Sexually transmitted diseases or STDs come in different forms which include genital warts, gonorrhea, herpes, and a lot more. The STD gonorrhea can be transmitted from any form of sexual activity. Contact with the anus, a mouth, vagina, and penis are the ways to spread the infection. The bacteria from gonorrhea thrive in warm and moist body parts such as the cervix, urethra, uterus, and fallopian tubes.
There are two things that a person newly diagnosed with STD needs to do: get properly treated, and tell the diagnosis to other sexual partners so they can also be tested and receive the necessary treatment should they prove positive to the infection. Still, the best way to avoid getting infected is by using a condom during sexual intercourse.
Getting contacted with an infected person’s semen, blood, mouth sores, vaginal discharge, mucous membranes, and even broken skin makes it possible for a non-infected person to get the infection. The body fluids of an infected person can be transmitted to a healthy individual once they engage in anal sex, deemed as the most deadly as it could cause bleeding because of the tiny and easily breakable blood vessels and thin skin, oral sex, and vaginal sex. Other than sexual intercourse, the infection can also be transferred in different ways such as using the same needles for getting tattoos, injecting drugs, and ear piercings. You only need to do it once to get infected. However, getting a bite from a bug, sitting next to an infected individual, using the same swimming pool, toilet, and eating utensils are not ways to get an infection.
The only guaranteed way to prevent an STD infection is total abstinence from sex. The high incidence of STD infection among teenagers is due to their active sexual life involving multiple partners. If there is no way to curtail the sexual activity, the best practice is using a condom to act as a protective barrier against STDs.
While most STDs are curable, there are several that are not and the deadliest of them is the HIV/AIDS. The worst thing about HIV/AIDS is their asymptomatic characteristic during the onset of the infection which could make an infected individual unaware that he or she has it. The symptoms usually manifest after a couple of months which may prove too late to contain the spread to other uninfected people. Other incurable STDs are hepatitis A and B and herpes. Vaccines for hepatitis will be the best preventive measure, but once infected, will stay in the system for life. Same goes for herpes. They will only be made to lie dormant, but there will always be expected recurrence periods.
Other STDs are bacterial in nature which makes it possible to cure them. However, they could give serious health complications if left untreated for a long period. The key to avoiding these complications is to have an STD test done when there is a suspected infection so treatment can be applied right away. Always remember the earlier the treatment, the better chance of avoiding lifetime health complications.