Sexually Transmitted Diseases Blog

1. What are sexually transmitted diseases (STD's)?

Sexually transmitted diseases are diseases that can be passed by person to person through sexual contact. In this case sexual contact means penis-vagina penetration, oral sex which is sexual contact using the mouth, and insertion of the penis into the rectum which is anal sex. A few of these diseases may be transmitted by change of sexual fluids such as semen or vaginal discharge. A few of the STD's result in open sores, and it can be spread by contact with skin of someone else. There are also methods to transmit these diseases in a non sexual way, an infected pregnant woman can either give it to her baby on pregnancy, or when the baby is being delivered.

2. What are sexually transmitted Infections (STI's)?

Any infection that's commonly passed through sexual contact

3. Are the 2 words interchangeable?

15 years past both these categories came under one name Venereal Disease (VD). To distinguish between them they were separated into infections (STI) and diseases (STD). Infection means that a germ, bacteria, parasite or virus is present in the body. An infected person doesn't necessarily have some symptoms, which means that they don't generally feeling ill. A disease is whatever abnormal condition of the body or brain that causes discomfort, dysfunction, or distress, in other words your body says you that you're ill. This means that STI covers a broader range than the term STD. STD refers only to infections that are getting problems. Because most of the time, people don't know they're infected with an STI until they begin showing symptoms of disease, the AIDS Resource Center uses the term STD, even though the term STI is also suitable in several cases.

Let's see if we can simply un-muddy the waters here. Genital herpes has 2 states when the blisters are present and when they're absent. When they're present they're causing symptoms, that is. The blisters, at this stage it's an STD, and it's that this stage that the infection is most likely to be spread to some other person. When the blisters are absent then there are no symptoms, and this is then an STI, and the likelihood of an infection is decreased. However HIV can be an infection, in the sense that there may be no symptoms, when they develop symptoms then they've AIDS which is an STD. However it's important to remember that HIV infection can be spread at any time.

4. What is the relationship between STD's and HIV?

A person, who's already infected with STD, has a higher danger of contracting HIV if they've unprotected sex, without a condom. This risk is bigger if the STD causes open genital sores, as these wounds allow a break in the skin which enables the HIV infection to enter the blood stream. STDs that could cause genital ulcerations include syphilis, genital herpes, gonorrhoea, chancre, scabies and trichomoniasis.

5. Why is it difficult to recognize that you may have a STD?

First the majority of the people with STD have no immediate symptoms and when they do have them it can be misleading to diagnose as the symptoms can be confused with non sexual diseases. Please note that this applies much more to women than men.

6. What are the most common symptoms for women when they're suffering from an STD?
Unusual or a bad-smelling vaginal discharge, severe itching or burning in the genital area, unusual bleeding, pain in the pelvic region, pain during sex, rashes on the genitals, open sores or warts on the genital area, and/or recurrent urinary tract infections?

7. What are the most common symptoms for men when they're suffering from an STD?

In men, the common symptoms of STD are: pain when urinating, open sores or warts on the genital area, genital rash discharge from the penis, and/or pain in the scrotum/testicles.

8. What are the different symptoms not connected to the genitals?

The following symptoms are present in both men and women. Discharge from the anus, swelling of the groin, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), oral thrush (white tongue), arthritis, sores or blows in and close to the mouth, and generalized rashes.