Easy Ways To Prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases

STDs or Sexually Transmitted Diseases are infections that are highly contagious due to their ability to get transmitted from person to person in no time.

These diseases, according to experts associated with Stigma Health, are common in people who practice unprotected sex or have multiple partners. Often, people with STDs do not exhibit any symptoms.

This is the reason why you need to ensure that you and your partner(s) got checked for STDs before engaging in sexual activities.

What are the types of STDs?

Here is a list of some of the most types of STDs – 

• Chlamydia – Common STD type that is the result of a bacterial infection. It doesn’t come with explicit symptoms but it is treatable as soon as it is diagnosed.
• Genital Warts – These are abnormal growths in and around the genital area of a person. It can also manifest around the anus and is the result of certain variants of the HPV strain.
• Gonorrhea – Is caused when a person is infected by the gonorrhoeae bacterium. It also doesn’t come with explicit symptoms but is treatable once the patient is diagnosed with the disease.
• Hepatitis B – A viral disease that affects the liver and can be transmitted among partners during unprotected sex and sharing of personal care items like toothbrushes, razors and the likes.
• Herpes – This STD variant affects the genital areas as well as the mouth of a person by causing blisters. It is an STD without a cure but the symptoms are treatable.
• HIV & AIDS – HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus breaks down the immune system of the infected individual leading to AIDS or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. No cure is available for this disease but treatment regimes are available that can allow a person to lead a normal and healthy life.

How to keep yourself from getting STDs?

The first step towards keeping yourself from getting Sexually Transmitted Diseases is to avoid engaging in sexual activities with people who have genital sores, rashes or related symptoms that may or may not indicate towards STDs. You should also steer clear from engaging in sexual activities from people with genitals that are constantly discharging abnormal coloured liquids.

Apart from following the steps mentioned above, you should always have protected sex with a person with whom you have never been intimate before. It is safe to have unprotected sex only when you and your partner only engage in sexual activities with each other and both of you have tested negative in tests for STDs in the last six months or so.

Other precautions that you can take to keep yourself from getting diagnosed with STDs are as follows – 

• Avoid sharing personal items such as razors, underwear, towels, etc.
• It is always a good idea to take a bath before and after you have sex.
• It is also a good idea to get vaccinated against diseases like the dreaded hepatitis B.
• Always get tested for STDs and the dreaded HIV annually.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases are preventable as long as you are seeking medical attention at the right time. On that note, prevention is always better than cure which is why you should practice safe sex habits and steer clear from having multiple partners. For more details, be sure to seek assistance from your doctor today.