STD Answers

When it comes to protection against STDs we may think of male condoms as the first line of defense. But did you know there are also female condoms? Its not just up to the men to protect themselves and their partners against unwanted pregnancy and STDs. Women should also be self-aware and responsible for protecting themselves. Using female condoms can help them do this.

What is a female condom?

Women Empowerment to Prevent STDs

The female condom is a plastic pouch used to help prevent unwanted pregnancy and STDs. It works as a blockade contraceptive. The female condom is worn internally by women and blocks semen from entering the female body. Using spermicide helps reduce the risk of pregnancy, and the female condom is effective in preventing the spread of HIV and other STDs. However, if you ever believe you could have been infected, its important to have STD Testing done right away. An STD test may help prevent other health issues that can become serious.

Using female condoms helps women share the responsibility in reducing the spread of STDs. They can be found in drugstores and some supermarkets. They are also a good alternative for those allergic to latex

Antibiotics

The news of a new superbug of gonorrhea is not new information. There are strains of gonorrhea that are resistant to antibiotics. This is not a surprise to some, gonorrhea has the tendency to mutate in order to survive antibiotic treatment.

Gonorrhea is not a fatal disease, but can cause other health worries if left untreated. To me, this is an important reminder to protect yourself!

Talk about STDs

STDs are not an easy subject to approach with a partner, but an important one.

With AIDS awareness so extensive, we tend to forget about other STDs. STDs that may not show symptoms at all so they go unnoticed and are passed on because people dont realize they are infected.

Types of STDs

There are two different types of STDs: bacterial and viral.

Do you know the difference? There is one important distinctionbacterial infections respond to antibiotics, and viral infections have no cures, YET!

Some examples of bacterial STDs are chlamydia and gonorrhea. An example of a viral infection is AIDS.

Talk about STDs

Do you protect yourself against STDs?

Using protection during sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal, and oral) is an effective way to protect yourself. Avoiding high-risk behavior may also help protect against STDs. High risk behavior includes multiple partners, and/or sex without protection.

Get STD TestedSTD testing is an important part of taking care of your sexual health. STD tests are important if you ever believe you could have been infected. Treating STDs that do respond to antibiotics will help prevent the spread. For STDs that have no cure its important to learn how to control them, and not spread to others.

I see this question a great deal, “Can I sue someone for giving me an STD?” Or  ”If my STD test is positive can I sue my partner?”

That is one question that is difficult to answer…I would refer anyone with questions like these to an attorney. I did find this story that I thought may interest those who do want to know if they can sue someone for giving them STDs.  This story is about one women who is suing her husband for $25 million after giving her STDs as a result of multiple affairs.

Talk To Your Partner About STD Testing

Question:

Is it rude to ask someone about their STD history or if they have had an STD test recently on a 2^nd or 3^rd date?

Answer: of course not. If you are just beginning a relationship I recommend talking to your partner about STDs and STD testing. Both partners should have an STD test carried out before starting a sexual relationship to ensure you are both STD free. Talking to your partner about STDs and their STD test history is not rude at all, in fact I believe it shows that you care, and that you are responsible.

STDs and Your Sexual Health

STDs can become cause to other serious health issues, and can leave you more vulnerable to other STDs such as HIV/AIDS. Take care of your sexual health, not just for you but for your future partner(s) as well. Its not rude to protect yourself, and open communication about STD testing can help you do that.

Questions About STD Symptoms?

I have encountered several questions about what the symptoms are for chlamydia. So, while I’m going through the symptoms of chlamydia, I decided to discuss the symptoms of Gonorrhea as well. IDENTIGENE offers STD testing for both of these STDs.

An STD Test May Uncover a “Silent” Secret

Keep in mind both chlamydia and gonorrhea are known as “silent” diseases because they may not show symptoms, so if you ever believe you could have been infected go get and STD test right away.

Symptoms of Chlamydia

For men the symptoms of Chlamydia may include the following: discharge from the penis, burning feeling when urinating, or burning/itching sense around the opening of the penis.

For women symptoms of chlamydia may include the following: irregular vaginal discharge, abdominal pain, burning feeling when urinating, low back pain, nausea, fever, pain during sexual intercourse, or bleeding between periods.

Symptoms of Gonorrhea

For men symptoms of gonorrhea may include:  a Yellow, green, or white discharge from the penis, burning sensation when urinating, burning/itching sense around the opening of the penis, or painful/swollen testicles.

For women symptoms may include: unusual vaginal discharge, burning sensation when urinating, bleeding between periods.

Both of these STDs can make you more susceptible to other STDs such as HIV. They can also lead to PID in women, and infertility in both men and women.

STD Testing!

STD testing may help reduce your risk of damage that can be caused by not treating these STDs. Protect yourself, and speak with your partner about STDs and STD testing to help protect your sexual health.

Having an STD test used to require going to your doctors office, then waiting weeks for them to contact you with the results as you nervously wait for the answer.

STD Testing Made Easy

Protect Your Sexual Health

Now you can opt to collect a sample for STD testing in the privacy of your own home and send it to the IDENTIGENE laboratories for testing with results in 2-3 business days. You even get your results right online using a secure login and password that you choose when setting up your STD test. Privacy and convenience when you need it the most.

The IDENTIGENE STD Test Collection Kit can be purchased on walmart.com, and some local pharmacies. Use our store locator to see if a pharmacy near you carries the product.

What STDs Does This Test Include?

The IDENTIGENE STD Test is for chlamydia and gonorrhea. Both of these STDs are known as silent diseases, which mean they may not show symptoms, so if you find yourself in a situation where you could have been infected with an STD please have STD testing completed. Leaving an STD untreated can cause other serious health problems. Taking care of your sexual health is important.

How would you define sexual health?

Use Condoms Properly

Ive learned that one factor in the spread of STDs has to do with condoms not being used properly. So my question became how do you use a condom correctly? Like many people I believed I knew the answerbut as it turns out, I didnt know the full answer.

Preventing the need for STD Testing

Knowing how to put the condom on correctly is only the beginning of the method. There are other things that need to be taken into consideration, like picking the right condom.

Select the Right Condom to Help Protect Against STDs

Condoms come in different sizes, and if you select a condom that is too tight it can prevent blood supply that can lead to erectile dysfunction. If you select a condom that is too big it can come off during intercourse. If that does happen you are then having unprotected sex, and the next step may be an STD test or pregnancy test. Either way, waiting for results may be dreadful.

When do you put the condom on?

Did you know that when you put the condom on matters? If you put the condom on before a full erection it may not go on easily, which can cause problems. If you take it off after the erection is gone, you run the risk of semen leaking out.

Avoid The Need For An STD Test by Reading the Directions

Condoms have expiration dates and storage recommendations. Keeping a condom in your wallet or glove compartment is not the best idea. They should be stored in a cool dry place, and never use a condom past its expiration date. You also want to make sure the condom is FDA approved to help ensure its reliability.

Speak with your partner about condom use. Make sure you are using the right condom for you, and you know how to apply it. You dont want to put the condom on upside down, give it a potential to break, or have any other mishaps.

Sexual Health Ranked by College

Getstdtested.com has listed on their website lists of the top 10 sexually healthy schools, and bottom 10 sexually health schools for 2010. College students make up about half of all reported STDs in the country. Where do you think your college ranks?

STD Testing and your Sexual Health

STD testing is so important to prevent the spread of STDs. Using protection correctly may also help in this prevention. The students at Columbia University seem to know, and pay attention to this information. Columbia University in New York City ranks #1 of the sexually healthy schools in the country. #2 healthiest…Michigan State University.

Who Ranks Last on the List?

What are these top schools doing to prevent the spread of STDs that the bottom ranked schools are not? What are the two sexually unhealthiest schools according to this list? I bet you will be surprised, I know I was. The 2^nd to last sexually healthy school is Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. And who ranks last? That woudl be University of Idaho. These schools can learn a lot about safe sex and STD testing  and prevention from the pages of Columbia Universities play book.

Have you ever wondered how to tell if someone has an STD? Some sign to watch for? Well, I’m here to tell you…there is no way to tell if someone is STD free or not. With STDs out there that may not show any signs or sypmtoms your potential partner can have an STD and not know it. STD testing is an important part of keeping up with with sexual health.

There Is No Way to Know For Sure is Someone Has an STD…Except through STD Testing

People with STDs don’t have a common “look”, but they have appeared to have acquired a false stereotype. You don’t have to be sexually active with multiple partners to become infected with an STD. STDs are not held in reserve  for promiscuity. Just like pregnancy, it only takes once. Take a look at these photos below….can you tell if either of these people carries an STD?  I bet you can’t identify who’s STD free and who’s not, or if they are both infected with a deadly infection, or if they are both clean. Would you be willing to bet your life on it?

Single Woman

Single Man

There are those hoping for some sort of sign, or indication whether their potential partner has an STD or not. “They look clean” is not a good signal to determine whether it’s safe to participate in unprotected sex with someone; because there really is no way to know for sure if someone is STD free by looking at them. Having an STD test completed with your partner before starting a sexual relationship is always the best idea. If you are not starting, or already in, a monogamous relationship please make sure you are protecting yourself by using condoms and/or dental dams when ever involved in sexual activities.  If you ever believe could be infected with an STD go have an STD test performed! STDs are not worth taking chances with your life.

The first “Superbug” strain of gonorrhea that is resistant to antibiotics used to treat the STD, has been discovered by scientists. STD testing can help determine if someone has been infected with gonorrhea, and antibiotics have been given to help cure the infection. Now there is a strain that is resistant to the antibiotics commonly used to treat gonorrhea.

Drug Resistant Strain of Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea

The H041 strain is known to be resistant to cephalosporin’s, which is used to treat this common STD. According to some scientists, gonorrhea has become resistant to antibiotics slowly over several years now.  According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) the percentage of cephalosporin-resistant cases in the country has intensified.  

Gonorrhea is one of the most common STDs in the United States. It can cause infertility, and increase susceptibility to HIV, in both men and women. Cephalosporin’s is one class of antibiotics that the CDC recommends to treat gonorrhea due to resistance to several other antibiotics. Now, there’s news that this class of antibiotics also has a resistant strain.