Sexually Transmitted Disease: A Menace Never to be Ignored

Want to protect yourselves from STDs? Then you must be alert of any first sign or symptom that you notice after unprotected sexual activity. Early testing and treatment is the golden rule to safeguard yourselves from complications, advise doctors.

Signs and symptoms

A typical sexually transmitted disease would show no symptom. However, there are times when you get an abnormal urge to itch at the genital area. This urge persists.

Also, you may experience a burning sensation while peeing. Women may feel pain during sexual intercourse. They may also notice a foul and abnormal discharge from their vagina. Men usually do not have any discharge from the penis; but when they are infected they may notice a cloudy discharge. A dull pain in the abdomen is also a warning signal of a sexually transmitted infection.

Apart from the above, certain STDs produce common symptoms, such as fever, cough, sore throat, general weakness, persistent fatigue, and so on. You can easily mistake these symptoms to be of other health complications.

Sexually transmitted infections such as HIV may surface as skin rash.

So you see, it is easy to get deceived by symptoms.

The best thing to do

According to doctors, the best thing to do is undergoing a test at regular intervals. This will help you stay away from infections.

If you have never tested before, then you cannot be certain of your sexual health. Feeling fine is no guarantee that you have no sexually transmitted disease, say doctors.

Risky behaviors need more attention

As per Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people who often change sex partners must undergo regular tests. Such people are at a higher risk of contracting STDs, especially the commonest ones like HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and trichomoniasis.

Studies show that men having sex with men are more prone to contracting HIV, besides other STDs.

According to CDC, every sexually active person must undergo a test atleast once in their lifetime. Those in monogamous relationship must also undergo a test because they may have had unprotected sex before marriage.

Partner’s health is important

When we talk of sexually transmitted infections it is not just about you. It is also about your partner. If your partner is infected and he or she does not undergo test and treatment, you can get a re-infection. Your test and treatment becomes futile. It is important, as per doctors, that both you and your partner visit the nearest urgent care clinic and undergo a test.

Please abstain from sex during treatment. Resume any kind of sexual activity only when you are completely cured.

In case of incurable diseases like HIV, let the viral load be suppressed to an extent that you become non-infectious. Then, you can resume sexual activity. Please consult your doctor for more information about this.

Crux:

A sexually transmitted disease, when left untreated, can wreak havoc with your body. Please do not take symptoms lightly. They may go away, most of them do; but that does not mean the infection has gone. The pathogen is still inside. Most of the viruses can stay inside the body for years together. Test and treat now.