Sexually transmitted diseases are those that are transmitted from one person to another during oral, anal, or vaginal sex. They are quite frequent, and many people who suffer from them do so without knowing it because they do not present any symptoms. Sexually transmitted diseases or STDs can be dangerous, but the good news is that getting tested is a straightforward process and that most diseases are easy to treat. The best way to prevent and treat practically all sexual diseases is to use protection (condoms or latex barriers for oral sex), get tested for STDs , watch for possible symptoms, and prevent by vaccination or by removing warts in the case of that are transmitted through the skin.
Types of sexually transmitted diseases
Genital warts
As the name suggests, they are small warts in the genital area or in the anus caused by certain types of HPV. They are the most common and least treated sexually transmitted disease, because they usually go away on their own. Although you have to be careful because some high-risk ones can lead to cancer if they are not treated in time.
Genital warts are spread simply by skin-to-skin contact with someone who is infected, and it can be during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. They can be transmitted even if none of the people involved ejaculate, and penetration is not necessary to contract them.
Chlamydia
A very common STD caused by a bacterial infection . It usually has no symptoms, but once it is diagnosed it is very easy to treat with antibiotics . Infectious bacteria go in semen, pre-cum, and vaginal fluids. It can infect the penis, vagina, cervix, anus, urethra, eyes, and throat.
It is generally transmitted through anal or vaginal sex , although there are also (less frequent) cases of transmission through oral sex. It is not spread by skin contact or by sharing food or drinks, as well as by kissing (since it is not found in saliva).
Crabs
More than a disease, crabs are small parasites that adhere to the skin and hair of the genital area . They are not dangerous, and they are quite easy to remove with products that you can buy without a prescription at the pharmacy. Despite them, they can be tedious because they cause strong itching and stinging.
Crabs are generally associated with poor hygiene, but it has nothing to do with it. Anyone can get it from having close, personal contact with someone who does. It is not even necessary to have complete sexual relations to become infected: it is enough to brush against the hair of the other person who suffers from them. Sometimes it can even be transmitted by wearing the clothing, towel, or bed of an infected person.
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is a very common sexually transmitted disease, especially among teens and twenties. It is a bacterial infection that is easily cured with antibiotics , but most people who have it have no symptoms, so they may not even know that they are infected.
Gonorrhea is only spread through oral, anal, or vaginal sex . The bacteria are found in genital fluids, so contact with them is necessary for it to be transmitted. You cannot get it from casual skin contact or through the air.
Herpes
Herpes is a very common STD that can occur in the mouth or on the genitals through the appearance of blisters. It is painful and annoying and there is no definitive cure, but the symptoms can be treated. Herpes is caused by two different but similar viruses: HSV-1 and HSV-2. Both types can cause these painful blisters to appear on your vulva, vagina, cervix, anus, buttocks, inner thighs, lips, mouth, throat, and even your eyes.
Herpes is spread by skin-to-skin contact with someone else’s infected areas, usually during sex, but it can also be spread through kissing . Many people do not know they have it because they have only ever had loose blisters and have mistaken them for something else, so there is a high probability that they will spread them without knowing it.
Syphilis
Syphilis is caused by a bacterial infection that is spread during sex. It is easily treatable with antibiotics, but can cause permanent health damage if allowed to pass, such as brain injury, paralysis, or blindness.
Syphilis produces a kind of blisters on the genitals called chancres . They are generally not painful, but they can easily spread the infection to other people. The contagion is more frequent by anal and vaginal sex than by oral sex , although there are also cases. It is produced by direct contact with chancres, and can infect the vagina, anus, penis, scrotum, and sometimes even the lips and mouth.
Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is a very common sexually transmitted disease . Its symptoms are so similar to those of other vaginal infections that you can hardly tell you have it without undergoing a rigorous medical examination. Most people with trichomoniasis have no symptoms and feel perfectly fine, so they don’t even know they have it. It is transmitted by direct sexual contact .
Trichomoniasis is the most common cause of vaginitis (that is, when your vulva or vagina is irritated), and it can also affect the urethra. The most common symptoms are itching, foul-smelling discharge, and frequent, painful urination . The good news is that trichomoniasis is not serious and is easily treated with antibiotics.
Human papilloma virus
The human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted disease . It is usually not painful and symptoms go away on their own, but some types can lead to genital warts or cancer. There is no cure for HPV, but there are prevention methods such as vaccines . HPV is easily transmitted through the skin when your vulva, vagina, cervix, penis or anus comes into contact with someone who is infected, which usually happens during sexual intercourse .
AIDS (HIV)
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is a viral infection that weakens your immune system . There is no definitive cure, but treatment allows a normal life despite suffering from it. It is important to note that carrying the HIV virus does not cause you to have AIDS, as they are different things. AIDS is the disease caused by the damage that HIV does to the immune system , and it is considered to be when the body is affected by rare, serious and dangerous infections that it cannot defend against and that sometimes lead to death. Many people today have HIV, but not as many have AIDS as in the past.
HIV enters your body through open wounds or cuts in the body or through mucous membranes. HIV is NOT spread orally through saliva . You can get infected with activities such as
- Anal or vaginal sex
- Rubbing contagious genital fluids with open wounds (such as pimples or swollen pubic hair)
- Sharing needles or syringes (drugs, piercings, tattoos …)
- Cutting or pricking yourself with a device that carries previous blood from someone who has AIDS
- Through breast milk
