People are constantly asking us how to find out if a partner has an STD.
Well, unless your potential bedmate sports an obvious below-the-belt bump
or lesion, or is oozing nasty liquids, there's no way to tell if he or she
has an STD. IF there were other signs, then everyone would look for them
and there wouldn't be millions of new infections every year.
Here are the most common one and symptoms. Remember, if you are sexually
active you should get tested for chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, HIV and
HPV type specific, every six months. If you don't you are putting both you
and your partner at risk. AND ALWAYS USE A CONDOM!
Chlamydia
Chlamydia is transmitted mainly during vaginal or anal sex (unlikely, but
possible, during oral sex) Chlamydia is especially dangerous because in
women it very often has no symptoms, but if left untreated, it can leave
a woman infertile. The disease can cause scarring of the fallopian tubes,
sterility, infertility, ectopic pregnancy, or chronic pelvic pain. Burning
during urination or an unusual discharge may be the only symptoms. Men with
chlamydia usually do experience this burning. It is important that infected
men inform all of their recent partners. Chlamydia is easily treated with
antibiotics.
How Common? 4 million new cases are reported a year; 2.6 million of these
are women. Help: CDC National STD Hotline, 800-227-8922.
Genital Warts (HPV)
The human papillomavirus virus (HPV) causes genital warts, which come
in several shapes and sizes. Some look like common warts you might get
on your hand or foot; some are as small as a pinhead; some are flat.
Genital warts are very common and are spread through skin-to-skin contact.
If you or your sexual partner have warts that are visible in the genital
area, you should avoid any sexual contact until the warts are treated.
Unfortunately for women, warts may be so small they can't be seen, or
they may infect the cervix or vaginal walls, making them almost impossible
to detect without a doctor. If left untreated, HPV can cause cervical
cancer. In men, warts usually appear as bumps on the penis head or shaft,
or on the scrotum and can itch. Women may also notice bumps on their labia.
Genital warts are a viral infection, so they can come back after the initial
treatment.
How Common? Approximately five and a half million people are infected
with HPV every year in the United States. Help: HPV Prevention Resource
Center, 877-HPV-5868.
See some suspicious bumps down there? Soak them in vinegar for a few minutes.
If they turn white, they are probably warts; if they don't react, you should
still get them checked out by a doctor right away, just to be sure.
Gonorrhea
Women may have mild or confusing symptoms, or no symptoms at all. Pain in the
lower abdomen, unusual discharge, or a urinary tract infection might be the
only tip-offs. We must stress that any pain or unusual symptoms involving
your reproductive organs should be checked by a doctor--don't wait until
it becomes serious. Men might notice a thick discharge from their penises
and feel burning during urination. Gonorrhea can infect the throat and be
spread through oral-genital contact. It can cause sterility, arthritis,
heart problems, and disorders of the central nervous system. In women,
it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which can lead to ectopic
pregnancies, or the formation of abscesses. It is treated with antibiotics.
How Common? 360,076 new cases in 1999; it's now up 11% among girls 15 to
19. Help: CDC National Hotline, 800-227-8922.
Herpes
Herpes are a viral infection generally transmitted through sex, but it can
also be transmitted through oral-genital contact. Symptoms in men and women
include an itching or burning in the genital area, followed within a day
or so by the appearance of painful sores on the genitals. Urination may be
painful. The sores, during an initial outbreak, can last for a couple
weeks. Although nothing can cure herpes, there are effective medications
that can reduce the frequency and severity of the outbreaks. With medication
and proper diet and exercise, it is possible to go for years without an outbreak.
How Common? 45 million Americans are currently infected and there are
some 1 million new cases a year. Help: National Herpes Hotline,
919-361-8488. A trial vaccine has been found to reduce chances of
getting gential herpes by 75%. The only catch to this as-yet-unavailable
cure is that it only works for women who don't get cold sores...
Order Herpes Medication,
Valtrex or
Acyclovir online, Fast, Discreet Convenient
HIV and AIDS
AIDS is an incurable viral infection that doctors think is caused by the human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It can be transmitted only through the exchange
of bodily fluids such as blood, semen, and vaginal secretions. The disease is
ultimately fatal, yet more and more people are living for years with HIV and
not becoming ill. They are, however, infectious. HIV antibodies usually appear
in the bloodstream three to eight weeks after infection, though it may take up
to six months for them to show.
How Common? HIV now infects less than one million people in the United States,
but close to 34 million people worldwide. Of the nearly 6 million new cases expected
this year, only 40,000 will occur in the U.S. Help: CDC AIDS Hotline, 800-342-AIDS.
Get Tested: If you don't want to deal
with going to a clinic, buy a test online... Click Here it comes in a discreet
box.
Syphilis
Syphilis causes rashes and sores on the genitals and elsewhere, and can be
transmitted through contact with these rashes or through sexual contact. The
symptoms of syphilis go through four stages as the bacteria that cause it
spread and develop in the body. In the first stage, a chancre (a circular,
painless and firm sore) might appear on the genitals anywhere from 9 to 90
days after infection. It can also appear elsewhere in the body. During the
second stage, which occurs weeks to months after infection, rashes on the body
may develop then disappear; joints may ache; fever and headache might occur.
Rashes indicate that the microbes have traveled through the bloodstream and
lymphatic system to every tissue and organ in the body. This can go on for
years. Late in the progress of the disease there are no outward symptoms. In
the end, syphilis can cause blindness, madness, and death. It can be treated
at any time with antibiotics.
How Common? Nearly 40,000 new cases were counted last year. Help: CDC National
STD Hotline, 800-227-8922.
Pubic Lice and Scabies
Pubic lice (often called "crabs") and Scabies (itch mites) are tiny insects
that live on the skin. They are sometimes spread sexually, but you can also
pick them up by using the same bed linen, clothes, or towels as an infected
person. Scabies, an itchy rash, is the result of a female mite burrowing into
a person's skin to lay her eggs. Pubic lice infect hairy parts of the body,
especially around the groin and under the arms. Their eggs can be seen on the
hair close to the skin, where they hatch in 5 to 10 days.
Although some people infected with pubic lice have no symptoms, you may
experience considerable itching around the genitals. You may see light-brown
insects the size of a pinhead moving on the skin or oval eggs attached to
your body hair. The main symptom of scabies is itching, especially at night.
A rash may appear in the folds of skin between the fingers or on the wrists,
elbows, abdomen, or genitals. If you think you may have pubic lice or scabies,
see your healthcare provider. They can determine whether or not you need to
seek treatment.
The most effective treatments include shampoos and creams that contain
lindane or a related compound. You can treat pubic lice at home with these
special creams, lotions, and shampoos available in drugstores without a
prescription. Follow directions carefully. The infestation may be stubborn,
and you may need to repeat the treatment. Do not try to treat scabies on your
own. Avoid close contact with others if you have scabies or pubic lice. Wash
clothes and bed linen in hot water, or dry-clean or press them with a very
hot iron. If you have scabies or pubic lice, be sure to tell your sex
partners. Anyone with whom you've had close contact or who has shared your
bed linen, clothes, or towels should be treated, even if they don't have an
itch or rash.
Scabies and pubic lice are transmitted through contact with an infected area
on another person or through contact with infested materials such as sheets
and towels. The best way to protect yourself is to know your partner's sexual
history and to dry-clean materials that you think may carry scabies or
pubic lice.
Help: CDC National STD Hotline, 800-227-8922.
Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis ("trich") is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD),
attacking 2 to 3 million Americans every year. It is caused by infection
with a flagellated protozoan, Trichomonas vaginalis. Many people with
trichomoniasis experience no symptoms. Women may experience itching,
burning, vaginal or vulval redness, unusual vaginal discharge, frequent
and/or painful urination, discomfort during intercourse, and abdominal pain.
Symptoms tend to worsen after menstruation. Men are usually asymptomatic,
but symptoms can include unusual penile discharge, painful urination, and
tingling inside the penis. Trichomoniasis can be treated with antibiotics,
usually a single dose of metronidazole (Flagyl).
As with other diseases, trichomoniasis is spread through sexual contact.
Using condoms (or another barrier method) provides some protection, as does
knowing your partner's sexual history. Trichomania can also survive on
infected objects such as sheets and towels, and could possibly be transmitted
by sharing those objects. It is especially important for the male partner
to be treated--even though he is almost always asymptomatic.
Enhance your Sexual Journey
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For more sexual enhancers like Primal Instinct make sure to check out
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