It's only human to err and none of us are saints. There come moments in all our lives when we act silly. Come on! It happens! We must accept our errors with candour and move forward with a resolution of not repeating them.
This moving forward can at times get tricky due to the troublesome consequences of our impulsive escapades. A one night stand, a summer or winter camp, a blind date - occasions are myriad to be waylaid and commit bloopers - sometimes of grave nature. STD or Sexually Transmitted Diseases is one such irksome upshot of our madcap adventures. There are actually quite a few diseases which get transmitted through sexual contacts including – Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, HIV and AIDS, Human papillomavirus infection, Genital herpes and Chlamydia.
An infection caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites, STD is about germs in your genitals. Symptoms of STDs could be anything like boils or blisters in the area around your mouth, penis or anus, jaundice, discharge, skin inflammation, experiencing pain while discharging urine or having sex, sudden weight loss and/or fever. Consult any general physician if you spot any of these signs.While you can see symptom in case of some STDs, many are sans warning-signs and can go unnoticed. It can take more than ten years for HIV to exhibit any recognisable sign. More alarming are diseases like chlamydia, gonorrhoea and herpes which are known to quietly proliferate without signs.
Symptoms or not, if you are sexually very active, have multiple partners or unsafe sex and share injection of drug supplies – you must get tested regularly. Medical examinations are the only option to know if you have STD. Talk to your doctor openly in order to know which tests to go for as there are multiple tests for these diseases. Treatment can abate the afflictions and control their spread.
It is very important to discuss your sexual activities in details as that will enable your doctor in prescribing tests. Blood or urine tests and collecting swabs from the genital or mouth are often done to detect STDs.
Treatment of STDs is mostly done through a course of antibiotics. If you are on such antibiotics, make sure to complete the course, otherwise the symptoms may recur. Be candid to see a doctor and not take others’ medicine to avoid embarrassment. Dosage of antibiotics varies according the stage of the disease and random intake can aggravate your condition or be ineffective. You might need to take your partner for a check-up and medication as well. This is important to thwart further spreading of the disease.
Chlamydia and gonorrhoea are particularly harmful as they can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), Syphilis, Gonorrhoea and HIV on the other hand, can be fatal. Left unattended, syphilis can cause brain damage or potentially harm your heart, and nervous system. In some cases Human papillomavirus (HPV) can lead to cancer of the penis or anus.
Make a health your priority and never let guilt or regret stop you from living a carefree and happy life.
