STDs in Focus
...A pamphlet of the Philippine Familly Planning Program lists a number of the sexually transmitted diseases that anyone can get through unprotected or multiple-partner sex.
1. Gonorrhea
Symptoms: 3-7 dyas after sexual contact: a burning sensation when urinating, heavier-than-usual vaginal discharge, abnormal menstruation, severe abdominal pain, fever. If left untreated, it can be life threatening. Pregnant women may pass it on to their children at birth, and the disease may cause the baby to go blind.
2. Syphillis
Syptoms: A painless sore called a chancre appears. This can sometimes exist undetected inside the vaginal walls. After 3-12 weeks, a rash or ulcer appears in the mouth of the genital area. If left untreated, the disease can damage the brain and the heart.
3. Chlamydia also called the silent STD
Symptoms: No symptoms in women. If left untreated, it may move up the cervix, uterus and fallopian tubes thus causing Pelvic Inflammatory disease which in turn may result in sterility or ectopic pregnancies.
|
4. Genital Herpes
Symptoms: Upon close examination, you will see clusters of little blisters or ulcers in the genitals, usually painful, tingling or itchy. Sometimes, these eruptions are accompanied by flu-like symptoms and occassional pain when urinating. they can be spread by vaginal, anl, or oral sex, or even by direct skin to skin contact.
5. Hepatitis B
Symptoms: Usually from a mild infection to an obviuos illness with jaundice (yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes, dark urine, pale stools). The illness can be transmitted through semen, mucus or blood transfer.
6. Scabies
Symptoms: Red, itchy lumps in hairy parts of the body and other places such as wrists and forearms.
7. Pubic Lice also known as Crabs
Symptoms: Itchiness in the pubic hair area and sometimes in other hairy parts of the body. If you look closely, you will see tiny lice clinging to the pubic hair.
8. Genital Warts
Symptoms: Cauliflower-like lumps on the vulva or cervix or around the anus. They are small and painless but may spread if left untreated.
|
9. Candidiasis
Symptoms: This is a vaginal infection that maybe worsened by sexual activity. You may see an abnormal, white or yellow discharge, accompanied by redness and itching.
10. Trichomoniasis
Symptoms: This disease is parasitic in nature and can spread through vagianl sex. Vaginal discharge is unusually abundant, watery, bubbly, and yellowish. It has a foul smell accompanied by an itch.
11. Bacterial Vaginosis
Symptoms: A small amount of white, sticky and foul-smelling vagianl discharge.
12. HIV (Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus) and
AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
Symptoms: A person with these virus or disease experiences a breakdown of the immune system, and cannot fight off disease and infection. One contract this through unprotected penetrative disease sexual intercourse, blood transfusions, sharing of injecting instruments, or through birth, if the mother herself is infected. Unfortunately, symptoms do not usually apear until 5-10 years (possibly longer) when the disease has reach a chronic level. |