STDs are infections that people usually get by having sex with someone who already has one. Some STDs can be treated and cured with antibiotic medicine. Others cannot be cured. But many of those can be treated to make them easier to live with.
It is very important to remember that most of the time you will never know if you are having sex with someone who has an STD. Anyone can get one. It has nothing to do with how "clean" someone is or how the person dresses and acts. Most people who get an STD, including HIV, do not know the person they are having sex with has one.
These STDs are caused by bacteria (a kind of germ).
These STDs are caused by a virus (another kind of germ).
Millions of people have STDs. And most people who get them are under the age of 30.
Most often, STDs are spread by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has an STD.
Here are some common signs and symptoms of STDs that men and women may notice.
The surest way not to get an STD is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. When people choose to have sex, there are ways they can help protect themselves.
Some methods of birth control can help prevent STDs, like abstinence and condoms.
Sometimes STDs have signs that people can see or feel. But sometimes they don’t. That means that someone can have an STD without knowing it. Even when people have no signs, the STD can harm them and they can still pass the STD to another person.
The best way to know for sure if you have an STD is to have a physical exam and tests. Each STD has its own test.
The sooner an STD is found, the better. You should get checked if:
If a test finds an STD or if enough signs of an STD are seen during the exam, the doctor/clinician may give you a medicine or other kinds of treatment.
Chlamydia can cause an infection in the man's urethra (tube in the middle of his penis that goes to his bladder) and testicles (balls). If it gets very bad, it can cause an infection in other parts of his reproductive system.
Chlamydia can cause an infection in a woman's vagina and her urethra (tube that goes to her bladder). If it gets very bad, it can also cause infection in other parts of her reproductive system.
Women and men can get Chlamydia of the throat by having oral sex.
A simple and painless urine test can be done to find out if you have Chlamydia.
Most people do not have any signs of Chlamydia. That's why most people don't know they have it. The best way to find out if you have it is to have a test done.
A few people may have these signs:
Chlamydia can be cured. But if you don't get treated, these things could happen:
A woman with untreated chlamydia could get an infection that causes scars in her uterus or in the tubes that carry her eggs. If this happens:
If a woman has chlamydia while she is pregnant, chlamydia could harm the baby's eyes or lungs during birth.
A man with untreated Chlamydia could get a bad infection that can cause scarring of the tubes that carry sperm. If this happens, he might not be able to children.
To cure Chlamydia:
If you think you might be pregnant, be sure to tell your doctor before you get treated.
Gonorrhea is an infection of the penis, vagina, anus, or throat.
A simple and painless urine test can be done to find out if you have gonorrhea.
You can have gonorrhea without knowing it. Many people don’t show signs at all. The best way to find out if you have it is to get tested.
Some people may have these signs:
Gonorrhea can be cured. But if you don’t get it treated, the following could happen:
If you have gonorrhea too long before being treated, it can cause these problems:
A woman with untreated gonorrhea could get an infection that causes scars in her uterus or in the tubes that carry her eggs. If this happens:
If a woman has gonorrhea while she is pregnant, gonorrhea could harm the baby’s eyes during birth.
A man with untreated gonorrhea could get a bad infection that causes scarring of the tubes that carry sperm. If this happens, he might not be able to have children.
To cure gonorrhea:
If you think you may be pregnant, be sure to tell your doctor before you get treated.
Syphilis is a dangerous disease that can affect the whole body.
You can get tested for syphilis with a simple blood test.
The signs of syphilis can be so mild that you may never notice them. The first sign is a painless sore, called a chancre (pronounced "shank-er").
After a few weeks or months, you may have some of these signs:
These signs may also go away without treatment, but you still have the disease.
Syphilis can be cured with medicine. But if you don't get treated, you could:
If not treated, over time syphilis can cause serious health problems, such as:
If a woman has syphilis while she is pregnant:
To cure syphilis:
If you think you may be pregnant, be sure to tell your doctor before you get treated.
Trichomoniasis (Trich; pronounced "trick") is an infection of the vagina or penis.
Most often, men don't have signs. Sometimes, they may have an itching in the urethra (the tube that carries urine) or a burning feeling when they urinate (pee).
Some women don't have signs, but many do. Women may have these signs:
The test for trichomoniasis is a simple, painless test for women. A sample of vaginal discharge is examined with a microscope. Sometimes trichomoniasis in men's urine can be seen with a mircoscope.
Trich can be cured, but if you don't get treated, the following can happen:
If a woman has trich while she is pregnant, her baby may be born too small or too early.
Trich can be cured with antibiotics. To cure trich:
If you think you may be pregnant, be sure to tell your doctor before you get treated.
There are several kinds of vaginal infections (vaginitis). Not all of these are caused by having sex. But they can be spread that way. The most common vaginal infections are Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) and yeast infections.
Every woman normally has some the bacteria in her vagina, but sometimes there is too much, causing an infection called Bacterial Vaginosis (BV).
This can happen for many reasons, such as:
Women may have these signs:
BV can be cured with medicine, but if you don’t get treated, the following could happen:
If a woman has BV while she is pregnant, her baby could be born too soon or too small.
To cure BV:
If you think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor before you get treated.
A yeast infection is a common infection of the vagina. It is caused by yeast germs (Candida). Every woman has some yeast in her vagina. But if you have too much yeast, you can get a yeast infection. This may happen for many reasons, such as:
The test for yeast infection is simple and painless.
You may have these signs:
There are no long-term effects of yeast infection.
To cure a yeast infection, a woman must:
Genital herpes is an infection caused by a virus (a kind of germ).
Most people with herpes get signs of the infection, but some people don't.
Most people get blisters or sores. They can show up in any of these places:
These blisters or sores are different for everyone:
The sores and blisters will heal.
Even when you have no sores or blisters, the herpes virus is in your body, and you can pass herpes to others.
Herpes cannot be cured. It can cause these problems:
If you have herpes and get pregnant:
Genital herpes can't be cured, but there are medicines that may help the sores heal more quickly. Some medicines may also make the blisters come less often, stay a shorter time, and be less painful.
To treat genital herpes:
If you think you may be pregnant, be sure to tell your doctor before you get treated.
To take care of the sores:
Genital warts are small, often painless bumps in or round the vagina, penis, or anus.
Genital Warts can be prevented with the HPV vaccine. The HPV vaccine is for men and women who are 9 to 26 years of age.
The test for HPV is simple and painless.
Some people don't show signs even though the wart virus is in their skin. Others do have signs.
The virus can be spread to others even when there are no signs.
Genital warts can be treated but not cured. The treatment can help make you feel better and can help take away the warts, but you will always have the virus. Having the virus can cause these problems:
If a pregnant woman has genital warts, she could have these problems:
The treatment for genital warts is to have a health care provider remove them. There are also some new medicines that you can use at home.
If a woman has the kind of HPV that causes genital warts, she may also have another kind of HPV that causes cervical cancer. Any woman who has had genital warts should have a Pap smear at least once a year to check for cervical cancer.
HPV stands for Human Papilloma Virus. Most people who have sex will get HPV, often in the first few years they are sexually active. For most of these people, the HPV will go away within a few years, and many will never realize they had HPV.
Cervical cancer is caused when certain types of HPV don’t go away —this is called persistent HPV infection. The types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer don’t have symptoms and are different than the ones that cause warts. You can get more than one type of HPV at a time. And just because you’ve had it before, doesn’t mean you can’t get another kind of HPV.
You get HPV from having sex with someone who already has HPV. It is passed on by skin rubbing against skin. You are most likely to get HPV through sex without a condom. But you can still get HPV even if the penis does not go into the vagina, mouth or anus. Condoms can only protect the parts of the body they touch. The skin on the upper thighs, butt, scrotum and vulva may also transmit HPV.
If you go into a clinic and ask to be tested for STDs, you are being smart and responsible. But most likely, you will not be tested for HPV. There is no cure for HPV, and most cases of HPV will go away on their own after a few years. It is safest to assume that everyone has HPV, and to use a condom every time you have sex.
Remember, most people don’t know if they have HPV. Using a condom for every act of vaginal and anal sex and limiting your number of sexual partners can reduce your chances of getting HPV.
The HPV vaccine, called Gardisil, protects you from 4 types of HPV- the two types that cause most cervical cancer and the 2 types that cause most genital warts. The vaccine works best if you get it before you have sex for the first time (or before you rub up against someone naked). The vaccine can only protect you if you get it before your skin comes into contact with the virus. The vaccine cannot make the virus go away.
The vaccine is recommended for women between 9 and 26 years old. It is not approved for use in women over the age of 26. If you are interested in the vaccine, but are over 26 years old, talk to your clinician. On October 16, 2009, the FDA approved use of the vaccine for men to prevent genital warts.
If you are under 18 years old, you may need your parent or guardian to agree to the vaccine. If you are not comfortable bringing this up with your parents, there are tips on TeenSource.org. Your clinician may also be able to help you explain things to your parents.
If you are over 18, ask a clinician if the vaccine is right for you.
If you cannot afford the vaccine, the company that makes the vaccine may be able to help. There is a program available to provide vaccines for families that cannot afford them,
The HPV vaccine protects you from the types of HPV most likely to cause cervical cancer, but it cannot prevent all types of HPV. All women should get pap tests when their doctors tell them to, even if they have had the HPV vaccine. Most women should get their first pap test 3 years after they become sexually active, or when they turn 21.
Pap tests look for signs that cells on the cervix are unhealthy. If the results of your pap test come back abnormal, that does not mean that you have cancer. Many abnormal cells will take care of themselves. Some abnormal cells need to be removed from the cervix before they can turn into cancer. On rare occasions, the abnormal results happen because someone already has cervical cancer. The earlier you treat cervical cancer, the more effective the treatment will be, so it is very important to follow your clinician’s instructions for follow up.
If you still have questions, your clinic can help. You can get more information and talk to someone about what you can do to stay healthy. California teens can use the TeenSource Find a Clinic to locate a doctor near you.
Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver that can be diagnosed by a simple blood test.
People can have hepatitis B without knowing it. They may feel fine or they may just feel like they have the flu. Even if you have no signs, hepatitis B can be spread to others.
Some people get these signs:
Some people have pain in their:
There is no cure for hepatitis B, but in some people, it goes away on its own. There is medicine that can help the liver of people who have chronic hepatitis.
Hepatitis B can cause these problems:
If a woman has hepatitis B while she is pregnant, she should tell her doctor right away. Her baby could be born with it. The baby will need special shots right after birth.
Your doctor will make a treatment plan just for you. Tell your partner(s) and anyone you live with that you have hepatitis B. They will need to get the vaccine.
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. You can get HIV if you do any of the following:
Be aware that:
You can have a simple blood test to find out if you have HIV. To find an STD testing center near you, please visit www.hivtest.org.
You or your partner can have HIV and not know it. It can be months or years before you feel sick or have any serious signs, but you can still pass HIV to others. Though some people have no symptoms, some signs of HIV may include:
HIV is passed through:
If you get HIV, it can affect every part of your body. Treatment can help with this, but the virus is still in your body and you can pass it to others.
HIV can cause these problems:
When your body can't fight off diseases, you could get infections often. You might also have:
If a woman has HIV and is pregnant, she should tell her doctor right away. Her baby will need special care all though the pregnancy could be born with HIV.
HIV can't be cured. There are some medicines that can slow down the growth of HIV for a long time, but the virus is still in the body. It can still be passed to others.
If you think you may be pregnant, be sure to tell your doctor before you get treated.