General Precautions against STDs

Clearly, there are only two ways to minimize your own chances of contracting an STD, you can either avoid all sexual activity with partners, or somehow make sure you never have sexual relations with anyone who has the remotest chance of being infected. The second alternative is perhaps most possible for those who are married. Those who are not married need to know some basic precautions, just to be on the safe side.

• Women on the Pill should be especially careful. The Pill makes the vagina less acid and hence less well protected against STDs.
• If you are thinking of having sexual relations wit a person who might be infected, it’s wise to bear in mind that disease can be transmitted in several ways, not only through contact, but also through kissing or through contact with broken skin or pores.
• It does help to have the man use a condom and for both partners to wash their genital carefully. And women may run less risk of gonorrhea in particular if they use vaginal spermicidal. But beyond that, the general rule should probably be this: Try to limit your sexual activity to partner you can trust and talk to honestly.
• Concern for other is part of health responsibility too. If you go to a health professional for treatment of suspected STD, you probably be asked to name people you have sexual contact with. Despite the embarrassment or hostility that this may create for you or your sexual partners, remember that you may ultimately be doing a number of people a very important favor by cooperating with health workers.
• Even if you yourself don’t have a STD, you may know other people who think they may have and are reluctant or afraid to go treatment. Perhaps they don’t know how dangerous STDs can be, or they don’t know what the symptoms are, or they don’t know how to talk to health workers about such personal matters. You can help by passing along the facts and offering a certain amount of realistic reassurance, by pointing out that are recognized and treated early enough. Even herpes, which is still incurable, can be coped with.

The point is obvious: Everyone should know the basic about STDs. Lets look at some of the major ones, starting with gonorrhea and then moving on to syphilis, herpes, and others.