Ways to Avoid Contracting an STD

The best way to avoid contracting a sexually transmitted disease is not to have sex.
However, that isn't a choice that most people are always willing to make. Once you
have chosen to have sex, there are ways to reduce the risk of contracting an STD.
How? Well first, you need to know yourself. Second, you need to know your partner.
And third? You need to know about condoms and safer sex.
1. Practice Safer Sex Every Time You Have Sex
Safer sex, with a condom, female condom, gloves, and/or other appropriate barriers,
only works if you are consistent about it. Make up your mind to have safer sex every
time you have sex. If your sex life involves intercourse, anal or vaginal, determine
that you'll never have sex without a condom. If you or your partner is at high risk of
STDs, be consistent about barrier use (dental dams, condoms) during oral sex as
well. Barriers are not 100% protective against all STDs, but they will greatly reduce
your risk.
2. Get Tested Regularly, and Encourage Your Partners To Do The Same
Want to avoid getting an STD, and spreading STDs to your partner? Be consistent
about getting tested and treated. Whether or not you are at high risk for an STD,
you and your partner should strongly consider being tested before entering a new
sexual relationship. If one or both of you is at high risk of disease, you should be
tested even more frequently. And, if you're being treated for an STD, wait until
you're done with treatment before resuming sexual activity. Otherwise you and your
partner could end up just passing it back and forth.
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3. Have Sex Only Within A Mutually Monogamous Relationship
Two people who have sex only with one another dont have any opportunity to bring
a new STD into the relationship. If you and your partner have been tested and are
healthy, remaining faithful to each other is a very good way to reduce your chances
of contracting an STD. However, it is important to be honest with yourself about
whether you and your partner are both truly faithful. If you are always consistent
about practicing safer sex, even with a long-term partner, you will feel more secure,
and it can also take the trust issue out of the equation.
4. Know Your Limits
When in the throes of passion it can be very difficult to use your brain. Once your
clothes have started to come off is, therefore, not the time to start thinking about
how far you want to go with your partner that evening. Before you head out on a
date, think about your plans for the night. If the opportunity arises, do you want to
have sex? Are you comfortable with fooling around a little, but not with oral sex or
intercourse? If you make a rational decision before you leave your apartment, youll

not only be prepared to safely act on it, but youre far less likely to end the evening
doing something youll regret.
5. Talk To Your Partner
If you can't talk to your partner about sex, you can't talk to them about safer sex.
Clear, open, and honest communication is important in all aspects of a relationship,
including the sexual. It is important to be able to talk comfortably with your partner
not only about safer sex and STD testing, but about monogamy and whether your
relationship is or isn't exclusive. In all cases, try your best to focus on the truth as
opposed to what you think your partner wants to hear. Improving your
communication skills will not only make your sex life safer, it will make it more
fulfilling.
6. Don't Drink Or Use Drugs Before Having Sex
It's difficult to make responsible choices about your sex life if you're starting out
impaired by drugs or alcohol. When you are under the influence, you are more likely
to choose to have sex with someone you wouldnt otherwise have picked as a
partner, and less likely to be able to successfully negotiate safer sex. If you do plan
to go out drinking, or use other substances, make up your mind beforehand what,
and who, you really want to do. Then tell your friends, or write it on your hand, so
that you stick with your plan. Also, if youre on birth control and you vomit, your pills
could lose some effectiveness.
7. Be Comfortable Saying No
You never have to have sex. If you dont want to have sex at all, or just not right
then, thats ok. Sex is not something you owe someone because they bought you
dinner, and anyone who is going to break up with you because you wont sleep with
them isnt someone you should be dating in the first place. It's your choice to say
yes to sex, and it's also your choice to say no. But, when you do say no, mean it.
Don't feign no and hope your partner will try to change your mind. Similarly, if your
partner tells you no, listen. They'll know you respect their decisions, and, when they
say yes, you can believe that too.
8. Be Responsible For Your Own Protection
Part of making responsible sexual choices is being prepared to enact them. It
doesnt matter if you're male or female. If youre going to have sex with someone
you should be prepared. This is not only a matter of emotional preparation, but
practicality. Bring your own safer sex supplies. The worst thing that can happen is
that youll have extras. Thats much better than the alternatives. Theres nothing
quite so frustrating as being ready to go and having to drop everything to find a
store thats still open and selling condoms. The other alternative, going ahead
without them, shouldn't even be an option.

9. Know How To Please Yourself

Sometimes its impossible to get sex off your mind. You think about it constantly;
you fantasize about it; you simply want it. This can make it tempting to jump into
bed with someone just to have sex, not because you like them, or even because you
particularly want to have sex with them. Unfortunately, this is a good way to end up
with regrets. One way to avoid this, or to avoid making a bad decision if you end up
in a situation where you want to have safer sex, but there are no supplies around, is
to know how to please yourself. Theres nothing wrong with masturbation, and no
sexual partner is safer than yourself
10. Remember That Your Brain Is Your Most Important Sex Organ
Lots of people talk about the brain as the most important sex organ, because it is
where the vast majority of arousal happens. The brain, however, is also your most
important safer sex organ. You can use it to inform yourself, and to be aware of risk
factors, transmission methods, symptoms, and methods of prevention. You can use
it to help you pick your partners sensibly, and decide what you do and dont feel
comfortable doing with them. The decision to make your sex life safer is the first
and most important step in reducing your risk of STDs.

DIFFERENT STDS AND THEIR SYMPTOMS

HIV/AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection / acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a disease of the human immune system caused by infection
with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).[1] During the initial infection, a person may
experience a brief period of influenza-like illness. This is typically followed by a
prolonged period without symptoms. As the illness progresses, it interferes more and
more with the immune system, making the person much more likely to get infections,
including opportunistic infections and tumors that do not usually affect people who have
working immune systems.
There are three main stages of HIV infection: acute infection, clinical latency and AIDS. [9]
[10]

Acute infection
The initial period following the contraction of HIV is called acute HIV, primary HIV or
acute retroviral syndrome.[9][11] Many individuals develop an influenza-like illness or a
mononucleosis-like illness 24 weeks post exposure while others have no significant
symptoms.[12][13] Symptoms occur in 4090% of cases and most commonly include fever,
large tender lymph nodes, throat inflammation, a rash, headache, and/or sores of the
mouth and genitals.[11][13] The rash, which occurs in 2050% of cases, presents itself on
the trunk and is maculopapular, classically.[14] Some people also develop opportunistic
infections at this stage.[11] Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting or
diarrhea may occur, as may neurological symptoms of peripheral neuropathy or GuillainBarre syndrome.[13] The duration of the symptoms varies, but is usually one or two
weeks.[13]

Clinical latency
The initial symptoms are followed by a stage called clinical latency, asymptomatic HIV,
or chronic HIV.[10] Without treatment, this second stage of the natural history of HIV
infection can last from about three years[15] to over 20 years[16] (on average, about eight
years).[17] While typically there are few or no symptoms at first, near the end of this
stage many people experience fever, weight loss, gastrointestinal problems and muscle
pains.[10] Between 50 and 70% of people also develop persistent generalized
lymphadenopathy, characterized by unexplained, non-painful enlargement of more than
one group of lymph nodes (other than in the groin) for over three to six months. [9]
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is defined in terms of either a CD4 + T cell
count below 200 cells per L or the occurrence of specific diseases in association with
an HIV infection.[13] In the absence of specific treatment, around half of people infected
with HIV develop AIDS within ten years.[13] The most common initial conditions that alert
to the presence of AIDS are pneumocystis pneumonia (40%), cachexia in the form of HIV
wasting syndrome (20%) and esophageal candidiasis.[13] Other common signs include
recurring respiratory tract infections.[13]
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea (colloquially known as the clap[1]) is a common human sexually transmitted
infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The usual symptoms in men
are burning with urination and penile discharge. Women, on the other hand, are
asymptomatic half the time or have vaginal discharge and pelvic pain. In both men and
women if gonorrhea is left untreated, it may spread locally causing epididymitis or
pelvic inflammatory disease or throughout the body, affecting joints and heart valves.
Treatment is commonly with ceftriaxone as antibiotic resistance has developed to many
previously used medications. This is typically given in combination with either
azithromycin or doxycycline, as gonorrhea infections may occur along with chlamydia,
an infection which ceftriaxone does not cover. Some strains of gonorrhea have begun
showing resistance to this treatment,[2] which will make infection more difficult to treat.
[3]

Signs and symptoms

Half of women with gonorrhea are asymptomatic while others have vaginal discharge,
lower abdominal pain or pain with intercourse.[4] Most men who are infected have
symptoms such as urethritis associated with burning with urination and discharge from
the penis.[4] Either sex may also acquire gonorrhea of the throat from performing oral
sex on an infected partner, usually a male partner. Such infection is asymptomatic in
90% of cases, and produces a sore throat in the remaining 10%. [5] The incubation period
is 2 to 14 days with most of these symptoms occurring between 46 days after being
infected. Rarely, gonorrhea may cause skin lesions and joint infection (pain and swelling
in the joints) after traveling through the blood stream (see below). Very rarely it may
settle in the heart causing endocarditis or in the spinal column causing meningitis (both
are more likely among individuals with suppressed immune systems, however). [5]

Chlamydia infection
Chlamydia infection (from the Greek, meaning "cloak") is a common sexually
transmitted infection (STI) in humans caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
The term Chlamydia infection can also refer to infection caused by any species
belonging to the bacterial family Chlamydiaceae. C. trachomatis is found only in
humans.[1] Chlamydia is a major infectious cause of human genital and eye disease.
Chlamydia infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections
worldwide; it is estimated that about 1 million individuals in the United States are
infected with chlamydia.[2]
Signs and symptoms
Women
Chlamydial infection of the neck of the womb (cervicitis) is a sexually transmitted
infection which is asymptomatic for about 50-70% of women infected with the disease.
The infection can be passed through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Of those who have an
asymptomatic infection that is not detected by their doctor, approximately half will
develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a generic term for infection of the uterus,
fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries. PID can cause scarring inside the reproductive organs,
which can later cause serious complications, including chronic pelvic pain, difficulty
becoming pregnant, ectopic (tubal) pregnancy, and other dangerous complications of
pregnancy.
Chlamydia is known as the "Silent Epidemic" because in women, it may not cause any
symptoms in 70%-80% of cases,[6] and can linger for months or years before being
discovered. Symptoms that may occur include unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge,
pain in the abdomen, painful sexual intercourse (dyspareunia), fever, painful urination
or the urge to urinate more frequently than usual (urinary urgency).
Men
In men, chlamydia shows symptoms of infectious urethritis (inflammation of the urethra)
in about 50% of cases.[6] Symptoms that may occur include: a painful or burning
sensation when urinating, an unusual discharge from the penis, swollen or tender
testicles, or fever. Discharge, or the purulent exudate, is generally less viscous and
lighter in color than for gonorrhea. If left untreated, it is possible for chlamydia in men to
spread to the testicles causing epididymitis, which in rare cases can cause sterility if not
treated within 6 to 8 weeks. Chlamydia is also a potential cause of prostatitis in men,
although the exact relevance in prostatitis is difficult to ascertain due to possible
contamination from urethritis.[7]
Eye disease
Chlamydia conjunctivitis or trachoma was once the most important cause of blindness
worldwide, but its role diminished from 15% of blindness cases by trachoma in 1995 to
3.6% in 2002.[3][4] The infection can be spread from eye to eye by fingers, shared towels
or cloths, coughing and sneezing and eye-seeking flies.[8] Newborns can also develop

chlamydia eye infection through childbirth (see below). Using the SAFE strategy
(acronym for surgery for in-growing or in-turned lashes, antibiotics, facial cleanliness,
and environmental improvements), the World Health Organisation aims for the global
elimination of trachoma by 2020 (GET 2020 initiative).[9][10]
Rheumatological conditions
Chlamydia may also cause reactive arthritis (reiter's syndrome) - the triad of arthritis,
conjunctivitis and urethritis (inflammation of the urethra) - especially in young men.
About 15,000 men develop reactive arthritis due to chlamydia infection each year in the
U.S., and about 5,000 are permanently affected by it. It can occur in both sexes, though
is more common in men.
Perinatal infections
As many as half of all infants born to mothers with chlamydia will be born with the
disease. Chlamydia can affect infants by causing spontaneous abortion; premature
birth; conjunctivitis, which may lead to blindness; and pneumonia. Conjunctivitis due to
chlamydia typically occurs one week after birth (compared with chemical causes (within
hours) or gonorrhea (25 days)).
Other conditions
Chlamydia trachomatis is also the cause of lymphogranuloma venereum, an infection of
the lymph nodes and lymphatics. It usually presents with genital ulceration and swollen
lymph nodes in the groin, but it may also manifest as proctitis (inflammation of the
rectum), fever or swollen lymph nodes in other regions of the body.[11]
Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium
Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through
sexual contact; it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at
birth, resulting in congenital syphilis. Other human diseases caused by related
Treponema pallidum include yaws (subspecies pertenue), pinta (subspecies carateum),
and bejel (subspecies endemicum).
The signs and symptoms of syphilis vary depending in which of the four stages it
presents (primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary). The primary stage classically
presents with a single chancre (a firm, painless, non-itchy skin ulceration), secondary
syphilis with a diffuse rash which frequently involves the palms of the hands and soles
of the feet, latent syphilis with little to no symptoms, and tertiary syphilis with gummas,
neurological, or cardiac symptoms. It has, however, been known as "the great imitator"
due to its frequent atypical presentations. Diagnosis is usually via blood tests; however,
the bacteria can also be detected using dark field microscopy. Syphilis can be
effectively treated with antibiotics, specifically the preferred intramuscular penicillin G
(given intravenously for neurosyphilis), or else ceftriaxone, and in those who have a
severe penicillin allergy, oral doxycycline or azithromycin.
Signs and Symptoms of Syphilis for Men
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by Treponema pallidum - a specific
type of bacteria called a spirochete. Syphilis is characterized by four stages: primary,
secondary, latent, and tertiary.

After becoming infected with syphilis, there is an incubation period between of 9 to 90

days (the average being around 21 days) before the first signs and symptoms of the
disease appear. Each stage of syphilis has characteristic symptoms, but any particular
sign may or may not be present.
Signs and Symptoms of Primary Syphilis
The primary stage of syphilis typically begins with a sore (called a "chancre") on the
skin that initially exposed to the infection -- usually the genitals, rectum or mouth. The
sore has been described as feeling like a button: firm, round, usually measuring half an
inch across, and not tender to the touch. Swelling of the lymph nodes in the groin may
occur, but the nodes are not usually tender either.
Infected individuals do not usually feel ill in the primary stage of syphilis, and the
chancre heals spontaneously after 4 to 6 weeks. This is a problem because the syphilis
has not gone away. Syphilis continues to spread throughout the body.
Signs and Symptoms of Secondary Syphilis
From the primary stage, the disease moves into the secondary stage of syphilis.
Secondary syphilis can often occur several weeks after the chancre heals, once the
bacteria have spread through the body. An individual may feel sick' common symptoms
include headache, achiness, loss of appetite and maybe rash.
The rash in secondary syphilis is usually reddish-brown in color, not itchy and
widespread. However, the appearance of the rash's individual lesions can vary
dramatically: They may be flat or raised; they may or may not be scaly; and there may
or may not be pustules present. It is partially do to the variability of this rash that led to
syphilis being called "the great imitator," because it can resemble many other
conditions. The rash can last for a few weeks or months.
Other symptoms of secondary syphilis include sores in the mouth, nose, throat, and on
the genitals or folds of the skin. Lymph node swelling is common and patchy hair loss
can occur. All the signs and symptoms of the second stage of syphilis will disappear
without treatment in 3 weeks to 9 months, but the infection will still be present in the
body.
Signs and Symptoms of Latent Syphilis
The latent stage of syphilis, which occurs after the symptoms of secondary syphilis have
disappeared, can last from a few years to up to 50 years! There are no symptoms in this
stage, and after about two years, an infected man may cease to be contagious.
However, a man in the latent stage of syphilis is still infected and the disease can be
diagnosed by a blood test. During the latent stage, a pregnant woman can transmit
syphilis to her fetus.
Signs and Symptoms of Tertiary Syphilis
The final stage of syphilis, which occurs in about one third of those who are not treated,
is known as the tertiary stage. Many organs may be affected. Common symptoms

include fever; painful, non-healing skin ulcers; bone pain; liver disease; and anemia.
Tertiary syphilis can also affect the nervous system (resulting in the loss of mental
functioning) and the aorta (resulting in heart disease).
Genital wart
Genital warts (or condylomata acuminata, venereal warts, anal warts and
anogenital warts) are symptoms of a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease
caused by some sub-types of human papillomavirus (HPV). It is spread through direct
skin-to-skin contact during oral, genital, or anal sex with an infected partner. Warts are
the most easily recognized symptom of genital HPV infection, and types 6 and 11 are
responsible for 90% of genital warts cases.[1]
Although 90% of those who contract HPV will not develop genital warts, those infected
can still transmit the virus.[2] Some types of HPV can cause cervical cancer and anal
cancers, but these are not the same types of HPV that cause genital warts.[2] However, it
is possible to be infected with different varieties of HPV, such as a low-risk HPV that
causes warts and a high-risk HPV that may cause cancer, either concurrently or at
different times.[3] HPV is so common that nearly all sexually active people will get it at
some point in their lives.[2]
Genital Warts Symptoms (HPV)
Although genital warts are painless, they may be bothersome because of their location,
size, or due to itching.

The size may range from less than one millimeter (1 mm = 0.039 inches) across
to several square centimeters (1 cm = 0.39 inches) when many warts join
together.

Men and women with genital warts will often complain of painless bumps, itching,
and discharge.

Rarely, bleeding or urinary obstruction may be the initial problem when the wart
involves the urethral opening (the opening where urine exits the body.)

Warts in more than one area are common.

There may be a history of previous or concurrent sexually transmitted diseases

(STDs).