STD Resources

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STD Resources
Being aware of your body is always important, especially if you are sexually active. Noticing unusual changes in penile or vaginal discharges, along with various rashes or growths can help you in early detection of several of the sexually transmitted infections. Some sexually transmitted infections and diseases produce no obvious symptoms—especially among women—which helps explain why it has been difficult to curb the spread of many of the sexual pathogens. The following chart is for informational purposes only. If you believe that you or your partner may have a sexually transmitted infection, please see your physician for testing. Everyone who is sexually active should receive periodic STD checks to ensure their own health and the health of their partner. There are several factors that may contribute to the rising incidence of STDs. There is an increasing tendency for young adults to have multiple sexual partners and increased sexual activity among adolescents. The increased use of birth control pills rather than condoms or vaginal spermicides increases the risks of transmitting STIs. Even more alarming in this day and age is that many people remain uneducated or uninterested in the causes and consequences of STDs. Unfortunately, women and teenagers may be at greatest risk for contracting a STD. The delicate lining and warm, moist environment of the vagina makes it twice as easy for a male to transmit a STD to a female than vice-versa. Anal sex also increases the receiver’s risk for similar reasons: The anus’s highly sensitive tissue may tear easily, creating opening large enough for infections to enter easily. Also, there is a higher incidence of STDs among younger women than older women: This is due to the fact that the opening of the cervix in adolescent girls and young women is surrounded by the ectropion, a rim of red tissue composed of immature cervical cells, that can be invaded easily by sexually transmitted viruses and bacteria. As women age the ectropion recedes into the cervical canal, women become less vulnerable to infection. Sexually transmitted infections are a risk to the whole sexually active population, yet certain behaviors are classified as “high risk”. These behaviors include: oral-genital sex without a condom or dental dam; semen in mouth; vaginal intercourse without a condom; anal intercourse without a condom; and other oral or manual contact with the anus. Local Testing Sites: NC State Health Services STD Testing Wake County Testing Sites Safer Sex Practices Safer sex means talking openly with your partner in order to find out about your partner's health and sexual patterns and to communicate your own. It means discussing what will happen between the two of you and making choices to protect yourselves during sexual activity. It is WHAT you do, not WHO you are, that creates a risk for sexually transmitted diseases. Safer: Dry kissing Masturbation on skin with no open sores/cuts Oral sex on a man wearing a condom External watersports (urinating on skin without open sores) Touching, Massaging Sharing fantasies (the brain is the largest, most versatile sex organ) Less Risky: Vaginal intercourse with a condom Wet kissing Risky: Oral sex on a man without a condom Masturbation on open or broken skin Oral sex on a woman Anal intercourse with a condom Engaging in sexual contact after alcohol or drug use Oral sex with dental dam Vaginal sex with female condom Dangerous: Vaginal intercourse without a condom Anal intercourse without a condom Internal watersports (urinating into mouth, vagina or rectum) Sharing a needle for intravenous drug use Fisting (putting hand or fist into someone's rectum or vagina, easily tears skin, allowing germs to enter bloodstream) Rimming (oral to anal contact) Other Useful Links: NC State Health Promotion Information regarding STD's STD's A to Z Symptoms of STD's Guide to Safer Sex CDC informtation on STD's