A sexually transmitted disease is transmitted from person to person when leading a promiscuous intimate life, lacking barrier protection, or through contact with the patient's personal hygiene items. Infectious diseases of the genital area are studied by the science of venereology.
Causes of disease development
The main reason for the spread of sexually transmitted infections is promiscuity with unverified partners. Sexually transmitted diseases are the result of damage to the body by viruses, infections, bacteria or protozoal microorganisms.
Some infections can be transmitted during childbirth, breastfeeding, use of patient personal hygiene items, poorly sterilized medical or cosmetic instruments.
What are the most common sexually transmitted diseases
Among the large number of STIs, the most common are:
- syphilis;
- gonorrhea;
- trichomoniasis;
- chlamydia;
- mycoplasmosis andureaplasmosis;
- genital herpes;
- papilloma virus;
- cytomegalovirus;
- HIV and AIDS.
Each of these diseases affects the human body in its own way, manifesting specific symptoms and provoking the development of serious complications.
Stages of STDs
There are two main stages of the course of a sexually transmitted disease - acute and chronic. The acute form develops in the first days after infection. It is characterized by the presence of specific symptoms (discharge, discomfort, redness, rash, itching, painful urination).
After that, there comes a stage when the symptoms cease to appear, the person thinks he is he althy, and does not undergo examination and treatment. In fact, the pathogen continues to settle in the body, only the suppressed immunity no longer fights it. A sexually transmitted disease in the chronic stage is dangerous not only with severe complications, but also with the likelihood of infection of loved ones who daily come into contact with the patient and his personal belongings.
Symptoms of STDs
Quite often, sexually transmitted diseases can be mild and almost asymptomatic. Experts consider such a phenomenon to be very dangerous, since the disease affects the human body, actively progresses and turns into a chronic form that cannot be effectively treated.
You can calculate a sexually transmitted disease by the following symptoms:
- appearance of specific secretionsfrom the genitals, the secret may have a different consistency and smell;
- redness, burning or itching in the groin area;
- frequent and painful urination;
- minor hyperthermia;
- pain in the lower abdomen, lower back, groin (in men, pain can spread to the scrotum);
- pain during intercourse;
- women have irregular menstrual cycles.
Venereal infection in a chronic form causes the development of inflammation of the uterus and appendages, infertility and prostatitis in men. In addition, the disease has a negative impact on the body as a whole, there are disorders in the work of the adrenal glands, the cardiovascular system, and atherosclerosis develops.
STDs provoke a decrease in immunity, as a result of which the body becomes unstable to the effects of external adverse factors, viruses and bacteria. Symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases should not be ignored. It is better to visit a doctor once again, take tests and start timely treatment.
Diagnosis of venereal diseases
The disease does not make itself felt immediately, but after a certain time after infection, so a person may not even suspect that a dangerous virus or infection has "settled" in his body. Similar symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases cause difficulties in diagnosing.
It is very important for a specialist to take a responsible approach to the choice of research methods, otherwise you can make a wrong diagnosis, treat the wrongvenereal disease and thus further aggravate the situation. The most common laboratory tests to diagnose STDs are:
- A smear from the urethra, vagina or cervical canal allows you to determine the presence of gonococci and Trichomonas, in some cases chlamydia and ureaplasma are detected. This is the simplest and most accessible research method, however, it has a very low information content and a high degree of error in determining the pathogen.
- Blood test - according to the main indicators in the biomaterial, you can also detect the presence of venereal disease pathogens in the body. A blood test allows you to monitor the development of pathology and its treatment.
- Sowing - bacterial culture of microflora on a nutrient medium is the most accurate research method that allows you to determine the presence of infection, its form, pathogen and its sensitivity to certain drugs.
Before sampling material for laboratory testing, you must refrain from sexual intercourse for three days and not go to the toilet for 3 hours before taking a smear. In this case, the result of the study will be as accurate and informative as possible.
Treatment of venereal diseases
Timely diagnosis several times increases the chances of a favorable outcome. The main active substances in the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases are antibiotics and sulfonamides.
Most bacteria eventually develop resistance to certainantibiotic preparations, therefore it is recommended to do an antibiogram during laboratory tests. This will allow the doctor to build a competent therapy regimen and cure the patient much faster.
If the disease was not detected in time, it is fraught with serious troubles, malfunctions in the functioning of the reproductive system of men and women. In this case, it is not the very fact of the infection that causes a great danger, but its possible consequences for the body.
Consequences of venereal infections
Treatment of sexually transmitted diseases should be carried out on time. If this does not happen, the virus or infection settles in the body and causes the development of severe consequences. Each infection has its own specific effect on the body or its individual systems:
- genital herpes virus causes a decrease in sperm quality, infertility, intrauterine infection of the fetus, leads to the development of persistent pain in the pelvic area;
- trichomoniasis provokes the development of diseases of the prostate, testicles and urinary tract;
- mycoplasmosis causes inflammation of the prostate gland;
- papillomavirus provokes the activation of cancer cells in the body;
- chlamydia affects the genital area of women and men, causing diseases of the urethra, prostate gland, provokes ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages, infertility, intrauterine infection of the fetus and developmental pathologies;
- gonorrhea causes inflammation of the testicles,prostate, impotence, infertility, pyelonephritis, inflammatory processes in the ovaries and fallopian tubes, which leads to impaired reproductive function;
- syphilis negatively affects all body systems, it is considered a slow death, the lack of effective and timely treatment leads to death.
HIV is a topic for a separate article. This virus infects the entire human body - from the lymphatic system to the cornea of the eye. As already mentioned, signs of sexually transmitted diseases do not appear in the first weeks of infection, which greatly complicates the examination of the patient. The human immunodeficiency virus is no exception. The patient does not start timely treatment and, not knowing about the presence of infection, infects loved ones who are constantly in contact with him.
Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases
The most common way to protect against contracting sexually transmitted diseases is a condom. It is very important to know how to properly use this barrier method of contraception and use it with all sexual intercourse.
Only with regular observance of preventive measures, you can not worry about such trouble as sexually transmitted diseases. Photos of the consequences of such infections, presented on medical information resources, encourage people to take care of their he alth.
Protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections through a discriminating intimate life. It is optimal to have a connection with only onea permanent partner, but he must be verified.
If there has been unprotected contact with a person who may have an STD, the genitals should be treated with antiseptics within the first two hours.
What to do after unprotected intercourse
It is important to understand that not all infections may present with specific symptoms. Sexually transmitted diseases in women and men can be asymptomatic. That is why after unprotected sex, it is necessary to undergo an examination to detect the presence of infections and treat them before the diseases become chronic.
Acceptance of any pharmacological preparations intended for the treatment of pathology with similar symptoms is strictly prohibited. Prevention should become regular and carefully observed at every sexual contact.
