STD: Tips & Precautions

Worried about the repercussions of an unsafe sex escapade? Well, there’s more than just pregnancy and HIV to worry about. There are chances that you might contract STDs as well which may be very harmful to your health.

STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) are on the rise. Western countries have a good knowledge of the term and its consequences but many developing countries are still far behind when it comes to adequate knowledge about unsafe sex and STDs.
STDs can be quite fatal to the body in the long run and can cause several health and reproductive related issues. Here are a few ‘need to know’ facts about STDs.


Sexual Contacts: It doesn’t necessarily require sexual contact between two individuals for STDs to be transmitted. Even an oral act of KISSING can put an individual at risk of contracting STDs.

Oral sex: You can get infected from oral sex of all sorts. Penetration isnt the only act that gives you a first class trip to STD Heaven.
Open sores in the private areas can easily spread STDs if they come in contact with the mouth or any other part of the body for that matter. For example, STDs like Herpes can spread even when the infected area comes in contact with other parts of the body. It is best to refrain from all kinds of sexual contact and activities, including foreplay until the infection is cured.


No physical signs: STDs DO NOT show on peoples faces (well, unless a herpes sore on the lips). So Guys/Ladies, when next you are checking out that HOT Girl/Guy in a bar/club..or wherever..rememeber..you just might be taking home free trial samples of STDs..No return policy here mate!

Virgins: Like mentioned before, intercourse is not the only way STDs can be transmitted. Oral and physical contact with the infected areas can result in the infection spreading to the other person and if you think you won’t be able to contract any such symptoms just because you are a virgin, you are terribly wrong. Also having Sex just ONCE with an infected person is all it takes.


Using Condoms: Condoms can prevent the transmission of sexual diseases like HIV and STDs to a great extent. However, they are not 100% accurate and can cause unfortunate accidents (for example, the condom breaks when inside the body of the partner). Nevertheless, it is always considered to use a condom for sexual intercourse, be it physical or oral.

Catching Symptoms: Many individuals feel that they have less chances of contracting STDs if they fail to notice the symtoms immediately. In contrast to this popular belief, there are certain STDs that show no signs or symptoms on the body until they reach an advanced stage, which in most cases is uncurable. In the worst case scenario, STD’s have known to cause infertility.
The best way to clear your doubts about contracting STD’s would be to take a test immediately. By being ignorant you could cause serious harm to your body and to your partner’s body as well. The saying "ignorance is bliss" certainly doesnt apply here.

Curable STDs: While most STDs are curable, you need to make sure to treat them in time to avoid complications at a later stage. Some STDs like Herpes cannot be cured though. Hence, it is completely necessary that you take the issue seriously and get yourself checked for infections if you indulged in unsafe sex.

Recurring STDs: There are strong chances for STDs to recur. This may be attributed to several reasons, the most common being neglect and callous attitude towards the necessary treatment.
Accordingly, some individuals start to skip their medications or treatment sessions once they notice the symptoms disappearing. However, what one needs to know in these cases is that the medication needs to be completed properly in order to avoid relapses.

Post Diagnosis Stage: If you have been diagnosed with a STD or see symptoms of the same appearing on your body, consult a doctor or a medical specialist immediately. Refrain from all kinds of sexual contact at all costs until you get cured.
On the other hand, if you suspect your partner is infected, advice him/her to seek medical help immediately before he/she risks the chance of passing the infection on to you.

STDs can have temporary and permanent affects on the body. The only way to stay away from them is to practice safe sex. It is better to indulge in sex with one trusted partner rather than enjoying sexual escapades with multiple partners ---> Players and Playettes take note

Remember to play safe and use condoms. Never wait for the infections to disappear on their own, should you get infected. Get medical help as soon as possible to avoid complications later in life.

Men who have Sex with Men

What group of the population is nearly 9 times more vulnerable to HIV infection in many developing countries but are almost never targeted by HIV prevention activities? According to recent research, and an editorial from the AIDSTAR portal: men who have sex with men (MSM).

The term is used to describe people who engage in a particular behavior rather than a label for sexual identity, which at times can differ. MSM can also have sex with women, or may do so for only a short period of time, but the key is that they are not always identified as people who engage in sexual relations with other men which can make them difficult to identify. To complicate things further, the behavior is frequently illegal in developing countries making it difficult to launch effective prevention programs.

Men who have sex with men are very rampant in Nigeria. Unfortunately, culture and society make it very difficult for people to express their sexual orientation confidently. unless this changes, anyone could be at risk. Studies of African men who have sex with men have shown that unprotected anal sex is commonplace, and HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men is as high as 25.3% in some west African countries. In Kenya, a country where homosexuality is illegal, HIV prevalence has reached as high as 43% among some groups of men who have sex with men.

Although statistics like these give an idea of the impact that AIDS is having on men who have sex with men, data is still extremely scarce in many countries e.g Nigeria. This is largely due to the fact that men who have sex with men often have no separate social identity, and are simply counted as part of the general population. It is also due to the reluctance of governments to acknowledge men who have sex with men, and to monitor this group. Another factor blurring statistics is that it’s not always possible to tell how a man became infected. If he is having sex with women as well, he may well report that HIV was transmitted to him from a woman (or even if he is only having sex with men, he may lie because of stigma). This can distort figures

The AIDSTAR initiative, supported by USAID, seeks to begin to fill the gap in terms of what we know about MSM and what we know works in MSM prevention and control.

Reference:

http://www.aidstar-one.com/focus_areas/prevention/prevention_resources/emerging_areas/hard-to-reach_men_who_have_sex_men