WHAT YOU SHOULD
KNOW
This class of diseases, called STDs for short, includes
any infection spread by having sex. STDs include gonorrhea,
syphilis, HIV (the AIDS virus), chlamydia, trichomoniasis,
herpes, pubic lice, and genital warts. Many sexually
transmitted diseases can be cured with a week or two of
treatment. If not treated, however, some of these diseases can
cause infertility. Others eventually can be fatal. You can't
tell by looking whether someone has an STD, and many people
don't know they are infected.
Causes
Most of these diseases are caused by bacteria or viruses
and are spread by having oral, vaginal, or anal (rectal)
sex.
Signs/Symptoms
Symptoms vary, but often include
a discharge from the penis, vagina, or rectum and pain when
urinating or having sex. You may get blisters, sores, a rash,
or swelling in the genital or anal area or in the mouth. You
may also have flu-like symptoms (fever, headache, body aches,
or swollen glands) that don't go away.
Care
Your doctor can perform tests to
see what kind of infection you have. You may need antibiotic
medicine to fight the infection.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
-
Always take your medicine as directed. If you feel it
is not helping, call your doctor. Do not quit taking it on
your own. If you are taking antibiotics, continue to take
them until they are all gone, even if you feel well. If you
stop treatment too soon, some germs may survive to reinfect
you.
-
Don't have sex (including oral sex) while you and
your partner are being treated for a
STD.
-
Tell all your sex partners that you are being treated
for a STD. They may be infected also and need
treatment.
-
Wash your hands often, especially after you urinate
or have a bowel movement. To avoid spreading an STD to your
eyes, do not touch them with your
hands.
-
If you are pregnant, tell your doctor that you have a
sexually transmitted disease. Your STD could spread to your
unborn child.
-
Women should wear cotton underwear or pantyhose with
a cotton crotch so that wetness will not be trapped in the
vaginal area.
-
Ask your doctor for the instructions on practicing
safe sex and using condoms.
-
If you have had a test, be sure to call your doctor
for the results.
-
To keep from getting an STD, you should practice safe
sex or avoid all sexual contact. The only completely safe
sex occurs between two faithful partners who do not have
STDs.
-
You can improve your chances of avoiding an STD by
using condoms. Although condoms do not provide foolproof
protection, they reduce your risk of being infected. Other
kinds of birth control (pills and diaphragms, for instance)
can help prevent pregnancy, but they do not stop
infections.
-
The more people you have sex with, the greater your
chance of developing a sexually transmitted disease. The
fewer your sexual partners the better.
Call Your Doctor If...
-
You have a rash, itching, or swelling after taking
your medicine.
-
The symptoms or problems for which you were seen get
worse or come back after treatment.
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