ABC of Sexually Transmitted Diseases STD's

How much do you know about Sexually Transmitted Diseases, STDs? Some STDs such as Herpes, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and Syphilis are curable, and treatable, but others—like HIV/AIDS—can stay for life and can have serious health consequences if they aren’t treated. An STD is an embarrassing, painful and sometimes deadly casualty of sexual intercourse.

Armed with the right information, they’re often preventable. But, you need to mind your ABCs. Several people who get STDs don’t know their ABCs it because the symptoms aren’t obvious. That’s why it’s so important to get all the information you can about the STDs, from A-Z.

A AIDS: Also known as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, AIDS, messes with the immune system. The virus that causes AIDS is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV, that can be transmitted through unprotected sex, needles, blood transfusion and breastfeeding. There is no cure, but there are medications that enable people with HIV to live long and healthy lives.

B Birth control: There are lots of different forms of birth control, from the pill to the shot to the patch, but they don’t all protect against STDs. Just condoms and female condoms do that. When you’re going to be sexually active, keep in mind birth control to prevent pregnancy but not STDs.

C Condom: This is available almost everywhere and protects against STDs as well as pregnancy. Used properly, condoms work most of the time, but they have to be used correctly, every time you have sex to prevent pregnancy.

D Diagnosis: Getting a diagnosis means getting tested by a qualified doctor or clinic at a reputable clinic.

E Education: Be informed. Know the facts. There’s so much misinformation out there, and it’s important to know what’s a myth and what’s a fact when it comes to protecting your body. Abstinence is best, but if you cannot abstain, use a suitable protection such as condom. The right education is necessary to enable utilisation of the right protection less than students who were taught different options when it came to sex.

FFemale Condom: Condoms don’t just exist for men. Female condoms are also out there. They protect against both STDs and pregnancy and like condoms for men, and can be purchased without a prescription.

G Gonorrhoea is a

common STI that causes pain while urinating and creates abnormal discharge. Not good l, but the good news is that it can be cured with antibiotics.

H Herpes is so common at least one in six people are infected. Herpes is viral, which means you can’t treat it with antibiotics. It can cause sores and blisters, and treatments for it are all about giving you fewer outbreaks and keeping you from passing it on to other people.

I It’s your sex life. So get informed on how to prevent STIs and unwanted pregnancies.

K Know Your Status. Get tested for STDs It’s important for your health and future, and important to your partner.

L Latex. It’s that stuff condoms are made of to keep you protected.

M Mercury: STDs have been around a long time, and do you know what people used prior to our modern medicine to “treat” them? Mercury! Back then, the medicine was worse than the disease…especially because mercury didn’t even work.

N Nine times out of 10, having unprotected sex with more than one person increases the risk of contracting an STD.

O Oral sex: Some people believe STDs can only be transmitted through vaginal sex. But that is not true. STDs can be transmitted from any kind of sex — oral, anal or vaginal.

P Prevention: If you already have an STD, talk to your doctor about what you can do next to reduce the risk of passing it to your partner. If you don’t have an STD, educate yourself and learn how to prevent infection. Culled