STDs are diseases that are passed from one person to another through s3xual contact.
Some of the common STDs are chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, HIV, human papillomavirus (HPV), and syphilis.
Many of these STDs do not show symptoms for a long time, but they can still be harmful and passed on during s3x.
Well, we all know STDs can be transmitted through anal, vaginal, or oral s3x. In addition, some STDs can also be transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact, even if no intercourse occurs. HPV, for example, can be spread through skin-to-skin touching.
When symptoms do occur, they can include the following:
Chlamydia: Symptoms of chlamydia can include vaginal discharge in women, penile discharge in men, and burning during urination in men and women.
Gonorrhea: Gonorrhea can cause thick, cloudy, or bloody discharge from the vagina or urethra, and pain or burning when peeing. If you have gonorrhea in your anus, it may cause itching in and around the anus, discharge from the anus, and pain when defecating. Gonorrhea in the throat may cause a sore throat.
Hepatitis B: Acute hepatitis B can cause fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements, joint pain, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes). Symptoms can appear anywhere from six weeks to six months following exposure to the hepatitis B virus. Chronic hepatitis B sometimes causes symptoms similar to acute disease.
Genital Herpes: Signs of genital herpes typically include red bumps that develop into blisterlike sores in the genital area and sometimes on the buttocks or thighs. A new infection with HSV-2 — the virus that causes most cases of genital herpes — may also cause flulike symptoms, including fever, headache, feeling tired and achy, and swollen glands.
Oral Herpes: Symptoms of oral herpes can include itching of the mouth or lips, sores or blisters on the lips or inside the mouth, and flulike symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, and swollen glands.
HIV: Early symptoms of HIV infection can resemble those of the flu: fever, headache, muscle aches, and sore throat. They may also include swollen lymph nodes, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, a fungal infection of the mouth, and a rash on the abdomen, arms, legs, or face. If HIV goes untreated, later symptoms can include fatigue, weight loss, night sweats, joint pain, short-term memory loss, and recurrent infections.
HPV: Most strains of HPV cause no symptoms and are detected only after abnormal cells are discovered during a Pap smear. However, some types of HPV cause genital warts, which appear as skin-colored or whitish growths on the genitals or anus.
Pubic Lice: Symptoms of pubic lice include itching in the genital area, tiny bugs in your pubic hair, and visible nits (eggs) on hair shafts. Pubic lice can also infest the hair on legs, armpits, eyebrows, eyelashes, and other facial hair such as mustaches and beards.
Scabies: This skin infestation causes intense itching that is typically worse at night. It can also cause small red bumps or a rash and raised lines on the skin where the mites have burrowed.
Syphilis: In the primary stage, syphilis causes a painless sore, or ulcer, at the location the bacteria entered the body, often in the genital area. In the secondary stage of syphilis, a rash may occur on the torso and elsewhere on the body.
Many STDs don’t cause any symptoms, especially during the early stages, so the only way to know for sure if you have one is to get tested. Keep in mind that you can get an STD from having sex with someone who has no symptoms and may not know they have an STD.
Some STDs are curable with medical treatment, while others can be managed to control symptoms and reduce the risk of transmission.
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These STDs can be cured with antibiotics:
Chlamydia
Gonorrhea
Syphilis
Trichomoniasis
STDs that can be cured with insecticides include the following:
Pubic lice
Scabies
Minor surgical procedures such as cryosurgery (freezing) or laser surgery can treat certain STDs:
Genital warts caused by HPV
Molluscum contagiosum
STDs that can be managed with antiviral medication include these infections:
Chronic hepatitis B
Genital herpes
HIV
Untreated HIV can impair the immune system’s ability to fight off infections and diseases, leading to so-called opportunistic infections, neurological complications, and sometimes cancer.
Untreated chronic hepatitis B can lead to liver failure, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death.
Failing to treat STDs can have risks for future generations as well. Women who have herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis can transmit the infection to their baby at birth, which is why testing for STDs — and following safer sex recommendations — during pregnancy is so important.
