Contracting sexually transmitted diseases can only be scary, which is why trying to prevent them can only be important. In case of doubt, however, it is crucial to try to be sure that you have contracted one.
We often hear about sexually transmitted diseases, but on many occasions we tend to think that they are a distant reality and that they can only be contracted by others. This is actually a misconception, which is why it would be good to live one’s intimacy in a conscious way, in order to avoid the possibility of contracting one.
These, as you can guess from the term, are transmitted through sexual contact and are caused by bacteria, viruses and protozoa which pass from one individual to another through the passage of infected biological fluids through the mucous membranes. However, it is not only the sexual organs that are affected, but other organs as well.
STDs: The fear is strong
Sexual activity is obviously crucial in the possibility of contracting sexually transmitted diseasesbut they can be exceptions. In some cases, in fact, this can also happen from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth (vertical transmission), through the use of needles or surgical instruments that are not adequately sterilized (tattoos) or through the use of infected blood transfusions .
How the diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases takes place diagnosis (tantasalute.it)
Fortunately, it is possible to adopt a series of preventive actions which can reduce the risk of getting sick. HPV, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B can be prevented through the appropriate vaccine. The main form of defense is obviously given by the use of condoms, which would also be advisable in women taking the birth control pill precisely because the latter is especially suitable to avoid becoming pregnant.
When contracting sexually transmitted diseases it is important to be able to diagnose them as soon as possible, in such a way as to move before the symptoms can become more severe and increase the chances of recovery. There are some signs to watch out for, which can push you to go to a doctor to undergo specific checks.
Understanding it from the outside is practically impossible, even if there is the prejudice that infections of this type can have people who we will never know and with whom we will never come into contact, not even on a sexual level. The diagnosis can only arrive by undergoing some specific testswhich can be of various types:
blood tests; objective examination by the specialist doctor (may ask specific questions about the patient’s sexual activity); urine test; specific tests on samples of biological fluids (such as swabs). How to recognize sexually transmitted diseases: what to look out for (tantasalute.it)
In the initial phase the symptoms are completely absent, while they can appear in the incubation phaseand, and it is already at this moment that it is good not to underestimate them. These include:
vaginal discharge (called leucorrhoea) sometimes including blood or discharge from the penis (both men and women can get sick); persistent fever and sometimes diarrhea; pain in the pelvic area; skin rashes on the hands, feet or trunk; sores in the rectal, genital and oral area.
Depending on the type of infection, the treatments can be different. In cases of sexually transmitted diseases due to protozoa and bacteria, antibiotics are chosen. In cases of herpes simplex, viral therapies are preferred, while those who contract HPV may have to undergo local surgical treatment. HIV, on the other hand, can be treated with antiretroviral drugs, which have now made it possible to keep the disease under control, thus increasing the duration and quality of life.