Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are infections that you can get from having sex with someone who already has the infection. The causes of STDs are bacteria, parasites, and viruses. These infections often do not cause any symptoms, and can still be passed unknowingly from the infected partner to the other. However, some common symptoms include genital itching, lesions, flu / fever like symptoms and feeling pain / pressure in the lower part of the stomach.

There are many kinds of STDs including Chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, syphilis and HIV.

The important thing to understand and know is that these STDs can be prevented.

3 ways of preventing STDS are:

1. Precautions before having sex

There are some things you can do to reduce your risk of contracting STDs before having sex. This include:

  Limiting the number of sexual partners
  Talking honestly with partners about your sexual history
  Getting tested, along with your partner, before having sex
  Getting timely vaccination against HPV and HBV

If you have been diagnosed with an STD you should tell your partner about it and also explicitly ask your partner if they have had an STD.

2. Practice safe sex

Use a latex condom every time you have sex and use a water-based lubricant. If your sex life involves intercourse, anal or vaginal, make up your mind to never have sex without a condom. If you or your partner is at a high risk of STDs, be consistent about barrier use during oral sex as well. Avoid sharing towels or underclothing to reduce the risk of an STD. Check the expiration date of the condom and make sure that it has an air bubble, which shows it has not been punctured. Dispose the condom properly and never reuse it.

3. Don't drink Alcohol or use drugs before having sex

It's impossible to make responsible choices about your sex life under the influence of drugs or alcohol. When you are under the influence of any one of them, you are not in your mind and are likelier to choose a partner you wouldn't have picked otherwise. In that case, you may be at a higher risk of contracting an STD. Also, if you are on birth control pills and you vomit, the pills could lose some effectiveness.



3 Ways You Can Prevent STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases)

Gonorrhea : Disease + Symptoms

Gonorrhea is a contagious disease that can affect both men and women. It is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae that can easily grow in the mucus membranes of the human body.

It is mostly transmitted when an uninfected person gets in sexual contact with an infected person. It can also be spread when a mother's infected body fluids come in contact with her newborn during childbirth.

It is a common infection and the symptoms vary for both men and women. The symptoms are:

Symptoms in Women:

- White or greenish-yellow vaginal discharge
- Burning sensation while urinating
- Pain in the lower abdomen and in the pelvic region
- Occurrence of Conjunctivitis
- Spotting or light bleeding after sexual intercourse
- Bleeding between periods
- Vulvitis

Symptoms in Men:

- White or greenish-yellow discharge from the penis
- Swelling and pain in the testicles
- Burning sensation while urinating

The symptoms come to notice usually within 2 to 10 days of the infection in case of women and it takes approximately 14 days for them to be recognized in the case of men. However in a few cases, the symptoms may take as long as 30 days to appear or they may appear so negligibly that they are hardly noticeable if they occur at all.



Gonorrhea is Contagious. But is it Only Sexually Transmitted?

Most of us are affected by diseases, which spread through physical contact, but most of us do not consider it important to get them checked, due to which they turn into major ailments. Sexually transmitted diseases (stds) are infections, which are transmitted through any kind of sexual contact. The organism that causes the disease is transmitted from one person to the other during sex intercourse. Sometimes stds can be asymptomatic (no symptoms or signs)

Here are some stds that you should be informed about:

1. Gonorrhoea: genital infection caused by bacteria is called gonorrhoea, its symptoms include 

 Bloody vaginal discharge
 Painful urination
 Heavy period bleeding
 Anal itching

2. Chlamydia: bacterial infection in the genital tract is called chlamydia. Chlamydia is usually difficult to diagnose, its symptoms include

 Pain during urination
 Pain in lower abdomen
 Vaginal discharge
 Painful intercourse
 Bleeding between menstrual cycles

3. Syphilis: the bacterium treponema pallidum causes syphilis, its symptoms include

 Rashes
 Sores in the mouth, anus or vagina
 In later stages, it causes nerve and organ damage

4. Genital herpes: the herpes simplex virus (hsv) causes herpes. Signs and symptoms include-

 Small red bumps or ulcers in the anal, genital and other areas
 Itching or pain around the genital area, thighs and buttocks

5. Human papillomavirus (hpv) and genital warts: genital warts are caused by hpv. It infects the genital tract. Hpv has been linked to cervical cancer, its symptoms include

 Small swellings in the genital area
 Itching
 Bleeding during sex

6. Chancroid: chancroid is a bacterial infection. The bacterium haemophilus ducreyi causes chancroid, its symptoms include

 Development of red bumps on the skin folds covering the genitals
 Pain during urination
 Burning sensation during bowel movement

7. Ectoparasitic infections: ectoparasitic infections are caused by small parasitic bugs like mites or lice. The parasites usually affect the hair or skin. Scabies and crabs are common parasites that cause such infections. They both cause intense itching and visible rashes.

8. Human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (aids): the virus that causes aids is called hiv. It can spread through blood, vaginal fluids, semen and breast milk. Unprotected sex or sharing needles with an infected person is how the disease spreads. It includes symptoms, such as

 Slight fever
 Fatigue
 Muscle aches
 Weight loss.

Most Common STDs in Women

In a conservative society like India, many people thought that the Anti Immunity Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) virus would never come to their shores because  Indians don t act in those ways.  However, as moral and sexual attitudes change in the subcontinent, AIDS is fast becoming the new scourge.

When was AIDS first considered as a problem?

AIDS was initially a problem in the early 1980 s with many American scientists noting that many Indian doctors were not aware of the virus s presence because of cultural attitudes that the virus would never come to India. Still, Dr.Gilada, a doctor working with sex workers and their clients did an informal sample survey of government and private doctors in 1985. Her findings revealed that 80% of them were unaware of AIDS presence in India.

Based on this shocking finding, Gilada decided to establish an awareness program on AIDS because she knew that the virus would become a scourge if doctors did not treat it immediately. She wrote an article about the program which was featured in the October 1985 edition of Time magazine. She soon had a meeting with a representative from Abbot Labs who asked him to test sex workers for AIDS. She did so and found that 3 out of 600 tested positive for AIDS.

Shortly afterward, newspapers published that 6 sex workers in Chennai tested positive for AIDS. Notices were sent to representatives of Parliament, and awareness was raised. She examined sex workers in Chennai and found that 1 had AIDS, and 2 had HIV.

AIDS Education in India

Soon afterward, many ignorant doctors were being asked about the subject by the media, so Gilda decided to educate them about it because she already had the ready tests and information about it. Dr. Suniti Solomon was given official credit for detecting the first case because she was a mentor for a PhD student who was writing a dissertation on the subject.

Why AIDS is still a problem in India

The main reason for this is because of the fear of the disease, and the second is because of the social stigma attached to the primary ways in which it is contracted. Gilda believes that many people in India still keep quiet about the disease because of the  carpet culture  which is prevalent in the nation. Gilda realized that controlling AIDS meant working with sex workers because 1 sex worker had the potential to spread the disease to 1,000 people.

How AIDS is currently being dealt with in India

Better education and awareness means that prevalence of the disease has declined by 90% because of people engaging in safer sex. As can be seen, more awareness and better education can make the  king s disease controllable. 

AIDS - How It All Started?

What is Monogamous Relationship?

You (who have been tested for STD/STIs and don't have any) are having sex with only one partner (who also has been tested for STD/STIs and doesn't have any) who only has sex with you. And you both keep it that way! 

Stated another way, you are both STD/STI free and only have sex with each other. People of any sexual orientation can engage in monogamous relationships. The only thing implied by the term monogamy is that the relationship consists of two people who are romantically and/or sexually exclusive. Theoretically, outside of abstinence, this is really the safest type of "safer sex" that you can have. 

Celebrated on 1st December of each year, World AIDS Day, aims to spread awareness about HIV / AIDs. It is an STD wherein, HIV stands for human immunodeficiency infection and AIDS stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The disease hinders the immune system in keeping up our body s security against sickness. HIV causes individuals to end up wiped out with infections that regularly would not affect them and HIV leads to AIDS.

Understanding the Symptoms:

HIV has few or no signs or symptoms for up to ten years or more before side effects of AIDS tends to manifest. There is no cure for HIV/AIDS, yet treatment is accessible. A few people have HIV symptoms not long after being infected. These include:

There are a few phases of HIV illness. The primary HIV side effects may include swollen glands in the throat, armpit, or crotch.
Other early HIV symptoms incorporate slight fever, headaches, exhaustion, and muscle throbs.
These symptoms may keep on going for just a couple of weeks. At that point, there are typically no HIV indications for a long time. That is the reason it can be difficult to know whether or not a person is suffering from HIV.
The symptoms of AIDS show up in the most advanced phase of the HIV disease. These are as follows:

Along with a severely damaged immune system, a person with AIDS may likewise have thrush. A thrush is a thick, whitish covering on the tongue that is brought about by a yeast infection and now and then joined by a sore throat.
Serious or repetitive vaginal yeast infection.
Pelvic inflammatory illness.
Serious and frequent infections.
Unexplained fatigue that might be followed by headaches, dizziness.
Loss of more than ten pounds of weight that is not because of physical exercise or consuming fewer calories.
Risk Factors: There are a lot of ways in which you can get the infection. HIV is transmitted through blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk. The most well-known ways in which HIV is spread, are:

Having sexual intercourse without a condom with somebody who has HIV/AIDS.
Using needles or syringes that have been used by someone who has HIV/AIDS.
Being punctured with a needle or surgical instrument that has been contaminated with HIV.
Getting HIV blood, semen or vaginal discharge into open injuries or wounds.
Babies born to women with HIV/AIDS can get HIV from their mothers during birth or from breastfeeding.
There are numerous ways in which you can protect yourself from HIV. These are as follows:

The most secure way is to limit the number of sexual partners you take on.
Try to have safer sex and always use protection.
Get your partners tested for HIV.
HIV tests are a typical piece of social insurance.
In case that you think you may have been infected by HIV, talk to a specialist or a doctor about testing. Discussing what risks you might have taken can help you choose whether testing is ideal for you.

This World AIDS Day - Let's Spread the Awareness About HIV/AIDS

Oral sex is a form of sexual activity, which involves the arousal of one's genitalia by his/her partner using the mouth (tongue, lips and throat). It is also called Cunnilingus (performed on a female) and fellatio (performed on a male). It is done before intercourse and during foreplay for sexual arousal. It is safe as compared to vaginal or anal sex, the rate of getting a sexually transmitted disease or HIV is comparatively lower. 

Oral sex can spice up your life and can also make your partner reach orgasm. It is also a safe way of getting sexual pleasure without getting pregnant. But necessary precautions must be taken in order to have safe oral sex.

Some of these necessary precautions are:

1. You can get throat cancer from oral sex: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a cancerous virus found in the body of infected people. This virus can be transmitted to the person with whom you are engaging in oral sex. Studies show that people who engage with more than 6 sexual partners at once are more prone to get oral cancer. It is advisable to get your partner tested for HPV virus before engaging in oral sex.

2. Oral sex also causes stress: Oral sex is generally related to hygiene, therefore the partner can be self conscious and worried about his/her genital hygiene. If oral sex is performed on a daily basis, some people prefer to wax their pubic hair often. This is harmful because it can cause red bumps and burning sensation occurs. It is advisable to trim your pubic hair and wash it properly before engaging in oral sex.

3. A condom should be worn by the male during oral sex so that there is no risk of male fluid entering the woman's body.

4. A latex, which is made into a thin sheet called dental dam can be used on the vagina or anus. This creates a thin barrier between the mouth and the genitalia. Hence, chances of getting infected by sexually transmitted diseases are greatly reduced.

Oral sex can be pleasurable and fun, but the risks of getting sexually transmitted diseases like herpes, gonorrhea and crabs is not altogether misplaced. So it is advisable to use proper protection and to maintain hygiene before engaging in oral sex.

4 Ways to Have Safe Oral Sex - Necessary Precautions

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