Sexually transmitted diseases or venereal disease are infections that can be transferred from one person to another through any type of sexual contact. Sexual contact includes kissing, oro-genital contact and use of sexual toys such as vibrators. The most common dangerous of these conditions is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Most STD?s affect both men and women, but health problems are more sever in women and in pregnant women.

Many of these are treatable, except for some where effective treatment is lacking as in HIV, HPV and hepatitis B and C.

The effective methods to prevent STD’s are abstinence or using condoms, monogamy.

The common STD’s are Aids/HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Genital herpes, HPV, Syphilis etc.

STD’s are transmitted in three ways. Vaginal or anal intercourse, oral sex. It can also be transmitted through intravenous drug needle, during child birth or during breast feeding.

  

In women the signs and symptoms of STD’s are difficult to diagnose because often sometimes there will be no obvious symptoms of STD’s in women. Sometimes there may be misdiagnosis with other reproductive health issues.

Women are more prone to STD’s than men because of vaginal friction occurring during sexual intercourse that may cause small rips or tears in the vaginal walls and make women more susceptible to possible STD’s.

Symptoms of STD’s:

• Unusual vaginal discharge or any discharge from rectus.
• Painful intercourse.
• Burning or discomfort during urination.
• Unusual pain or discomfort in the abdomen, buttocks and legs.
• Swelling, blisters, open sores, warts or rashes in the genital area on sexual organs or in mouth.
• Flu-like symptoms like fever, headache, body pain, enlarged glands.

Facts about STD’s:

• Sexually transmitted disease affects 12 million men and women in a year.
• Anyone can become infected through sexual intercourse with an infected person.
• Many of those infected are teenagers and young adults.
• Changing sexual partners adds to the risk of becoming infected.
• Early in the infection, there may be no symptoms; symptom can be confused with other illness.

Sexually transmitted disease can cause:

• Tubal pregnancies.
• Death or severe damage to a baby born to an infected mother.
• Sterility (loss of ability to get pregnant).
• Cancer of cervix in women.
• Damage to other parts of the body like heart, kidneys, brain.
• Death of individual as in HIV.

When to see a doctor:

• Discharge from vagina, rectum.
• Pain or burning during urination.
• Pain during intercourse.
• Pain in the abdomen, legs, buttocks.
• Blisters, open sores, warts, rashes, swelling in genital areas or mouth.

Diagnosis:

• Medical history.
• Physical examination.
• Pelvic examination.
  Blood tests.

Advices for the person who have STD’s:

• Get diagnosed and treated immediately.
• Take all the medications as instructed, even if the symptoms go away.
• Avoid sex with anyone until three days after the treatment is finished and all symptoms are gone.
• Tell the sexual partner so that they get treated too.