Symptoms of STDs
What are the Symptoms of STDs?
Symptoms of STDs can manifest at anytime for someone who leads an active sexual life. Regardless of your sexual affiliation, experience, or attachment you can get an STD if you are sexually active. There are quite a variety of sexually transmitted diseases available, some can be cured by a quick doctors visit while others you may have to live with for the rest of your life. Possibly the scariest part is that you may never even know that you have one so it is important to get tested regularly; especially if you frequently change sexual partners. Looking at symptoms of STD’s in men pictures can be worth a thousand words, and for women as well. After looking up pictures of blue waffle for example you may never eat again. Practicing safe sex is essential if you wan to protect both yourself and your partner, and even potentially the rest of your family.
Probably the most talked about sexually transmitted disease is HIV. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus is most talked about because it is 100% deadly, there is no cure for this virus as of yet. Though the rise of the HIV pandemic through the years peaked a decade or two ago it certainly has not gone away as the numbers remain steady despite the campaigns pushing younger generations to be more careful. Probably why some of this is not effective as there are many incorrect assumptions about the disease such as that it only affects homosexuals. The symptoms of HIV are often left undiagnosed for quite a while since at first infection there will be no signs, your partner could have HIV and not even know it themselves yet. Usually 2 to 6 weeks after being infected a person will begin to exhibit flu like symptoms including headache, fever, sore throat and swollen lymph glands. Since these often disappear in a month they are commonly brushed off as just another viral infection. More persistent symptoms may not even appear for up to 10 years following the initial infection by which the virus will have caused the person to develop a condition called AIDS. Diarrhea, weight loss, persistent cough, and other severe flu like symptoms can develop as the virus continues to destroy the body from the inside.
Though the subject of many childhood jokes herpes is another virus that will be with you forever. Almost everyone carries some form of the herpes virus. Around 96% of the population has this virus living harmlessly inside them, chances are if you have ever had a cold sore you have this virus too. The difference is that genital herpes is a little different. It is caused by the Herpes Simplex virus and is highly contagious. Many people will never know they carry HSV since there are often no symptoms or no symptoms after the first outbreak which can be minor. The symptoms of herpes that do appear are usually small red sores on the genital or anal area and these can also be itchy. Though there is no cure for herpes there are medications to control outbreaks and to stop you experiencing them as much as possible. In women these sores can appear on the cervix inside the body where they remain undetected.
Bacterial infections cover a large proportion of STDs, and chlamydia is the most common STD even if it is not the most talked about. The symptoms of chlamydia can be difficult to detect because it is a bacteria that infects the genital tract inside the body. Usually symptoms will appear one to three weeks after exposure and even then can be mild and passing so that you may never feel the need to go to a doctor. Of the symptoms painful urination, discharge from the genital area, and lower abdominal pain are common, however symptoms of STDs in men who have chlamydia usually also include testicular pain. The symptoms of gonorrhea can be similar to chlamydia because it is also a bacterial infection of the genital tract. Pain during sexual intercourse and blood discharge from the penis or vagina are additional symptoms that differentiate this from chlamydia or other infections.
Yeast infections though also usually caused by bacteria are slightly different. The scientific name for yeast is Candida and these tiny bacteria live on human skin, most people have them especially in moist warm body parts such as genitals and nasal cavities. Usually yeast infections are more widely reported by women, with as many as 75% experiencing the symptoms at some time in their lives. Many things can cause a yeast infection, from simply having too tight clothing to sexual intercourse with an infected partner. Sex changes the pH of the vaginal area and this alone can make a yeast infection flare up. The most common symptoms of yeast infection are itching and burning in the genital area as well as general genital soreness. The nasty thing about yeast infections is that they can easily be passed through contact with any moist area on another person so they can affect the mouth and throat when passed through oral sex. The symptoms of STD’s in the throat like a yeast infection tend to be similar to strep or any other bacterial throat infection, though you may feel a little sick to your stomach upon hearing where you got it from.
Wondering if you have caught an STD can be both painful and embarrassing. You may not want to confront your partner about it but after a trip to the doctor you will probably have to. Leaving an STD untreated can cause scarring, infertility, and puts others at risk from your recklessness if you continue not to practice safe sex. Symptoms of STD’s can be completely missing so to be safe it is always a good idea to get tested between sexual partners, just in case; for your safety and theirs.