The Kinky Sex
Having sex can be an incredibly pleasurable thing, to the point that it can actually be classified as an addiction for some people. However, while most people will have safe sex for the majority of their lives, there are also many complications that are involved with having sex—and one of these complications could be developing an STD.
But what is an STD, and are STDs something to worry about?
What are STDs?
STD is short for sexually transmitted disease—a type of disease that, as the name would suggest, is typically spread through sexual relations between an infected individual and a partner. The infected individual will share the disease to their partner through their bodily fluids (most notably through saliva and male semen, although any bodily fluids can transmit the disease; as such, contaminated blood transfusions can also be blamed for spreading the diseases as well). These STDs can then lead on to a number of potentially irritating or even life threatening conditions, which is why being aware of the risks is so important.
STDs are shockingly common nowadays, especially among sexually active young people; as many as one in four young people might have had an STD at some point in the year, and for sexually active young people around the age of 25 years old, this statistic jumps to one in two!
Clearly, this figure is quite shockingly high. Surely, though, if so many people are struggling with STDs—they aren’t that much of a concern?
Are STDs Dangerous?
In a word, yes. STDs can be life threatening, and even modern advances in medicine for patients suffering from STDs are not always curative. Indeed, some STDs (especially HIV) are completely incurable and can be fatal, although modern medicine is normally able to control and manage the symptoms of the disease, if not eradicate it.
Symptoms of STDs
If you find yourself suffering from an STD then you will probably be able to tell this. Indeed, STDs typically come with a number of different symptoms that are relatively obvious and hard to miss. Some of these symptoms can include:
- Sores or warts around the anus, vagina, penis, or mouth.
- Swelling or reddened skin around the genitalia, which may also be itchy or aggravated
- Rashes
- Difficulty urinating (this may be painful or otherwise just uncomfortable) or painful sex
- Weight loss
- Night sweats
- Loose bowel movements
- Jaundice (yellowed skin)
- Gential discharge that is unusual—it is important to note that vaginal discharge will usually have a foul odor if caused by an STD
Evidently, coming down with an STD—especially an incurable one—can have a number of potentially frustrating or even life changing consequences. This is especially true as the disease progresses, since the symptoms that you will experience as a result of the STD will likely worsen in this time as well. So, how can you tell if the symptoms you are experiencing are the result of an STD?
STD Prevention
Having an STD is no longer the death sentence that is was just a number of decades ago, thanks to advancements in modern medicine. However, on that score, it is the case that STDs are still a nuisance to have; they can also be quite embarrassing for many people, and so avoiding coming down with one will help you to ensure that you are healthy and happy.
Preventing STDs doesn’t need to be difficult. Of course, the most effective method of reducing your risks of getting an STD would be to avoid having sex—but, in the event that you don’t feel this “solution” is the right one for you (let’s be honest here—who likes the sound of that?) then there are precautions that you can take to keep yourself safe and free from disease.
For one, you should always wear a condom (or make sure your partner wears a condom). Condoms help to catch semen during ejaculation and so will prevent the semen, or a female partner’s bodily fluids, from coming into contact with the exposed skin of the vagina or the penis respectively; this will help to limit the risks of contracting the disease yourself, although it should be noted that condoms can and do split.
Another option for keeping yourself safe from STDs is to limit the number of people that you, and your partners, sleep with. Invariably, the more people you have sex with, the greater your chances of getting an STD; be loyal and stick to one partner to hopefully stay safe from getting STDs. Of course, this is only relevant if your chosen partner doesn’t have an STD, so it is wise that you both get checked out for STDs before having sex with them.
Do I Have an STD?
While the symptoms for STDs are numerous, they are far from “exclusive” and can be caused by many different types of pathogens and diseases. As such, to conclude that you have an STD simply because you have a rash that you have never noticed before would not necessarily be the case; instead, if you are concerned about the possibility of you having contracted an STD, you should always approach your doctor for help and advice.
Your doctor will be able to help you in a number of different ways. After carrying out diagnostic tests to determine whether or not you have an STD, your doctor will then be able to prescribe you with the necessary medication in order to control the symptoms, or even treat the STD (depending on the type of STD that you have contracted).
Most STDs are treated with a course of antibiotics, that should always be taken in full; in order to treat an STD, it is imperative that you take the entire course as instructed by your doctor and always on time. Some doctors may also offer antibiotics for your partner, as well, if there is the risk of them also having contracted the STD from you; alternatively, they will likely advise you to inform your partner of the diagnosis so that they can also get treatment, in case the disease has spread onto them as well during sexual relations.
