Title: Sexually Transmitted Diseases(STD) - Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
1Sexually Transmitted Diseases - Symptoms,
Causes, and Treatment
STIs vs. STDs Often confused, sexually
transmitted infections (STIs) and sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs) are not actually the
same thing. An infection which is when bacteria,
viruses, or parasites attack the body comes
precedes a disease. And while an infection
might result in zero symptoms, a disease
generally always comes with clear signs. Think
of it this way An STD will always begin as an
STI. But not all STIs transform into STDs. Now
you know the difference between the two, here is
the lowdown on the types of STDs that currently
exist, how to treat them, and, most importantly,
how to prevent them.
2- STD Symptoms
- If an STD starts with a symptomatic STI, you may
first experience - Pain or uncomfortableness during sexual activity
or urination - Sores, bumps, or rashes in or around the vagina,
penis, testicles, anus, buttocks, thighs, or
mouth - Unusual discharge or bleeding from the penis or
the vagina - Painful or swollen testicles
- Itchiness in or around the vagina
- Unexpected periods or bleeding after sexual
activity But keep in mind that not all STIs have
symptoms. - If an STI progresses to an STD, symptoms could
vary. Some of them may be similar to the above,
like pain during sexual activity, pain during
urination, and irregular or painful periods.
Also Read Difference Between STI and STD
3 Underlying STD Causes All STDs result from an
STI. These infections are generally transmitted
through sexual contact, bodily fluids, or skin
contact through vaginal, oral, and anal
sex. Some of them never become a disease,
especially if theyre treated, and they could
even go away on their own. But if the pathogens
that caused the infection to end up damaging
cells in the body and disrupting its functions,
an STI will progress towards an STD.
Types of STDs While the list of STIs is quite
lengthy, there are fewer STDs. They range from
pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), caused by STIs
such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, to some forms
of cancer, caused by human papillomavirus
(HPV). Below are the major STDs to be aware of.
Pelvic inflammatory disease Gonorrhea, chlamydia,
and trichomoniasis are common STIs that could
lead to PID if left untreated.
4- But not all cases of PID are caused by an STI, as
other bacterial infections could play a role. - Around 2.5 million women in the United States
have a reported - lifetime history of being diagnosed with PID, as
per the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC). - Although this infection of the female
reproductive organs is classified as a disease,
some people have no symptoms at all. Those who
do have symptoms might experience - Pelvic or lower abdominal pain
- Pain during penetrative vaginal sex or while
urinating - Irregular, heavy, or painful vaginal bleeding
- Unusual vaginal discharge
- Nausea
- High temperature
- Antibiotics could successfully treat PID if it is
diagnosed early enough. However, they would not
treat any scarring on the fallopian tubes that
may have occurred. - This scarring could make an ectopic pregnancy
more likely and has also been linked to
infertility, with around 1 in 10 people with PID
becoming infertile as a result. - Tertiary syphilis
- The early stages of syphilis a relatively
unusual infection are considered an STI. - The infection initially appears as one or more
small round sores on the genitals, anus, or
mouth. If not treated, syphilis will move to the
latent phase, which has no symptoms. - However, around a quarter of people will go on to
develop tertiary syphilis from here a process
that could take between 10 and 30 years after
the initial infection. - This disease can have severe consequences for
several organ systems in the body, leading to - Loss of vision
- Loss of hearing
5- Infections of the brain or spinal cord
- Heart disease
- The sooner syphilis is diagnosed and treated, the
less damage it does. - While penicillin injections are typically used to
treat tertiary syphilis and remove the bacteria
from the body, they cannot reverse any damage
that is already occurred. - Of course, if the disease causes problems with
major organs, such as the heart, other
medications and procedures may be required. - Cancer
- Although some strains of HPV tend to cause no
disease, other strains could cause abnormal cell
changes. - This could lead to cancer, including
- Oral cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Vulvar cancer
- Penile cancer
- Anal cancer
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