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Sexually Transmitted Diseases
GENERAL INFORMATION:
What is it?
- Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infections (in-fek-shuns) spread by having sex. Some of these infections are HIV (AIDS virus), chlamydia (kluh-mid-e-uh), or trichomoniasis (trik-uh-muh-ni-uh-sis). Others are herpes, pubic lice, genital warts, gonorrhea (gone-uh-ree-uh), syphilis, or scabies.
- These infections may cause serious problems later if not treated, such as not being able to get pregnant. Many people do not know they have an STD. Most STDs may be cured while others cannot.
Causes: Most of these infections are caused by germs called bacteria (bak-teer-e-uh) or viruses. They are spread by having oral (mouth), vaginal, or anal (rear end) sex.
Signs and Symptoms: You may have discharge from the penis, vagina, or anus (rear end). The discharge may have a bad smell. You may have pain with sex or when passing urine. Other signs may be blisters, sores, or a rash on your skin. You may have a fever or swollen glands.
Care: You may need tests to see what kind of infection you have. Antibiotic (an-ti-bi-ah-tik) medicine may be needed to fight the infection. Tell your sex partner(s) about your infection. He/she may also need treatment. If your partner is not treated, you may get the infection back. Do not have sex until your caregiver has said it is safe to have sex. Tell your caregiver if you are pregnant.
Do's and Don'ts:
- You are more likely to get an STD if you have sex with more than one person.
- Do not have sex (including oral sex) with someone who has an STD.
- Correctly use a condom every time you have sex. This does not mean you cannot get a STD. But it can decrease the chances of getting an infection. Birth control cannot keep you from getting an STD.
CARE AGREEMENT:
You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.
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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.