Talk to your teens about STDs. Ask them if they know what they are, and the consequences of contracting one.
HIV
Most teens have heard of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. But do they know that condoms cannot protect against this virus with 100 percent certainty? Again, help your child understand that having sex puts them at risk to be exposed to HIV.
HPV / Human Papilloma Virus
HPV is the virus that causes genital warts, but warts are not always present if someone has HPV. HPV is also the cause of most cervical cancers. HPV has recently been linked to cancers of the neck, tonsils and pharynx. There is an HPV vaccine that is currently being recommended by many physicians for girls as young as 11, and women up to age 39. If you have doubts about the vaccine, talk to your doctor.
Herpes
Herpes is another disease that is transmitted even if the infected person does not have an active outbreak. Herpes is a lifelong infection. Here’s how MayoClinic.com describes it:
The initial symptom of genital herpes usually is pain or itching, beginning within a few weeks after exposure to an infected sexual partner. After several days, small, red bumps may appear. They then rupture, becoming ulcers that ooze or bleed. Eventually, scabs form and the ulcers heal.
In women, sores can erupt in the vaginal area, external genitals, buttocks, anus or cervix. In men, sores can appear on the penis, scrotum, buttocks, anus or thighs or inside the urethra, the channel between the bladder and the penis.
While you have ulcers, it may be painful to urinate. You may also experience pain and tenderness in your genital area until the infection clears. During an initial outbreak, you may have flu-like signs and symptoms, such as headache, muscle aches and fever, as well as swollen lymph nodes in your groin. (iMOM note: a person can pass on the Herpes virus, even if they currently do not have visible sores or outbreaks.)
Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a bacterial infection of the genital tract. It often has mild symptoms, and if left untreated, can cause infertility in women. It can also be passed on to babies during birth. It is a treatable infection.
Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is a common sexually transmitted disease that affects both women and men, although symptoms are more common in women. Trichomoniasis is the most common curable STD in young, sexually active women.
Most men with trichomoniasis do not have signs or symptoms; however, some men may temporarily have an irritation inside the penis, mild discharge, or slight burning after urination or ejaculation.
Some women have signs or symptoms of infection which include a frothy, yellow-green vaginal discharge with a strong odor. The infection also may cause discomfort during intercourse and urination, as well as irritation and itching of the female genital area. In rare cases, lower abdominal pain can occur. Symptoms usually appear in women within 5 to 28 days of exposure.
For both men and women, a health care provider must perform a physical examination and laboratory test to diagnose trichomoniasis.
Trichomoniasis can usually be cured with prescription drugs. The symptoms of trichomoniasis in infected men may disappear within a few weeks without treatment. However, an infected man, even a man who has never had symptoms or whose symptoms have stopped, can continue to infect or re-infect a female partner until he has been treated.
Medical information within this site is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of any health condition. Please consult a licensed health care professional for the treatment or diagnosis of any medical condition.
Source: Mayo Clinic
