Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Herpes, Syphilis, Scabies, Or Chlamydia

Abstract

When it comes to having safe sex a lot of younger people do not know what they are getting into. With so many different types of infections and diseases that can be spread with sexual encounters and it is important to be aware of the symptoms of such diseases and what those diseases are. Some of the common diseases are herpes, syphilis, scabies, or chlamydia. A lot of them are treatable when caught early on. Catching the infection or disease early on can help prevent further spreading the infection onto other sexual partners. With teens starting to develop quicker and encounter sexual situations at an earlier age and sex education is not as thorough as it could be.

Herpes is among the common type of sexaully transmitted diseases. Herpes is something that can be trasmitted through oral, vaginal, or anal sex. With this infection it is more difficult to know whether the person is infected because the symptoms are not very aggressive (Genital Herpes 2017). With genital herpes, the symptoms that can be a pain or itching on the person, another thing can be ulcers (Gential Herpes 2017). Ulcers can form when the small blisters ooze, bleed, or rupture (Gential Herpes 2017). This is very common having over three million cases a year in the United States. The sores that develop can be found on both men and women but the locations can differ given that men and women have different reproductive organs. In women, sores can be found on the mouth, buttocks and thighs, anus or urethra ( MayoClinic). Along with those it is found on the vagina, cervix, and external genitals (Genital Herpes 2017). With men, the can develop sores on the penis or scrotum (Genital Herpes 2017). It is very different between men and women, women have a lot more places to get sores which can be more painful or irritating. The main way to prevent this is by practicing safe sex, safe sex being wearing a condom when having any type of intercourse whether it be anal, vagina, or oral. Some ways to treat this infection is by medication (Genital Herpes 2017). It is treatable but no known cure, so once this diseases is in the person it will not be going anywhere. By taking the medication the man or woman can lessen the intensity and time period of the symptoms in recurrent outbreaks (Genital Herpes 2017). It may also minimize the possibility of transmitting the infection to another person. Minimizing the spread of further infection is always a good thing.

Another common sexually transmitted disease is chlamydia, chlamydia affects roughly 200,000 people in the United States each year (Chlamydia trachomatis 2018). Some ways to know whether someone has chlamydia is different in men and women. In women, chlamydia can appear as a burning sensation or abnormal vaginal discharge (STD facts 2014). Men can have symptoms of discharge from their penis, pain and/or swelling in either one or both testicals, although this is not as common as having a burning sensation while urinating ( STD facts 2014). Symptoms that both genders share is lower abdominal pain, more of a cramp feeling ( Chlamydia trachomatis 2018). This sexaully transmitted infection can affect the rectum as well. Something that most people are not aware of is that, it is also a possibility that chlamydia can infect the eye which is known as conjunctivitis ( Chlamydia trachomatis 2018). Risk factors involved with chlamydia are not using a condom, being active sexually before the age of twenty-five, and multiple sex partners (Chlamydia trachomatic 2018). Having multiple sexual partners is very dangerous because they too can have multiple partners and they might be infected, or not know they are infected and continue to not practice safe sex with all partners. With having this infection some complications can occur if left untreated. Some of them include PID, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (Chlamydia trachomatis 2018). PID affects women, it affects the woman’s uterus and fallopian tubes that can cause fever and pain (Chlamydia trachomatis 2018). Men’s complications are prostate gland infection, this is caused by the chlamydia organism spreading to the man’s prostate gland (Chlamydia trachomatis 2018). Whereas herpes cause abdominal pain, chlamydia causes lower back pain. Similar to herpes, some tips to prevent this infection from spreading is wearing condoms, not having a vast number of sexual partners and getting checked regularly (Chlamydia trachomatis 2018). But unlike herpes, Chlamydia can be cured with the proper treatment. Medication is the most normal type of treatment, the treatment used to cure chlamydia will stop the infection, and possibly lower the chances of complications (STD facts 2014). After taking the medication it is important to get checked three months after returning to sexaul activity. Getting check ups every so often is important and letting others know when one is infected so that they may make sure they too are safe.

Next sexually transmitted infection is scabies. Scabies is something many may not know of but it is as common as chlamydia with about 200,000 people affected each year in the U.S. ( Scabies 2018). The way one gets scabies is by skin to skin contact, sexual and non sexual. This type of infection is very contagious, just by touching someone the infection can be transmitted (HealthyWa). When someone is affected by this, it is pretty difficult to see with the naked eye at times (HealthyWa). The symptoms of Scabies are thin, irregular burrow tracks that is made up of tiny blisters and/or bumps (Scabies 2018). With this infection the mites known as “Sarcoptes”, microscopic bugs, move more toward the folds of the body such as in the armpits, knees, buttocks, between fingers, around the breast, inner elbows and anywhere the skin folds (Scabies 2018). Ways to protect oneself of these mites is by regular check ups, limit sex partners, cleaning all clothes and linens (HealthyWa/Scabies 2018). When cleaning the clothes and linens it is best to use hot soapy water with all towels, clothing, and bedding for about 3 days before starting treatment to achieve the best results (Scabies 2018). Treatment for Scabies include medications again, but since this a skin condition it is also treated with lotions and creams (Scabies 2018). A lotion that helps is Lindane lotion, is is a chemical treatment, it is aimed towards people who are unable to use other types of medications (Scabies 2018).

The last STD to be talked about is Syphilis. Syphilis is the most rare of the previous three, it has fewer than 200,000 cases per year in the U.S. (Syphilis 2019). This is a more complex disease, it has different stages. In the primary stages the first sign of syphilis is a chancre sore (Syphilis 2019). It will most likely appear on the spot that the bacteria first entered the body, whether that be the penis on a man, or vagina on a women (Syphilis 2019). The sore does not appear right away, it takes about a month for the chancre sore to first appear, but because the sore does not cause any pain those infected they do not notice it (Syphilis 2019). In the next stage known as Secondary, the symptom is a rash, the rash can be found on the trunk and spread to the rest of the body, to the palm of one’s hand (Syphilis 2019). This type of sexaully transmitted disease can be so severe that neurological problems can begin to occur (Syphilis 2019). Nervous symptom problems can include stroke, bladder incontinence, loss of temperature sensations, headache, and many other symptoms (Syphilis 2019). One prevention recommendation that is different from the rest, is abstinence. That is the only true way to avoid getting syphilis.

With all that was said, just getting check ups can prevent so many horrific symptoms. Also not having so many sexual partners, keeping track of them can sometimes be hard and not knowing what they are doing on the flip side. Wearing a condom can really make a difference, and having the proper education in sex education. Also goes with drug usage, being under the influence can lead to bad decisions and them not knowing that they did and not get checked because of it. The only true way to prevent any of the infections listed is abstinence. Or being monogamous. To be monogamous means to only have one sexual partner, there is not multiples. One person having sex with one person. Always practice safe sex, condoms, abstinence, and being monogamous.

References

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