Ready? Everyone who is having sex, raise their hands.
Good. Thank you. Unfortunately, all who raised their hands are at risk for acquiring a sexually transmitted disease. Because that’s how sexually transmitted diseases are acquired – through sex. While people can take precautions, there is always going to be a risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease if you engage with someone who has a sexual disease problem.
Although there are some instances of so-called “bug chasers,” people who desire to acquire the HIV virus as a way to show solidarity with those inadvertently suffering from infection, most people want to avoid having an STD. That’s mainly for reasons of health and convenience, since many STDs are lifetime afflictions, requiring medical care and careful attention and cautions to future partners.
Unfortunately, we live in a world where taking someone’s word for his or her sexual health can’t be done. Most people acquire an STD from someone they trusted enough to be intimate with, and much of that trust is misguided.
THE UNKNOWING
Many people may have a disease like herpes and/or HIV but not know it, mainly because they have been asymptomatic. But the lack of symptoms doesn’t mean they are incapable of passing along their affliction. In the case of HIV, the latency period between acquiring the virus and getting first symptoms may be a couple months, during which time their viral load is at its highest and the risk of transmission is thus far greater.
Adding to the issue of sexually transmitted diseases are the changes in social mores and the ease of technology. Where once it was largely frowned upon to have sex outside of marriage – the religious referred to it as the sin of fornication – the advent of the birth control pill and the loosening of societal judgments led to the so-called “Sexual Revolution” of the 1960s. That made it easier than ever for women to have sex outside of marriage, and there was no shortage of men willing to take them up on it.
Fast-forward to the age of technology. Since the Internet first went commercial, chat rooms, email and social sharing made it easier than ever to reach a potential partner for a long-term relationship or a short-term liaison. The mobility of the smart phone and the advent of such applications as Tinder and Grndr have taken the power of the early Internet to greater heights.
Now, a social media voyager not only can gauge interest in sexual contact, but can get a proximity report on who is nearby and wants to hook-up. Needless to say, the popularity of these applications indicates there is no shortage of people willing to take advantage. The issue now is not whether people will engage, but with whom and how – there are apps for threesomes, apps for cheaters, apps for married people seeking same sex relationships. The mathematical possibilities are mind-boggling.
But with great power comes great responsibility, as Superman and Spider-Man were once told. Now that people can easily hook up, the greater question looming is whether they should, as sexually transmitted diseases are more prevalent than ever.
HOW TO GET AN STD
A person can get a sexually transmitted disease from the first time they have sex, and though condom use can prevent some it, it’s not a foolproof method. Condoms break and tear and oral sex can transmit fluids to your body as easily as intercourse. In short, if a person has sex, they are at risk, as any STD is characterized by sexual contact – orally, anally, vaginally, hand-to-hand or mouth-to-mouth. It is simply the passing of an organism between two people.
Here are some of the most common sexually transmitted diseases
1. Gonorrhea - The Centers for Disease Control estimate that 700,000 new cases of gonorrhea will be transmitted each year. This is a bacteria that affects a woman’s cervix and a man’s urethra, or can be transmitted to the throat. The symptoms include a burning sensation while urinating or a yellowish discharge from the penis in men.
2. Syphilis – This is a bacteria infection of the genital tract that is transmitted via contact between small sores in the rectum, vagina, mouth or the genital area. An infected mother can also transmit it to the fetus when pregnant. But even in the absence of sores, diseases can still be present. The most telling signs are sores on the genitals, sore throat, hair loss, headache, fever and a patchy white skin rash.
3. Chlamydia – Is one of the most common STDS in the United States, with 1.4 million infections reported in 2013. Most people who acquire chlamydia don’t display symptoms, but others begin to have them several weeks after infection. The signs include pain while urinating, swollen testicles and a penile discharge.
Other sexually transmitted diseases include Hepatitis B, herpes simplex, HIV, and HPV.
HOW YOU CAN PREVENT THEM
The only sure-fire way to avoid acquiring a sexually transmitted disease is abstinence. Barring that, the only other way to absolutely prevent disease is to have sex only with a first-time partner and remain in that relationship for the rest of your lifespan.
For all others, it’s a matter of taking precautions, building trust, and hopefully being careful about with whom you sleep. Part of the problem is many people either don’t recognize the symptoms of STDs, have sex with people who aren’t honest about their conditions, or have sex with people who are newly infected and asymptomatic, not knowing if they have a disease.
In all cases, knowledge is power. Learn to recognize the signs, remain in control, use condoms and get tested if there are any doubts. Social media is extremely popular and will not be going by the wayside any time soon. Thus, those who use it as way to meet sex partners will have to exercise more caution than ever in order to avoid contracting a sexually transmitted disease.