By kgilberg (20, F, CA)
3 million
The number of teens that acquire an STD every year.
Common STDs that can be treated and cured are: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, PID, vaginal infections (such as yeast infections), Syphilis, and Trichomoniasis. These diseases are caused by bacteria, as opposed to a virus.
Common STDs that can be treated, but not cured are: Genital Herpes, Genital Warts (HPV), Hepatitis B, and HIV/AIDS, which are all caused by a virus.
30
Millions of people have STDs. And most people who get them are under the age of 30.
STDs left untreated can: be painful and make you very sick (a few can even cause death), make it hard for a woman to get pregnant when she wants to, make a man unable to father a child, and cause birth defects or other health problems for a newborn.
For curable STDs, many people may not experience symptoms, so if you are sexually active you should be getting tested. If you are not getting tested regularly look for the following symptoms:
Men: pain when urinating, genital soars, unusual discharge (yellow/green colored and thick), and pain during sex.
Women: pain when urinating, genital soars, unusual discharge (yellow/green colored and thick), pain during sex, and bleeding between periods.
Most people with Herpes get signs of the infection, but still some don’t, which is why getting tested is so important. Herpes causes small, painful sores or blisters. The sores can come and go, but once you get herpes the virus is always in your body. Genital Herpes can't be cured, but there are medicines that may help the sores heal more quickly, come less often, and be less painful.
| "I never said that intercourse was the only way to get an STD," says iamastar . |
Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver, and you can get it if you: have sex with someone who has the virus, share needles or drugs, share earrings, razors, nail clippers, or toothbrushes, pierce your body or get a tattoo when infected tools are used, or touch infected blood or bodily fluids. 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 do have symptoms such as: body pain, yellow skin or eyes, no appetite, feeling tired, brown or dark urine, and light or gray stools.
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. You can get HIV if you do any of the following: have sex with someone who has HIV (it can be spread by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex), and/or share needles with someone who has HIV. Be aware that: A mother who has HIV can pass it on to her baby before the baby is born, during childbirth, or through her breast milk. If you have any other STD, it could be easier for you to get infected with HIV. The best and most reliable way to find out if you have contracted this virus is through getting tested.
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