What you need to know about sexually transmitted infections
Getting educated about sexually transmitted diseases isn't the sexiest
article there is to read in this issue, but hey, getting them isn't sexy either.
We all know about the importance of proper protection, but against what? There are tons of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) out there, so knowing which ones are which is pretty important. Wouldn't it be awesome if you could get information on everything you need to know about STIs in one convenient place?
CHLAMYDIA
Chlamydia is one of the most common STIs, especially among young adults. It is a bacterial infection caused by unprotected sex with someone who is infected, and about half of all cases never show any symptoms. Using a condom is very effective to protection against infections
Symptoms: Many people with Chlamydia don't know they have it because symptoms either never show up or take a long time before they do.
Women may experience increased vaginal discharge, itching, lower abdominal pain, bleeding between periods and bleeding during or after intercourse.
For men, signs include a watery discharge from the penis, as well as burning or itching, the urge to pee a lot and pain in the testicles. Both sexes may feel a burning sensation during urination.
Treatment: Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics prescribed by your doctor, usually for seven to 10 days. During that time, you should not have any sex, including oral sex. After you finish treatment, a test is done to determine if the infection is gone.
If the infection is not treated, it can cause infertility for both sexes.
SYPHILIS
Syphilis is caused by bacteria that enter the bloodstream through the mouth, eyes, vagina, anus or broken skin. Condoms do provide some protection, but aren't 100 per cent effective.
Symptoms: Symptoms usually take 10 days to three months to show up. Some people with syphilis don't have any obvious signs of the infection.
Symptoms show up in three stages. During the primary stage, a painless sore called a chancre (pronounced "shan-ker") will appear on the penis, anus, cervix, vagina or lips. The chancre is easy to miss because it heals in one to five weeks. In the secondary stage, a rash may appear all over your body. Eventually, it will go away, but you still have the infection. At this stage, the infection is very contagious. The disease will then move to what is called the latent stage, where syphilis will spread all over the body to the brain, eyes, heart and central nervous system.
Treatment: The good thing about syphilis is that it can be cured with antibiotics; however, treatment won't cure any damage already done to your organs.
GENITAL HERPES
There are two types of the herpes virus: type one causes cold sores, and type two causes sores on the genitals. You can get it from kissing, oral sex and unprotected sex. Condoms do not give complete protection from genital herpes.
Symptoms: Men and women can show a number of symptoms that show up three to 12 days after becoming infected. Some people may see small blisters in the genital area that burst and leave painful sores. These can last two to four weeks and eventually heal. Itching or tingling sensations around the genital or anal area are also symptoms of infection.
Treatment: There is no known cure for herpes. Once you have it, you have it for life. A doctor can give you prescription drugs that can help heal the sores, limit outbreaks and reduce the chance of giving it to others.
GONORRHEA
Also known as "The Clap," gonorrhea is caused by having unprotected sex with someone who is infected, even if they have no symptoms. Condoms are very effective in preventing transmission.
Symptoms: About half of the people who have gonorrhea don't show any symptoms. Women may experience increased vaginal discharge, pain or bleeding when having sex, lower abdominal pain and bleeding between periods. Men may see a white or yellow discharge from the penis, a burning or itching sensation from the penis and the need to pee a lot. Both sexes may experience pain during urination.
Treatment: Oral or injected antibiotics are usually prescribed if you have gonorrhea. If the disease isn't treated, it can cause infertility in men and women. It can also spread throughout your body and cause arthritis in your joints. Women may also develop Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID).
HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV)
Human papillomavirus is a very common STI. There are over 100 different types of HPV, and at least 40 are spread through sexual contact. HPV is the virus that causes genital warts. HPV can be spread through any sexual contact, including vaginal, oral and anal sex. In women, HPV infection can cause problems that may lead to cervical cancer and cancers in the vagina, vulva, anus, mouth and throat. In men, HPV infection could possibly lead to cancer in the penis, anus, mouth and throat. It is possible to protect yourself from up to four types of HPV by getting a vaccine; doctors recommend it for girls (from age 11 or 12 through age 26) and for guys (from age 11 or 12 through age 21). Condoms do not provide complete protection against HPV.
Symptoms: Many people with HPV don't know they have it because it often does not show any symptoms. Not everyone with HPV develops genital warts. You can't tell whether or not someone is infected just by looking at them.
Treatment: Some low-risk types of HPV (types 6 and 11) may cause genital warts, and at least 15 high-risk types of the virus (such as types 16 and 18) may cause cancer. There are treatments for the warts caused by the virus, but nothing can cure someone who has the virus.
HIV & AIDS
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) weakens the immune system. Eventually the virus can lead to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which can be fatal. HIV attacks the type of cell in the immune system that fights infections. The disease is transmitted through bodily fluids such as blood, semen and vaginal fluids. It cannot be transmitted through saliva, air or food. Pregnant mothers with HIV can give the infection to their babies.
Symptoms: Many people who have HIV don't know it. Symptoms may not show up for as many as 10 years. Until then, people with the disease can appear perfectly healthy. When somebody is diagnosed with AIDS, symptoms such as intense fevers, severe weakness or fatigue, unexplainable weight loss, a frequent cough and white spots in the mouth or throat are present. AIDS can also lead to rare diseases or cancer.
Treatment: Despite years of research, there is currently no known cure for HIV. Doctors can prescribe immune system-boosting pills to relieve symptoms.
Next time you're thinking about getting some, keep in mind that not all sex is good sex. Proper protection is always a smart choice to make to avoid STIs.
This article was written with help from intheknowpeel.ca, kidshealth.org and hpvinfo.ca.
We all know about the importance of proper protection, but against what? There are tons of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) out there, so knowing which ones are which is pretty important. Wouldn't it be awesome if you could get information on everything you need to know about STIs in one convenient place?
CHLAMYDIA
Chlamydia is one of the most common STIs, especially among young adults. It is a bacterial infection caused by unprotected sex with someone who is infected, and about half of all cases never show any symptoms. Using a condom is very effective to protection against infections
Symptoms: Many people with Chlamydia don't know they have it because symptoms either never show up or take a long time before they do.
Women may experience increased vaginal discharge, itching, lower abdominal pain, bleeding between periods and bleeding during or after intercourse.
For men, signs include a watery discharge from the penis, as well as burning or itching, the urge to pee a lot and pain in the testicles. Both sexes may feel a burning sensation during urination.
Treatment: Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics prescribed by your doctor, usually for seven to 10 days. During that time, you should not have any sex, including oral sex. After you finish treatment, a test is done to determine if the infection is gone.
If the infection is not treated, it can cause infertility for both sexes.
SYPHILIS
Syphilis is caused by bacteria that enter the bloodstream through the mouth, eyes, vagina, anus or broken skin. Condoms do provide some protection, but aren't 100 per cent effective.
Symptoms: Symptoms usually take 10 days to three months to show up. Some people with syphilis don't have any obvious signs of the infection.
Symptoms show up in three stages. During the primary stage, a painless sore called a chancre (pronounced "shan-ker") will appear on the penis, anus, cervix, vagina or lips. The chancre is easy to miss because it heals in one to five weeks. In the secondary stage, a rash may appear all over your body. Eventually, it will go away, but you still have the infection. At this stage, the infection is very contagious. The disease will then move to what is called the latent stage, where syphilis will spread all over the body to the brain, eyes, heart and central nervous system.
Treatment: The good thing about syphilis is that it can be cured with antibiotics; however, treatment won't cure any damage already done to your organs.
GENITAL HERPES
There are two types of the herpes virus: type one causes cold sores, and type two causes sores on the genitals. You can get it from kissing, oral sex and unprotected sex. Condoms do not give complete protection from genital herpes.
Symptoms: Men and women can show a number of symptoms that show up three to 12 days after becoming infected. Some people may see small blisters in the genital area that burst and leave painful sores. These can last two to four weeks and eventually heal. Itching or tingling sensations around the genital or anal area are also symptoms of infection.
Treatment: There is no known cure for herpes. Once you have it, you have it for life. A doctor can give you prescription drugs that can help heal the sores, limit outbreaks and reduce the chance of giving it to others.
GONORRHEA
Also known as "The Clap," gonorrhea is caused by having unprotected sex with someone who is infected, even if they have no symptoms. Condoms are very effective in preventing transmission.
Symptoms: About half of the people who have gonorrhea don't show any symptoms. Women may experience increased vaginal discharge, pain or bleeding when having sex, lower abdominal pain and bleeding between periods. Men may see a white or yellow discharge from the penis, a burning or itching sensation from the penis and the need to pee a lot. Both sexes may experience pain during urination.
Treatment: Oral or injected antibiotics are usually prescribed if you have gonorrhea. If the disease isn't treated, it can cause infertility in men and women. It can also spread throughout your body and cause arthritis in your joints. Women may also develop Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID).
HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV)
Human papillomavirus is a very common STI. There are over 100 different types of HPV, and at least 40 are spread through sexual contact. HPV is the virus that causes genital warts. HPV can be spread through any sexual contact, including vaginal, oral and anal sex. In women, HPV infection can cause problems that may lead to cervical cancer and cancers in the vagina, vulva, anus, mouth and throat. In men, HPV infection could possibly lead to cancer in the penis, anus, mouth and throat. It is possible to protect yourself from up to four types of HPV by getting a vaccine; doctors recommend it for girls (from age 11 or 12 through age 26) and for guys (from age 11 or 12 through age 21). Condoms do not provide complete protection against HPV.
Symptoms: Many people with HPV don't know they have it because it often does not show any symptoms. Not everyone with HPV develops genital warts. You can't tell whether or not someone is infected just by looking at them.
Treatment: Some low-risk types of HPV (types 6 and 11) may cause genital warts, and at least 15 high-risk types of the virus (such as types 16 and 18) may cause cancer. There are treatments for the warts caused by the virus, but nothing can cure someone who has the virus.
HIV & AIDS
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) weakens the immune system. Eventually the virus can lead to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which can be fatal. HIV attacks the type of cell in the immune system that fights infections. The disease is transmitted through bodily fluids such as blood, semen and vaginal fluids. It cannot be transmitted through saliva, air or food. Pregnant mothers with HIV can give the infection to their babies.
Symptoms: Many people who have HIV don't know it. Symptoms may not show up for as many as 10 years. Until then, people with the disease can appear perfectly healthy. When somebody is diagnosed with AIDS, symptoms such as intense fevers, severe weakness or fatigue, unexplainable weight loss, a frequent cough and white spots in the mouth or throat are present. AIDS can also lead to rare diseases or cancer.
Treatment: Despite years of research, there is currently no known cure for HIV. Doctors can prescribe immune system-boosting pills to relieve symptoms.
Next time you're thinking about getting some, keep in mind that not all sex is good sex. Proper protection is always a smart choice to make to avoid STIs.
This article was written with help from intheknowpeel.ca, kidshealth.org and hpvinfo.ca.
