STD Guide

How to Tell Someone About Your STD

By: Adam on Sep 14, 2016

Telling your partner that you have an STD is something that no one wants to do. It’s awkward, embarrassing and even scary because there’s no telling just how your partner will react. But it’s also a conversation you’ve got to have.

Get the Facts First

Before talking with your partner, you need to do your homework and learn all you can about your STD. Your partner is bound to have all kinds of questions. Knowing the answers ahead of time shows that you’re handling your disease responsibly and maturely. One of the most vital things to know is if your disease is curable or not. Even if you can make it go away with some pills, you should still bring it up with your partner. Otherwise, you’ll probably just end up passing it back and forth like some endless tennis match. If your STD is something more significant, such as HIV, HPV or herpes, there could be legal ramifications if you don’t tell your partner.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that over 50% of the population has had or will have an STD. Some STDs can remain dormant for months or years so you might even know you’ve got it! Even if you play it completely safe, you’re still at risk. Some diseases such as HPV can spread through skin to skin contact. The point is that STDs are much more common than the average person thinks. And you don’t have to engage in sexually risky behavior with questionable partners to catch an STD either.

Breaking the News

The more serious your STD is, the sooner you should discuss it with your new partner. Instead of seeing it as a challenge, you should consider it a litmus test as to whether you’re really right for each other or not. Confessing about your STD establishes a healthy, honest base for your relationship and can even deepen your emotional intimacy.

Pick a time to talk, when you’re both fully dressed and thinking about things other than sex. You will need to be prepared to educate them about the disease and its transmission. This applies to everyone – gay, lesbian, straight or other – because there’s no guarantee that your partner will know about the disease. And even if they’re familiar with it, they might not know enough to distinguish the facts and the myths.

Many couples get into a blame game about who got it in the first place and where they got it from. Try to avoid this if possible. Remember that some STDs can lie dormant for years so the odds are pretty good that you’ll never know the answers. Instead of focusing on the past, you need to talk about the future and how this might change your relationship. Some long-term couples just assume the risk of eventual transmission and decide to engage in unprotected sex anyway. Other couples, however, resort to protected sex to safeguard their health.

If your partner has a bad reaction to your confession, you should them give some space. Try referring them to an alternative source of information such as a good website or a clinic where they can talk to someone in person.  They might just need a little extra time to assimilate the information and understand what it means for them personally. And if they can’t handle the information or want out, then it’s better for you to learn sooner rather than later.

Chlamydia Facts, Symptoms & Treatment

By: Adam on Jun 27, 2016

Chlamydia, nicknamed the clam, is the most commonly reported sexually transmitted disease in the United States. It is known as the silent epidemic, because many people who are infected don’t even know about it. While the symptoms are usually mild and chlamydia is easy to cure, untreated cases can lead to infertility in women and serious pregnancy complications.

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, over 1.4 million cases of chlamydia infection were reported in 2012, and they note that under-reporting is substantial because most people who are infected are not aware of it and don’t seek testing or treatment until the symptoms show.  It is estimated that there are as many as 4 million new chlamydia infections in the United States each year.

Risk Factors for Chlamydia

Any sexually active person can be infected with chlamydia, and it can be transmitted during vaginal, oral or anal sex.  Young women are at a higher risk of infection because the cervix is not yet fully developed and more susceptible to infection. Health professionals recommend that sexually active women 25 or younger be tested for chlamydia every year.

Chlamydia Symptoms

The symptoms of chlamydia can vary greatly from absent to severe among both men and women.  Symptoms most commonly begin to show between 1 and 3 weeks after exposure.  Women most commonly develop the bacterial infection in the cervix and urethra, but can also develop the infection in the rectum or throat after having anal or oral sex with a person infected with chlamydia, or from sharing sex toys with an infected person.

In women, symptoms may include a burning sensation when urinating.  If the infection spreads to the fallopian tubes, symptoms can include abdominal pain, lower back pain, nausea, fever or bleeding between periods.

In men, symptoms may include discharge from the penis, a burning sensation when urinating, or a burning and itching sensation around the opening of the penis.  It is uncommon to have pain in the testicles or for a swelling of the testicles to occur.

In both men and women, receiving anal intercourse from an infected person can cause a bacterial infection in the rectum.  The symptoms of a rectal infection of chlamydia may be rectal pain, discharge or rectal bleeding.  Chlamydia can also be found in the throats of both men and women who have oral sex with an infected partner, and the symptoms can include a burning sensation in the throat.

Diagnosing & Treating Chlamydia

If you notice any of these symptoms or think that you may have had sexual contact with someone who is infected by chlamydia, be sure to see your doctor.  Your doctor can test for chlamydia, usually by taking a urine sample, and can prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection.  As part of the treatment, infected persons should not have sexual contact until the full cycle of antibiotics has been completed.  Like with any antibiotic treatment, be sure to take all of your doses, even if you start to feel better or if symptoms begin to lessen.  Your sexual partners should also be treated for chlamydia; otherwise you run the risk of re-infection.

Sources

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

Healthline

Planned Parenthood