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STD
What are sexually
transmitted diseases?
Sexually transmitted diseases
(STDs) are diseases that can spread from one person to another by
sexual contact. STDs can cause pain, and some can cause
infertility and even death if not treated. Some common curable
STDs are gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydial infection, syphilis
and HIV/AIDS.
How can
sexually transmitted diseases be contracted?
By definition STD’s are
diseases contracted during sexual contact but the important thing
to keep in mind is that as far sexual contacts, as far as STDs are
concerned includes, more than just sexual intercourse (vaginal and
anal). Kissing, oral-genital contact and the use of sexual "toys,"
such as vibrators too can cause STDs.
What can be done to
prevent STDs?
People can avoid STDs by changing their sexual behaviour.
They can follow any of the ABCs:
A.
Abstain
from sex: This
is the only guaranteed protection.
B.
Be
mutually faithful:
Always have sex with the same person.
This person must not have sex with any
other person and must not have a STD.
Important:
You cannot usually
tell whether a person has a STD. Just by looking at him or her.
People with STDs, including HIV, usually do not look sick.
C.
Consistently
use condoms: Use
them every time and use them correctly. To prevent STDs, people at
risk should use condoms even when they use another family planning
method. If a woman’s sex partner is not willing to use to use
condoms, she should try to use spermicide. It is important to note
that spermicides do not stop HIV/AIDS. The diaphragm and cervical
cap may also help prevent some STDs.
Are all
STD’s treatable?
Most STDs are treatable.
However, even the once easily cured gonorrhea has become resistant
to many of the older traditional antibiotics. Other STDs, such as
herpes, AIDS, and genital warts, all of which are caused by
viruses, have no cure. Some of these infections are very
uncomfortable, while others can be deadly.
Getting Treated
Many STDs can be treated and cured, especially in their
early stages. Some, such as HIV and herpes, cannot be cured, but
sometimes their effects can be stopped for a time.
Prevention is better than cure. Especially since, sometimes
scarring or infertility can follow.
A person who thinks he or she may have STD should:
-
Get diagnosed and treated
immediately.
-
Take all of the medicine according
to instructions, even if the symptoms go away. The medicines can
cause some side effects, such as vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. If
any of these side effects occurs and is severe, the person must
return to the clinic that provided the medicine. All of the
medicine must be taken for a lasting cure.
-
Avoid sex with anyone until three
days after the treatment is finished and all symptoms are gone.
-
Tell his or her sex partner or
partners so that they get treated too. Unless all sex partners
are treated at the same time, they may infect each other again
and again. It is especially important for a man to tell a woman.
This is because many women do not have symptoms until the STD
has reached a more serious stage.
If friends have
symptoms, urge them to seek care. Urge them use condoms and/or
spermicide and to see a doctor for a check up. There really is no
such thing as "safe" sex. The only truly safe sex is abstinence.
Sex in the context of a monogamous relationship wherein neither
party is infected with a STD is also considered "safe". Most
people think that kissing is a safe activity. Unfortunately,
syphilis, herpes, and other diseases can be contracted through
this relatively simple and apparently harmless act. All other
forms of sexual contact carry some risk. Condoms are commonly
thought to protect against STDs. Condoms are useful in preventing
certain diseases, such as herpes and gonorrhea. However, they do
not fully protect against other diseases such as genital warts,
syphilis and AIDS.
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