HEALTH TIPS, GUIDES AND RELATIONSHIP ADVICE

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) – Symptoms and Prevention

Each year, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) affect 12 million men and women in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 50 percent of new cases of STDs happen to young people between the ages of 15 and 24. That is sad and alarming. It appears that the current education on STDs may not be helping, but rather harming the young people in the United States. Many schools in America teach students that the best way to prevent STDs is to avoid sexual contact with others altogether. This statement is true. Unfortunately, the Abstinence-only education does not seem to tell people (teenagers specifically) how to protect themselves from contracting an STD if they are indeed having sex.

The sad fact is that no one is immune from getting infected through sexual intercourse with an infected person. It cannot be stated or understood enough that the best way to avoid contracting an STD would be to avoid sexual contact with people. The second best way to avoid contracting an STD would be through knowledge.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases should definitely be taken seriously. The outward signs that a person has an STD range from zero signs to death. If left untreated, most STDs will cause major consequences that will last a person’s lifetime. Because of the serious nature and wide range of symptoms of the illnesses, it is very important to seek medical help if you feel that you may have contracted an STD.

Some of the symptoms of STDs include the following:

• Flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, aching muscles, and/or swollen glands
• Unusual discharge  from the vagina (unlike what may be usual for a woman, such as odorous, painful, itchy, etc)
• Discharge from the penis or rectum
• Pain or burning during urination and/or intercourse
• Abdominal pain in women
• Pain in the area around the testicles in men
• Lower body pain (such as in the buttocks and legs)
• Reoccurring or severe vaginal yeast infections in women (Yeast infections are characterized by white milky discharge, a foul odor, and itching)
• Blisters, open sores, warts, rash, and/or swelling in the genital area, sex organs, and/or mouth

There are other symptoms which are specific to the type of disease and the type of sexually contact that has occurred. For example, a sore throat if you have had oral sex, or pain in the anus after anal sex can be signs that you have contracted an infection. Again, the most important thing to do is consult a medical professional if you feel any of the symptoms above, or you feel that you may have some other symptoms that may not seem like those above, but that have started after you started having sex. Visiting a doctor to ensure that you are healthy is not shameful. It is an important part of having a sexual relationship. You want to protect yourself and your past, current, or future partners.

Sex can be a wonderful experience. However, it is vital to a healthy sexual relationship that you and your partner do your best to keep each other safe from infection. There are many people who contract an STD and do not show any signs of symptoms. For example, a person with human papillomavirus (HPV) can go many years without symptoms. The same is true for many other sexually transmitted infections. Therefore, the best thing to do is protect yourself both physically and with knowledge in order to combat the chances of contracting a disease yourself.

Below are some measures that can be taken to protect yourself from contracting STDs if you are sexually active:

• See a doctor regularly. Try to see the same physician on a regular basis because your doctor will be able to notice changes in your body that may not be noticed if you jump from one doctor to another. You can’t depend on your medical records to tell the whole story of your body’s health. Women should visit the gynecologist on a yearly basis to have a PAP smear performed. This procedure is easy and virtually painless and can determine whether you have contracted a sexually transmitted disease, or whether there are any abnormalities on your cervix which should be treated right away. Without this procedure, women run the risk of having a seemingly symptom-less infection which may show itself once it is too late. If you do not have a regular doctor, or are not in a place to visit a doctor on a regular basis, you can find information on free and low-cost clinics in your area that will be able to provide STD testing for free or a small fee depending on your situation.
• Outside of doctor visits, you should learn to listen intently to your body. Take time to notice any particular changes that may occur to your sexual organs (penis or vagina). If you notice any bumps, spots, pains, or discharges that you are not used to seeing or feeling, you should consult medical help quickly. Also, be mindful to look at your partners genitalia in order to make note of anything (lesions, bumps, sores, etc) that may look out of the ordinary. This is very important because if you notice something that your partner does not notice, you may have helped both you and your partner to combat an infection in its early stages.
• Changing partners increases your risk of not only becoming infected, but also of not being able to figure out where the infection came from. Therefore, do your best not to change sexual partners too often. If you do change partners, allow time between sexual activities in order to get a check up and blood test from your doctor or a clinic as stated above.
• Of course, when you are sexually active, be sure to take precautions to create a barrier between your body and your partner’s. Barrier methods of protection include condoms, dental dams, and female condoms. The barrier methods are not 100% effective, but will help to guard your body from giving or receiving bodily fluids which may be carrying an infection. Remember that most STDs are carried through blood, semen, or vaginal discharge. Therefore, using the barrier method of protecting yourself is the most recommended way of having sex. Condoms (both male and female) can be obtained in most Planned Parenthood offices and free clinics for free. Do not let the price of a box of condoms be the reason that you have obtained an STD. If you cannot afford protection, the best thing to do is NOT HAVE SEX.

To summarize, stay mindful of your body, stay under a doctor’s care, and always use the barrier method (condoms and dams) when performing any sexual acts with your partner. If you need more information about preventing sexually transmitted diseases, you can call the National AIDS Hotline, the National Sexually Transmitted Diseases Hotline, or your state or local hotlines. Any of these numbers can be found by doing a simple search online. Many cities offer an information hotline (such as 211 in Texas) which can guide you in the right direction for more help.