STDs are a special type of disease that come in multiple forms and several causing agents can be a factor behind your infection. According to an estimate from World Health Organisation (WHO), there are more than 1 million new cases of STDs being recorded each year around the globe.
What are STDs?
STDs are a type of infection that spread through sexual contact including oral, vaginal, and anal sex. Some studies say men having sex with men are infected the most in certain types of STDs. When it comes to these types of diseases, many frets of incurability. However, that is not eh case today. Most of the STD types are curable and a few types which are highly fatal like HIV can be aided with antiretroviral drugs that reduce the symptoms and control the virus from damaging paving way for a longer healthy life.
Hows do STDs spread?
Sexually Transmitted Diseases term was coined for a purpose of addressing a certain type of disease based on transmission. STDs are spread from one person to another via sexual contact including oral sex. Some may think oral sex is safer than otherwise but think again. The bacteria and viruses that cause STDs have an easy time penetrating your body than getting in via genitals. Some types of STDs even have separate terms for signs seen around the oral cavity like “oral Gonorrhea” as the mouth sores appear around the mouth.
Different types of STDs
There are more than a dozen types of STDs in the US and around the world. However, not all of them are highly contagious or can be fatal. There are certain types of STDs, around 5 of them that take a major toll on sexually active youngsters and adults. Following are the most common types of STDs:
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Syphilis
- Herpes
- HIV
Chlamydia STD
Chlamydia is a bacterial STD caused by Chlamydia Trachomatis. Symptoms of Chlamydia may not be visible in the early stages, but they turn up slowly after a couple of weeks or even after months. In the meantime, if you have had sex with other partners you are likely to have passed the Chlamydia infection to them – even without your own knowledge. When the symptoms appear, they include – unusual genital discharges, frequent urination, pain while urinating, and excess vaginal bleeding in women.
Leaving Chlamydia untreated can lead to PID in women and infertility in both men and women.
Gonorrhea STD
Gonorrhea is another type of STD that is caused by bacteria. Neisseria gonorrhea is the bacteria behind gonorrhea infection. Chlamydia and gonorrhea share a lot of similarities like the symptoms and the signs being silent for a while. It is a common recommendation from physicians in CDC that anybody who gets infected with Chlamydia should get tested for Gonorrhea as well. Gonorrhea can also infect your mouth causing “oral Gonorrhea” – the symptoms seen in and around the oral cavity sores your mouth, tongue, tonsils, and lips.
Syphilis STD
Syphilis is a type of STD caused by Treponema Pallidum that progresses slowly in multiple stages. There are three different stages involved with Syphilis, as the disease advances to the final stage, it becomes harder to get rid of the bacteria and even if you successfully treat and cure Syphilis there would be other consequences that you be faced with. Syphilis comes in three-stage namely – primary, secondary, and tertiary. Just link other STDs, Syphilis symptoms do not show up early, and even if they do they can disappear after a few weeks and the bacteria can be dormant active silently dealing with the final tertiary stage. Leaving Syphilis untreated can lead to severe health complications such as neurological disorder, memory loss, and similar conditions.
Herpes STD
Herpes is a type that is caused by a different pathogen called Herpes Simplex Virus. Similar to Syphilis, Herpes may also turn naughty if left untreated leading to cancers and other disorders. Symptoms of Herpes include warts on the genitals and the oral cavity. Sometimes you can also experience it on your hands and foot. Warts look like small outgrown cauliflower-like flesh that can be in one place n your skin or can be a bunch of them concentrated in a place.
HIV STD
HIV is the most common and famous one for its incurability. Human Immuno Deficiency Virus is the primary agent behind this type of STD. HIV also progresses in multiple stages just like Syphilis. The final stage of HIV is AIDS, where your immune system is completely damaged by the virus causing CD4 cells to deplete below a healthy threshold making you vulnerable to other severe diseases like TB, cancers, and even other types of STDs.
Can STDs be cured?
Sexually Transmitted Diseases can be categorized into two types. Bacteria causing STDs and viruses causing STDs – the former can be cured. Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are bacteria-caused STDs that can be killed with the help of antibiotics. However, that can be done even if diagnosed and treated in the early phases. So more you lapse of getting diagnosed, the higher the chance of facing long-term consequences. The later – virus-caused STDs like Herpes and HIV cannot be cured completely. If you are tested positive for Herpes or HIV or any of the viruses causing STDs, your physician will prescribe antiretroviral drugs to control the virus and slow down the symptoms.
Most people find it hard to figure out in finding what type of STD they have since they all resemble more or less the same symptoms. If you are sexually active and suspected of being exposed to an STD, getting tested is the right way to know for sure. It is important not to be guessing and or waiting for the symptoms to go away as they can lead to severe health consequences in the long-term such as infertility, cancer, HIV/AIDS, and even fatal in some cases.
