Sex-Ed for Dummies: STDs

STDs are a super embarrassing thing to thing about, much less actually talk about. Knowledge on sexually transmitted diseases ranges from a naive “ignorance is bliss” attitude to textbook images of horrific sores and infections.

STDs can cause serious life problems.

There are three kinds of STDs, mites, bacterial, and viral. I will only discuss a few bacterial ones in this article.

It is important to expose yourself (no pun intended) to the basic facts about the most common STDs, and as a responsible, sexually active adult, you won’t regret it.

Chlamydia

• Transmission: The Chlamydia trachomatis bacterium is passed through sexual contact. Infection can spread from one body site to another via fingers.

• Symptoms: Women: Pelvic inflammatory disease, disrupted menstruation, pelvic pain, raised temperature, nausea, vomiting, headache, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. Men: Urethra infection discharge and burning during urination; with epididymitis, heaviness in and painful swelling at bottom of affected testis, inflammation of scrotum.

• Treatment: Doxycycline for 7 days, or one dose of azithromycin.

Gonorrhea

• Transmission: The Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium is passed through penile-vaginal, oral-genital, oral-anal, or genital-anal contact.
• Symptoms: Women: Green or yellowish discharge (usually remains undetected); pelvic inflammatory disease may develop. Men: Cloudy discharge from penis and burning during urination; complications include painful swelling at bottom of affected testis and inflammation of scrotum.
• Treatment: Dual therapy of one dose of ceftriaxone, cefixime, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, or ofloxacin plus one dose of azithromycin (or doxycycline for 7 days).

Syphylis

• Transmission: The Treponema pallidum bacterium is passed from open lesions during penile-vaginal, oral-genital, oral-anal, or genital-anal contact.
• Symptoms: Primary Stage: Painless chancre at site where bacterium entered body. Secondary Stage: Chancre disappears, and the generalized skin rash appears. Latent Stage: There may be no visible symptoms. Tertiary Stage: Heart failure, blindness, mental disturbance, and more; death may result.
• Treatment: Benzathine penicillin G, doxycycline, erythromycin, or ceftriaxone.

Herpes

• Transmission: HSV-2 (genital herpes virus) passed primarily through penile-vaginal, oral-genital, oral-anal, or genital-anal contact. HSV-1 (oral herpes) passed by kissing or oral-genital contact.
• Symptoms: Small painful red bumps appear in the genital region or mouth. Bumps become painful blisters and eventually rupture to form wet, open sores.
• Treatment: No known cure. A variety of treatments can reduce symptoms. Oral acyclovir, valacyclovir, or famciclovir promote healing and suppress recurrent outbreaks.

A few last things to note:

Remember that only one birth control method can protect you against STDs: the latex condom. Birth control pills may make bacterial infections worse. Females have an easier time getting STDs than do males because more soft tissue is exposed.

STDs can result in very serious complications, or even death. It’s not a joke.

Go get yourself tested.