Some STDs may have symptoms that go away for a while but then come back. STDs can damage your body, and you can spread them to your partner even if you have no symptoms. Fact: Left untreated, most STDs can lead to serious conditions. They can cause infertility, urinary tract problems, and cancers of the vulva, cervix, vagina, penis, and anus.
No STD is harmless. Myth: You can catch an STD from a toilet seat, telephone or other object used by an infected person. Fact: STDs are transmitted by vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Some STDs may spread to a baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. Herpes can be transmitted by kissing, if herpes blisters are in the mouth or around the lips. If you test positive for one or more STDs while pregnant, your doctor might prescribe antibiotics, antiviral medications, or other treatments.
In some cases, they might encourage you to give birth via a cesarean delivery to lower the risk of transmission during childbirth. But even symptom-free STDs can cause damage or be passed to other people. Healthcare providers can diagnose most STDs using a urine or blood test. They may also take a swab of your genitals. Home testing kits are also available for some STDs, but they may not always be reliable.
Use them with caution. Check to see if the U. Food and Drug Administration has approved the testing kit before buying it. A Pap smear checks for the presence of precancerous cells on the cervix. Some people may benefit from more frequent testing than others. Find out if you should be tested for STDs and what the tests involve.
Otherwise, you can pass an infection back and forth between you. Continue taking them even if you feel better before you finish taking all of them. While most viral infections have no cure, some can clear on their own. And in many cases, treatment options are available to relieve symptoms and reduce the risk of transmission.
For example, medications are available to reduce the frequency and severity of herpes outbreaks. Likewise, treatment can help stop the progression of HIV. Furthermore, antiviral drugs can lower your risk of transmitting HIV to someone else. Some STDs are caused by neither viruses nor bacteria.
Examples include:. These STDs are usually treatable with oral or topical medications. Ask your doctor or other healthcare provider for more information about your condition and treatment options. Avoiding sexual contact is the only foolproof way to avoid STDs. But when having vaginal, anal, or oral sex, there are ways to make it safer.
When used properly, condoms provide effective protection against many STDs. Dental dams can also provide protection during oral sex. Condoms are generally effective at preventing STDs that spread through fluids, such as semen or blood. In contrast, many other types of birth control lower the risk of unwanted pregnancy but not STDs. Early diagnosis and treatment can help stop the transmission of infections. Partners should also be screened for STDs by a healthcare professional.
Since STDs often have no symptoms, testing is the only way to know for sure if someone has one. You can also ask your doctor about strategies to protect yourself from contracting the STD from your partner. By following these strategies and others, a person can lower their chances of contracting STDs and passing them to others. Learn more about the importance of safe sex and STD prevention. If they have one STD, it can often increase their chances of contracting another.
Some STDs can also lead to severe consequences if left untreated. The second stage rash can look like rough, red or reddish brown spots. Penicillin is a successful treatment. If syphilis is not treated, it can remain in the body for years. It can cause serious problems including paralysis unable to move body parts , mental disorders, damage to organs and even death. This infection is very common. One in six people age has genital herpes. HSV-1 usually causes sores on the lips.
Genital blisters from HSV-2 may not be seen. Blisters can form, break, cause pain and take weeks to heal. There is no known cure for HSV but symptoms can be treated with antiviral medicine. It is not curable, and potentially deadly. It attacks the body's immune system. Only blood, semen cum , pre-seminal fluid pre-cum , rectal fluids, vaginal fluids, and breast milk carry the virus. Infected needles or other sharp tools can spread AIDS as well.
An infected mother can give her baby the virus during pregnancy, childbirth or nursing. Some people have no signs if they get it. Others may feel like they have a bad flu for a long time. The virus can go un-noticed for many years. This STI is a serious virus that attacks the liver. Effective vaccines since the s have helped to prevent this infection.
There are fewer cases every year. Blood, semen and body fluids shared during sex can spread the virus. Many people are born with the disease from their infected mother. Getting care to people with long-term HBV is important but often people have no clear symptoms. When symptoms are present, they can include fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, poor appetite, vomiting and diarrhea.
Since HBV attacks liver cells, it can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, liver failure and possibly death. Dark urine, abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin or eyes are signs of liver damage. There is no known cure for hepatitis B. Still, medications to treat chronic infection will help.
Vaccine is the best protection. Acute HBV has no treatment. Chronic HBV is treated with antiviral medicines, interferon treatment, or a liver transplant. Vaccine is the best prevention. These warts are caused by the human papillomavirus HPV. It is spread through vaginal or anal sex.
It can be passed even when an infected person has no symptoms. The warts that develop are painless, fleshy, cauliflower-looking bumps. They grow on the penis or in and around the entrance of the vagina or anus.
HPV may eventually cause cervical cancer. Fortunately, there is a successful vaccine to prevent HPV and genital warts. The vaccine is given to children age 11 or 12, or for people age There is no known cure for genital warts. Can STIs be prevented or avoided? You should always use condoms when having sex, including oral and anal sex. Do condoms prevent STIs? How to use male condoms Put the condom on before any contact is made.
Unroll the condom over an erect penis to the base of the penis. Uncircumcised men should pull back their foreskin before unrolling. The unrolled ring should be on the outside. Squeeze the tip to get the air out. Pull out after ejaculating and before the penis gets soft. How to use female condoms Follow the directions on the condom package for correct placement. Be sure the inner ring goes as far into the vagina as it can. The outer ring stays outside the vagina. Guide the penis into the condom.
After sex, remove the condom before standing up by gently pulling it out. What else should I do to prevent STIs? Should I use a spermicide to help prevent STIs? What treatment is best for me? How can I stop from getting an STI? How long will my treatment last? Are there any side effects of my treatment? Are there any support groups in my area? If my symptoms get worse, when should I call my doctor?
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