In the heat of the moment, you're likely not thinking about an STD during sex. However, they can lead to long-term complications if you're not careful.
Many forms of STDs affect your physical and emotional health and your fertility in some cases. Understanding STDs and how to recognize the symptoms is crucial so you can get fast and efficient treatment.
At Collaborative Women's Care in Miami, Florida, Dr. Eduardo Valdes offers convenient STD testing and treatment to his patients.
Dr. Valdes is a skilled OB/GYN offering preventive care and treatments for women with health concerns.
Sexually transmitted diseases are conditions that you or your partner pass to each other through intimate contact. They're either infections, viruses, or parasites that pass from one person to another through semen, blood, or vaginal fluids.
Some people with STDs don't know they have them because symptoms aren't always apparent. You can get an STD from someone who seems healthy and has no physical signs of a problem.
You can also get STDs through non-sexual contacts, such as a mother to child during birth or from sharing needles and blood transfusions.
Although there are many types of STDs, a few are more common than others. Five of the most common STDs include the following:
HPV is the most common STD, with more than 40 virus types that can affect your genitals, throat, and mouth. It's so common that almost everyone will get some form of the virus if they're sexually active.
Genital warts are one type of HPV and can spread through oral, anal, or vaginal sexual contact. While there's no cure, there are vaccines to protect against this condition.
Chlamydia is a bacterial infection that spreads from one person to another through oral, vaginal, or anal sex. Some people don't have any symptoms, while others experience discharge from the penis or vagina or urinary symptoms.
Gonorrhea is another bacterial STD that affects a woman's reproductive tract. It's spread through anal, vaginal, or oral contact with an infected person. Men can also get gonorrhea, affecting their urethra, mouth, eyes, and anus.
Herpes is a viral STD caused by the herpes simplex virus, either type 1 or 2. Herpes produces fluid-filled blisters that contain the virus and spreads through sexual contact.
A parasite causes trichomoniasis when it spreads from one person to another during sexual contact. Typically this STD only affects the penis or vagina and doesn't spread to other areas of the body.
The type of treatment you need depends on the STD that you're living with. For example, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia require antibiotics to eliminate the infection.
Without antibiotics, these STDs can spread and lead to severe complications like pelvic inflammatory disease or infertility problems.
The herpes simplex virus causes genital herpes; currently, there's no cure for this STD. However, Dr. Valdes can prescribe antiviral medications to help shorten the duration of the sores and help slow future outbreaks.
HPV is also an infection caused by a virus, which means there's no cure. Some vaccinations protect against certain types of HPV.
If you acquire HPV, your body typically gets rid of the virus within two years. It can, however, lead to serious health problems like cervical cancer if you don't seek treatment.
STD prevention is crucial to your sexual health. The best and most effective way to prevent STDs is to abstain from sex altogether.
However, this isn't an option for everyone, so our team provides you with other prevention options as well, which include the following:
Again, the only surefire way to prevent STDs is to abstain from sexual activity completely; however, the other options are also very effective.
Don't hesitate to call our office today at 305-200-3878 to request an appointment for STD testing and treatment or schedule a consultation online.
