Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD), also referred to as sexually transmitted infections (STI) and venereal diseases (VD), are illnesses that have a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex.

According to the American Social Health Organization, one out of four teens in the United States becomes infected with an STD each year and by the age of 25, half of all sexually active young adults will get an STD.

STDs are serious illnesses that require treatment. Some STDs, like HIV, cannot be cured and are deadly. By learning more, you can find out ways to protect yourself from the following STDs.

Here are some common STDs you should know.

● Chlamydia
Chlamydia is the most common curable STD. It infects the cervix in women, and the penile urethra in men. Its most frequent symptoms are pain during sex, and discharge from the penis or vagina. However, the reason chlamydia is so common is that most people who get chlamydia don’t have symptoms for weeks, months, or even years. Despite the lack of symptoms, it’s important to get screened and treated if you think you might have been exposed to chlamydia, because it can do a lot of damage to your body in the long run. Want to avoid getting chlamydia? Latex condoms are effective at preventing the disease.

● Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea, otherwise known as “the clap,” is another common bacterial STD. In general it infects the same organs as chlamydia, and has similar long-term effects. Symptoms of gonorrhea include burning when urinating and, in men, white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis. Just as with chlamydia, however, many people with gonorrhea don’t have symptoms. This is why the CDC estimates that, in the United States alone, there are more than 700,000 new cases a year. Oh, and if you’re one of those people who thinks that oral sex is safe sex (or isn’t sex at all), you should know that gonorrhea can also infect the throat.

● Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease with a notorious history. Caused by the bacteriumTreponema pallidum, it can lead to serious complications if left untreated. Syphilis is transmitted by direct contact with syphilis sores, which can appear on the external genitals and the mouth, as well as in the vagina or rectum. Because these sores can appear on areas not covered by a condom, condoms only reduce the likelihood of transmission, but not eliminate it entirely. The small painless sores (chancres) of early syphilis may heal by themselves, but that doesn't mean the disease is gone — it’s just become more difficult to detect and treat.

● Mycoplasma Genitalium
In 2007, a prominent study of U.S. adolescents found that a little known STD, Mycoplasma genitalium had surpassed gonorrhea in prevalence. Most cases of M. genitalium don’t cause symptoms and it had been difficult to identify until more recent technology became available. While the emerging research is still unclear, it is thought that MG is associated with serious long-term consequences, including infertility from pelvic inflammatory disease. MG, like gonorrhea and chlamydia, may emerge as a major cause of cervicitic in women, and nongonococcal urethritis in men.

● Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is the most common STD in sexually active young women. Some women may mistake this infection for a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis since the symptoms are similar: frothy discharge, strong vaginal odor, pain on intercourse, irritation and itching. Men can get trichomoniasis too, but they don’t tend to have symptoms. If you are a young woman who has been diagnosed with the disease, make sure your partner gets treated. Trich may not be affecting him much, but you don’t want him giving it back to you! And, if your partner is a woman, you could be passing the disease to each other as well.

● Crabs/Pubic Lice
“Crabs” are a form of lice that live on the hair in the genital area and occasionally on other course-haired areas of the body, such as the armpits or the eyebrows. They are usually spread by sexual contact, although they also can be transmitted by infested linens and clothing. Symptoms include itching in the genital area and visible lice or eggs. You should know that crab lice are not the same as head lice, and that they almost never infest the hair on the head. And the rumor that you have to shave off all your pubic hair if you get infected? That simply isn't true.

● Scabies
Scabies is a contagious skin disease that is not always sexually transmitted. Caused by the parasite Sarcoptes scabei, scabies causes an extremely itchy rash that gets worse at night. The rash is most often found on folds of skin, such as between the fingers, on the wrists and ankles, and in the genital area. Scabies is incredibly contagious, and the mite can live for days off the human body. It is not only spread by close personal contact, but by skin-to-skin contact in general, shared clothing, towels and bedding.

● Human Papilloma Virus/HPV
HPV is quite possibly the most common STD. One 1997 study estimated that three-quarters of the sexually active population has had HPV at some point during their lives, and a study released in 2007 found that one-quarter of women are infected at any given time. HPV may be known as “the cervical cancer virus,” but only a few types of HPV are linked to cancer. Others cause genital warts, or no symptoms at all. Although HPV is considered incurable, its symptoms can be treated, and many people resolve infections on their own. Recently the government approved a new vaccine to protect young women from the four most common strains of the virus.

What Are the Symptoms of STDs?
Sometimes, there are no symptoms of STDs. If symptoms are present, they may include one or more of the following:

▪ Bumps, sores, or warts near the mouth, anus, penis, or vagina.
▪ Swelling or redness near the penis or vagina.
▪ Skin rash.
▪ Painful urination.
▪ Weight loss, loose stools, night sweats.
▪ Aches, pains, fever, and chills.
▪ Yellowing of the skin (jaundice).
▪ Discharge from the penis or vagina. (Vaginal discharge may have an odor.)
▪ Bleeding from the vagina other than during a monthly period.
▪ Painful sex.
▪ Severe itching near the penis or vagina.

How Do I Know If I Have an STD?
Talk to your doctor. He or she can examine you and perform tests to determine if you have an STD. Treatment can:

▪ Cure many STDs.
▪ Lessen the symptoms of STDs.
▪ Make it less likely that you will spread the disease.
▪ Help you to get healthy and stay healthy.

How Are STDs Treated?
Many STDs are treated with antibiotics.

If you are given an antibiotic to treat an STD, it’s important that you take all of the drug, even if the symptoms go away. Also, never take someone else’s medicine to treat your illness. By doing so, you may make it more difficult to diagnose and treat the infection. Likewise, you should not share your medicine with others. Some doctors, however, may provide additional antibiotics to be given to your partner so that you can be treated at the same time.

How Can I Protect Myself From STDs?
Here are some basic steps that you can take to protect yourself from STDs:
Consider that not having sex or sexual relations is the only sure way to prevent STDs.

▪ Use a latex condom every time you have sex. (If you use a lubricant, make sure it is water-based.)
▪ Limit your number of sexual partners. The more partners you have, the more likely you are to catch an STD.
▪ Practice monogamy. This means having sex with only one person. That person must also have sex with only you to reduce your risk.
▪ Choose your sex partners with care. Don’t have sex with someone whom you suspect may have an STD. However, keep in mind that you can’t always tell by looking if your partner has an STD.
▪ Get checked for STDs. Don’t risk giving the infection to someone else.
Don’t use alcohol or drugs before you have sex. You may be less likely to use a condom if you are drunk or high.
▪ Know the signs and symptoms of STDs. Look for them in yourself and your sex partners.
▪ Learn about STDs. The more you know, the better you can protect yourself.

How Can I Avoid Spreading an STD?
If you have an STD, stop having sex until you see a doctor and are treated.
Follow your doctor’s instructions for treatment.

▪ Use condoms whenever you have sex, especially with new partners.
▪ Don’t resume having sex unless your doctor says it’s okay.
▪ Return to your doctor to get rechecked.
▪ Be sure your sex partner or partners also are treated.