitive tissues of reproductive system.

• An individual can acquire this disease through all types of sexual contacts like oral sex.

• Indications- the indicators to Gonorrhea are very few which makes it all the more difficult to adjudicate it and so stop it from being transmitted from one to the other person through sex. Symptoms are akin to Chlamydia so the two diseases are liable to be confused with each other. A person suffering from Gonorrhea experiences unusual discharge, burning, pain during sexual activity, swelling, fever and other infections like women may have bleeding between periods.

• Remedies and Safety- treatment should commence in initial stages to cure Gonorrhea. Those who are pretty active in their sexual life should get check ups done on a regular basis to be on a safer side.

Apart from these there are several other STDs not discussed here like Hepatitis, Scabies, Herpes, Syphilis, HPV etc. which are most common in ones. It is better to acquire information about them once you are sexually active and consult a gynecologist every now and then to avert from all kinds of STDs.

Mansi Gupta

10 important Facts About Sexually Transmitted Diseases

10 important Facts About Sexually Transmitted Diseases

1. WHAT ARE SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES (STDS)?

Sexually transmitted diseases are diseases that can be passed from person to person through sexual contact. In this case sexual contact means penis-vagina penetration, oral sex which is sexual contact using the mouth, and insertion of the penis into the rectum which is anal sex. Some of these diseases may be transmitted by exchange of sexual fluids such as semen or vaginal discharge. Some of the STD's result in open sores, and it can be spread by contact with skin of someone else. There are also ways to transmit these diseases in a non sexual way, an infected pregnant woman can either give it to her baby during pregnancy, or when the baby is being delivered. Drug abusers can transmit the disease through sharing hypodermic needles that have been used by an infected person. The seriousness of STD's varies, some are cured easily by drugs, others need a combination of treatments and drugs, whilst others have no cure, and the only option is treatment.

2. WHAT ARE SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED IINFECTIONS (STI's)?

Any infection that is usually passed through sexual contact.

3. ARE THE TWO WORDS INTERCHANGEABLE?

Fifteen years ago both these categories came under one name Venereal Disease (VD). To distinguish between them they were separated into infections(STI) and diseases(STD). Infection means that a germ, bacteria, parasite or virus is present in the body. An infected person does not necessarily have any symptoms, which means that they do not usually feel ill. A disease is any abnormal condition of the body or mind that causes discomfort, dysfunction, or distress, in other words your body tells you that you are unwell. This means that STI covers a wider range than the term STD. STD refers only to infections that are causing problems. Because most of the time, people don't know they are infected with an STI until they start showing symptoms of disease, the AIDS Resource Center uses the term STD, even though the term STI is also appropriate in many cases.

Let's see if we can simply un-muddy the waters here. Genital herpes has two states when the blisters are present and when they are absent. When they are present they are causing symptoms, ie the blisters, at this stage it is an STD, and it is that this stage that the infection is most likely to be spread to another person. When the blisters are absent then there are no symptoms, and this is then an STI, and the likelihood of an infection is reduced. However HIV can be an infection, in the sense that there may be no symptoms, when they develop symptoms then they have AIDS which is an STD. However it is important to remember that HIV infection can be spread at any time.

4. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STD'S AND HIV?

A person who is already infected with STD, has a higher risk of contracting HIV if they have unprotected sex, without a condom. This risk is greater if the STD causes open genital sores, as these wounds provide a break in the skin which enables the HIV infection to enter the blood stream. STDs that can cause genital ulcers include genital herpes, syphilis, chancre, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis, and scabies.

5. WHY IS IT DIFFICULT TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU MAY HAVE A STD?

First of all the majority of the people with STD have no immediate symptoms and when they do have them it can be misleading to diagnose as the symptoms can be confused with non sexual diseases. Please note that this applies much more to women than men.

6. WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS FOR WOMEN WHEN THEY ARE SUFFERING FROM AN STD?

Unusual or A bad-smelling vaginal discharge, severe itching or burning in the genital area, unusual bleeding, pain in the pelvic region, pain during sex, rashes on the genitals, open sores or warts on the genital area, and/or recurrent urinary tract infections.

7. WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS FOR MEN WHEN THEY ARE SUFFERING FROM AN STD?

In men, the most common symptoms of STD are: pain when urinating, open sores or warts on the genital area, genital rash discharge from the penis, and/or pain in the scrotum/testicles.

8. WHAT ARE THE OTHER SYMPTOMS NOT CONNECTED TO THE GENITALS?

The following symptoms are present in both men and women. discharge from the anus, swelling of the groin, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), oral thrush (white tongue), arthritis, sores or bumps in and around the mouth, and generalized rashes.

9 CAN I CONTRACT STI AS A RESULT OF MUTUAL MASTURBATION?

Yes you can and listed below are some examples. Bacterial Vaginosis Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Herpes Simplex Human Papilloma Virus (HPV, Warts) Pubic Lice Scabies.

10. CAN I PREVENT GETTING STI OR STD?

The only foolproof way is abstinence from sex. A condom merely reduces the risk, and it must be used every time, before any sexual fluids are exchanged.

Roy Barker

Do Condoms Work? The Truth About Condom Effectiveness

Do Condoms Work? The Truth About Condom Effectiveness

All methods of contraception are used to prevent pregnancy, but condoms have the added advantage of providing protection against infection and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). How effective are condoms at doing these two things? Are they really as effective as other contraceptive methods at preventing pregnancy? And since one of the most common reasons for using a condom is to provide protection against infection, are they really an effective barrier against being infected by STDs?

In this article we look at some of these questions.

Does using a condom prevent pregnancy?

Condoms are an extremely effective means of preventing pregnancy. Of course, no method of contraception is 100% effective because there will always be instances of incorrect or inconsistent use. This is as true of "the pill" or any other form of contraception as it is of condoms. However clinical studies have shown that high quality condoms, when used consistently and correctly, provide an excellent barrier against pregnancy. These trials have shown that correct and consistent use of condoms can have between 95% and 98% contraceptive efficacy rate.

How often do condoms fail?

The main reason that condoms "fail" to prevent pregnancy or infection is not because the condom itself has "failed", but because of incorrect or inconsistent use. Latex condoms can be weakened by oil-based lubricants like petroleum jelly. They can also be weakened by exposure to sunlight or by age. Sometimes they are torn by teeth or fingernails. But putting these incorrect uses aside, condoms almost ever "fail".

How often do condoms break or slip off?

In the United States, most studies of breakage caused by fault in the condom itself have shown breakage rate is less than 2 condoms out of every 100. Studies also indicate that condoms slip off the penis in about 1-5% of acts of vaginal intercourse and slip down (but not off) about 3-13% of the time. Again, these rates are influenced by the care one takes when using a condom.

Are condoms effective at preventing infection from HIV or STDs?

Studies have shown that if a latex condom is used correctly and consistently (every time you have sex), they are a highly effective barrier against infection. This has been demonstrated most clearly by studies of "discordant" couples in Europe. A "discordant" couple is one in which one partner in infected with HIV and the other one is not. In a study of 123 couples in which condoms were used consistently, none of the infected partners became infected.

Do thinner condoms give less protection against pregnancy and STDs?

Thinner condoms are equally effective as a protection against both pregnancy and infection by STDs. However they may be more easily damaged by fingernails, teeth, jewelry and other incorrect uses, so extra care should be taken when using a thinner condom.

Are all condoms thoroughly tested before being sold?

All brand name condoms are subjected to rigorous quality control tests at every stage of the manufacturing process. In the US, each condom is electronically tested for holes and defects. Samples are taken from each lot and visually examined using a water leak test. In this test the samples are filled with 300 ml of water and suspended for 3 minutes.

Samples from each lot are also subjected to an Air Inflation Test. This involves filling the test condoms with air until they reach the bursting point. They typically will hold about 40 liters of air -- the equivalent of 9 gallons of water!

Other samples are checked for size and thickness, some are tested to destruction for physical strength, and still others are prematurely aged by applying high temperatures to ensure that they will retain their quality well beyond their 5 year product life.

In all regards, condoms have been shown to be an effective way to prevent pregnancy as well as being a highly effective way of guarding oneself against HIV or STD infection.

Rick Hendershot

Your Sexual Health Can Enhance Your Relationship

Your Sexual Health Can Enhance Your Relationship

Sexual health seems to be on everyone's mind these days and with good reason. Everyone wants to be healthy when it comes to sex; no one wants to think that they have problems with this most basic of human activities.

Many men, however, find themselves faced with serious sexual issues, such as erectile dysfunction and impotence. While most seek to hide what they think of as a deficiency, those who are able to communicate their issues find that help is a lot closer and a lot easier to find than they might have thought. Pills like Viagra and Cialis are there to help, however in some cases the side effects are worse than the problem.

Sex pills are sweeping airwaves and inboxes; a new miracle product seems to arrive on the market every day. Some of these drugs are promised to be all-natural; many others are advertised to have lasting effects on penis size and sexual abilities. Most of these sex pills are not worth the paper that their advertisements are printed on, or effective enough to justify the use of an iota of bandwidth.

People are getting more information about their sexual health these days thanks to the overwhelming set of sexually transmitted diseases that are now sweeping the nation. Diseases such as: AIDS/HIV, and syphilis which can actually kill you and diseases that cannot really be treated like genital warts and herpes are running rampant these days. Even though there is much information available about these diseases, many people are newly diagnosed every year.

It seems as though the onset of knowledge and resources has not deterred people in the 18-24 age bracket from engaging in unprotected sexual activity. Too many people seem to live under the belief that these diseases will not reach them. If the diseases are not fatal most people do not care about getting infected. Right now, the only prevention method for sexually transmitted diseases is latex condoms. With this in mind, it is a wonder that more people do not just take the extra few minutes out of their day to use one. Every year thousand of people die from AIDS; you would think that this would be a wake up call for those who know what AIDS can do.

Enhancing your relationship can be easy, but you have to be responsible in your sex life if it is to be enhanced. If you have or have had an STD in the past, you have to be sure that you are keeping up to date with your physician. Your sexual health is a very important aspect of your sex life. Protection is important in making your relationship better. With all of the potential problems that are out there these days, you just cant be too careful.

Abbas Abedi