What You Need To Know About STDs
Over 60 million Americans live with an STD. One in four Americans will get an STD in their lifetime. Thirty-five percent of Americans have herpes and they do not know about it.
It takes only one unsafe sexual contact to get an STD. You need to know the HIV status of your sexual partner.
Every year, there are usually over 19 million new STD cases in the US. Most Americans are sexually active. That is why over 50% of Americans will get HPV at some point in their lives.
The most common STD is Chlamydia. The others include gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV/AIDS. STDs are a big problem in sub-Saharan Africa. South Africa has the highest rate of HIV. Nigeria follows it.
Many STDs have treatments. A bacterial STD has a cure. On the other hand, a viral STD such as genital herpes has no cure. You can only control it. Nowadays, many people are living with HIV. Getting an STD is not a death sentence.
The best treatment is prevention. If you want to avoid STDs, you need to practice safe sex. You should not have multiple sexual partners. You should use a condom when having sex with someone that you do not trust.
Most STDs can go undetected for months or even years. It can take up to seven years for HIV to show symptoms. If you are sexually active, you should regularly test for STDs. You can test for gonorrhea from the comfort of your home. There are different types of gonorrhea home test kits 2018.
Early detection will lead to early and effective treatment. It is always easy to stop a disease in the early stages. When left untreated, an STD can cause serious problems such as infertility.
The most common STD symptom is unusual discharge from the vagina or penis. Warts and sores in the genital area is another STD symptom. If you experience a burning sensation while urinating, you will need to undergo an STD test.
Treating an STD can involve using antibiotics. In some cases, an injection is used. If you have HIV, you will need to use antiretroviral drugs for the rest of your life. If you suspect that you have had sex with an HIV positive person, you should immediately visit a hospital within 24 hours. The doctor will administer to you post-exposure prophylaxis. This will stop the infection. People who are at high risk of getting HIV need to use pre-exposure prophylaxis on a daily basis.
The Bottom-Line
You are five times more likely to get HIV if you have syphilis. One in two sexually active people will get an STD before 25 years.
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