Four Curable Sexually Transmitted Infections
Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis, and syphilis are four potential outcomes of sex that wed all like to avoid. However, according to new global estimates, each day there are more than one million new cases of these sexually transmitted infections.
The worrying thing is, even though we have never known more about how to prevent these infections, rates of infection remain very high worldwide.
The good news is, these 4 infections are curable.
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Treatment Of Chlamydia Is There A Cure For Chlamydia
Chlamydia can be cured easily and effectively with simple antibiotics once it has been diagnosed. The treatment can consist of a single dose or last up to 2 weeks depending on the type of chlamydia. The infected person should not have penetrative sex until receiving a negative Chlamydia test at an after-treatment check-up. Both partners must be treated for chlamydia and undergo re-testing after 34 months.
So How Does Someone Get Chlamydia Or Gonorrhea
The bacteria that cause chlamydia or gonorrhea can spread very easily through any type of sexual contact The tricky thing is that a lot of people dont know they have an STI, at least in the first few weeks. a hidden epidemic). In the meantime, an infected person can unintentionally get someone else sick. Condoms may help reduce that risk, but they are not 100% effective, even when used correctly. The only way to protect oneself against these STIs is to either abstain from any sexual activity or to be in a long-term, trusted, and monogamous relationship such as marriage.
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What You Should Know About Chlamydia And Gonorrhea
20 Jan, 2022
In the STD family, chlamydia and gonorrhea are the two most reported ones in the United States. For context, STD stands for Sexually Transmitted Diseases. You will most likely also come across its synonymous term STI, for Sexually Transmitted Infections. These infections or diseases are caused by bacteria, and they can have long-term negative health consequences on a teenager. This is especially true if the teenager doesnt receive timely treatment. This article will go through important information about chlamydia and gonorrhea. We hope this will give you the tools to be proactive when it comes to the health of your students.
Hear From A Doctor: What Can You Use Telehealth For
You woke up with a red gooey eye. Or you have a fever, cough, and feel very tired. Or maybe you simply want an expert to answer some medical questions for you. If you cant get an appointment with your primary care physician for 2 weeks, what can you do? Is a telehealth appointment safe? Will you get good care?
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How To Treat Gonorrhea
Treatment of gonorrhea is done using antibiotics. If this is done early in the course of infection, gonorrhea has no long-term effects. Treatment for gonorrhea is given as follows:
- To a person who tests positive for gonorrhea
- An infected woman’s newborn baby
- A person who, in the last 60 days, has had sex with person who tests positive for gonorrhea irrespective of whether the person has symptoms, or has used condoms
- When multiple doses of antibiotics are prescribed, they should be taken as directed. Failure to follow this could make the infection remain uncured.
- Abstain from sex when you are on treatment until you and your partner have been fully cured.
- In case of a single dose treatment, wait for seven days before sexual intercourse.
What to Do If Your Symptoms Don’t Improve
If you have undergone treatment and the symptoms remain, the question on your mind could be “can you die from gonorrhea?” The reason you are not yet cured could be that you are having a re-infection, the treatment fails, or you have gonorrhea that is resistant to the prescribed antibiotics. Some strains of gonorrhea bacteria have developed resistance to common antibiotics including penicillin, tetracycline, quinolones and sulfa. If symptoms remain after undergoing treatment for gonorrhea, you may need to be retested using a culture of the causative bacteria to determine the best treatment for your case.
Im Pregnant How Does Chlamydia Affect My Baby
If you are pregnant and have chlamydia, you can give the infection to your baby during delivery. This can cause an eye infection or pneumonia in your baby. Having chlamydia may also make it more likely to deliver your baby early.
If you are pregnant, you should receive testing for chlamydia at your first prenatal visit. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting the correct examination, testing, and treatment. Testing and treatment are the best ways to prevent health problems.
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Who Is At Risk And How Can They Prevent It
To prevent contracting either of these infections, a person should use barrier methods, such as condoms, and get tested regularly.
Even when they do not cause any symptoms, these infections can cause complications.
If a person does not seek treatment for gonorrhea, for example, there may be a of contracting HIV. They may also contract disseminated gonococcal infections.
The Sex Superbug: Gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea may be on the verge of becoming an untreatable disease. Gonorrhoea is caused by a bacteria, and it is treated with two drugs but resistance is already developing to one of the drugs. Soon we may have no treatment options remaining for multi-drug resistant gonorrhoea infections.
Those diagnosed with gonorrhoea are at risk of serious complications and untreated, the disease can cause inflammation of the womb and infertility. The infection can also be passed from a pregnant woman to her baby.
Infection in pregnant women can lead to early labour and delivery or permanent blindness in a newborn baby.
There were 87 million new cases gonorrhoea amount men and women aged 15-49 years in 2016.
WHO/Yoshi Shimizu. Testing for sexually transmitted infections in Mongolia.
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Am I At Risk For Chlamydia
Have an honest and open talk with your health care provider. Ask whether you should be tested for chlamydia or other STDs. If you are a sexually active woman younger than 25 years, you should get a test for chlamydia every year. If you are an older woman with risk factors such as new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has an STD, you should get a test for chlamydia every year. Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men as well as pregnant women should also get tested for chlamydia.
What Are The Symptoms Of Syphilis
Like most STDs, syphilis often does not show symptoms. The only way to know is to get tested.
In the secondary stage, symptoms often include a rash which can be hard to see and usually does not itch. You may feel sick and have mild flu-like symptoms, like a slight fever, tiredness, sore throat, swollen glands, headache, and muscle aches.
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How To Stay Safe
So, what can you do to stay safe?
When used correctly, condoms offer one of the most effective methods of protection against STIs, including HIV. Female condoms are also effective and safe.
We are often not aware that they may have an STI.
Any sexually active person can catch an STI, those who change partners frequently or do not use condoms are at higher risk. Previous successful treatment for an STI doesn’t make you immune to catching the infection again.
An outreach worker discusses health issues with young people in Cambodia.Juan Daniel Torres, Courtesy of Photoshare
Possible Impacts Of Untreated Infections
While some people may have a chlamydia or gonorrhea infection without knowing it, it won’t go away without being treated. Some of the long-term impacts of the two infections are similar.
Among other health concerns, some of the possible conditions that can occur if either infection is left untreated include:
- Pregnancy concerns, including preterm birth, in the case of chlamydia
- Inflammation or scarring in the genital area
- Arthritis that is associated with swelling in the joints and can spread to other parts the body
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Gonorrhea Treatment And Medication
Most cases of gonorrhea are treatable with medication. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends two antibiotics be used for the majority of uncomplicated gonorrhea infections. This is known as a dual therapy and usually consists of ceftriaxone plus azithromycin.
The ceftriaxone is usually administered via an injection into the veins or the muscles. The azithromycin is generally taken as a tablet. In most cases, one dose is all that is needed to remove a gonorrhea infection.
Symptoms generally clear up in a few days. Sexual activity should be possible seven days after the antibiotics are taken for most infections. However, in some cases a follow-up test will be required. Ask the doctor or medical professional managing the treatment for guidance.
People Born Between 1945 And 1965
Health experts say that people between 1945 and 1965 have a high risk of contracting hepatitis C and other STIs. This is because there is a high probability that people born during this period did not receive vaccination for the infection. Hepatitis C has no symptoms until it is in its advanced stages, so screening eliminates the risk of having it.
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Wednesday 25 March 2020
The clap, the clam, the pox, the gift that keeps on giving weve created so many slang terms to make sexually transmissible infections seem a little bit funnier and a little less serious. But when the long-term side effects of STIs can include chronic pelvic pain, infertility and in rare cases, cancer, it turns out they are no laughing matter.
You wont be able to tell for sure if you or the person youre having sex with has an STI without being tested, because these nasty infections dont always cause symptoms that you can see or feel.
That makes it kinda tricky, as people can be having sex without knowing theyre infected, which means the infection could be passed on and be causing damage to your body unnoticed. But its also simple, really simple to be sexually healthy. You see, there are a couple of easy things you can do to have a confident and healthy sex life, to look after your body and make sure you dont have an infection that could cause you harm. Weve got you covered here with a rundown of the most common STIs, what they can do to your body and simple ways you can prevent getting them.
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What Are Sexually Transmitted Infections Or Diseases
Sexually transmitted infections are also commonly called sexually transmitted diseases . They are the infections you get from another person through sexual contact. According to the CDC, there are more than 20 known types of STDs/STIs. In addition, over 20 million people in the United States are infected each year. About half of these people are age 15-24. Luckily, most STDs can be treated and cured.
How do you know if you have one? What is the best treatment? The information here should help answer these questions.
How do the male reproductive organs work?
The male reproductive system is specialized for the following functions:
- To produce, maintain and transport sperm and protective fluid
- To discharge sperm within the female reproductive tract
- To produce and secrete male sex hormones
The male reproductive anatomy includes external structures which include the:
The male reproductive anatomy includes internal structures which include the:
How do the female reproductive organs work?
During menopause the female reproductive system gradually stops making the female hormones necessary for the reproductive cycle to work. At this point, menstrual cycles can become irregular and eventually stop. One year after menstrual cycles stop, the woman is considered to be menopausal.
The female reproductive anatomy includes both external and internal structures.
The female reproductive anatomy includes internal structures which include the:
Often, there are no symptoms at all.
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In Boys Chlamydia And Gonorrhea Can Cause:
- Future infertility: gonorrhea, and more rarely, chlamydia, can cause inflammation in the tubes attached to the testicles, resulting in infertility. Epididymitis is the name of this condition.
- Infection in other parts of the body: gonorrhea may enter the bloodstream and infect internal organs, joints, or the skin. Consequently, this can cause chronic pains, fever, swelling, rashes, and skin sores.
Last but not least, both of these infections make anyone more likely to get other STIs. This includes HPV , which can cause cervical cancer and genital warts, as well as HIV, the virus that leads to AIDS.
What Should Someone Do If They Suspect They May Have Chlamydia Or Gonorrhea
The first step is to get tested. Lifeline offers no-cost testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea in a friendly environment, free of judgment. The urine test is not painful, and results come in just a couple of days. We will inform you of the next steps if your test comes back positive. Lifeline is not a substitute for medical care. We advise that anyone who has been confirmed for an STI schedule a follow-up with their doctor. Its also recommended to avoid any sexual activity during treatment, as well as to inform any sexual partners so that they can get tested as well. To learn more about what to expect during an STI testing appointment at Lifeline, please visit our service page.
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Can You Die From Gonorrhea
Are you suspecting you have gonorrhea and wondering if it’s a fatal condition? Similar to other STDs, gonorrhea affects the genitals. A common sexually transmitted infection caused by bacteria known as neisseria gonorrhoeae, gonorrhea attacks mucous membranes within the reproductive organs. In men, gonorrhea affects the urethra while in women it affects the urethra, the cervix, the uterus and the fallopian tubes. Gonorrhea can also affect the mucous membranes of other organs of the body, including the rectum, eyes, mouth and throat. In the U.S. alone, about 820,000 new cases are diagnosed every year.
How Did I Get Chlamydia If I Didnt Cheat
A note from Cleveland Clinic
It can be embarrassing to talk about anything sex-related with your healthcare provider, including STI prevention. But your sex life is an important part of your health that your provider needs to know about to care for you. Not getting the treatment you need for chlamydia can pose serious risks to your health. Speak with your provider about getting regularly screened for chlamydia and other STIs to reduce your risks of complications. Practice safer sex to prevent the spread of chlamydia.
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How Do People Get Chlamydia
Pregnant people can give chlamydia to their baby during childbirth. This can cause ophthalmia neonatorum or pneumonia in some infants.9-12 Rectal or genital infection can persist one year or longer in infants infected at birth.13 However, sexual abuse should be a consideration among young children with vaginal, urethral, or rectal infection beyond the neonatal period.
People treated for chlamydia can get the infection again if they have sex with a person with chlamydia.14
What Health Problems Can Result From Chlamydia
The initial damage that chlamydia causes is often unnoticed. However, infections can lead to serious health problems with both short- and long-term effects.
If a woman does not receive treatment, chlamydia can spread into the uterus or fallopian tubes, causing PID. Symptomatic PID occurs in about 10-15% of women who do not receive treatment.30,31 However, chlamydia can also cause subclinical inflammation of the upper genital tract . Both acute and subclinical PID can cause long-term damage to the fallopian tubes, uterus, and surrounding tissues. The damage can lead to chronic pelvic pain, tubal factor infertility, and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy.32,33
Some patients with PID develop perihepatitis, or Fitz-Hugh-Curtis Syndrome. This syndrome includes inflammation of the liver capsule and surrounding peritoneum, which can cause right upper quadrant pain.
In pregnant people, untreated chlamydia can lead to pre-term delivery,34 ophthalmia neonatorum , and pneumonia in the newborn.
Reactive arthritis can occur in men and women, following infection with or without symptoms. This is sometimes part of a triad of symptoms formerly referred to as Reiters Syndrome.35
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How Common Is Chlamydia
CDC estimates that there were four million chlamydial infections in 2018.3 Chlamydia is also the most frequently reported bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the United States.4 It is difficult to account for many cases of chlamydia. Most people with the infection have no symptoms and do not seek testing. Chlamydia is most common among young people. Two-thirds of new chlamydial infections occur among youth aged 15-24 years.3 Estimates show that 1 in 20 sexually active young women aged 14-24 years has chlamydia.5
Disparities persist among racial and ethnic minority groups. In 2020, chlamydia rates for African Americans/Blacks were six times that of Whites.4 Chlamydia is also common among MSM. Among MSM screened for rectal chlamydial infection, positivity ranges from 3.0% to 10.5%.6,7 Among MSM screened for pharyngeal chlamydial infection, positivity has ranges from 0.5% to 2.3%.7.8