We all know the great fun side of sex. The pleasure from feeling an orgasm, the sweet taste of oral sex. But how many of you would know what herpes looks like? What about penis discharge or the effects of HIV on the body? You may have heard about STD/STI’s but do you actually know the symptoms that come with them? Good thing you have me to give you a crash course in what to know and what to look for. I normally bring you the good side of sex, now here is the ugly and very real side of sex! To find out more information go to http://www.cdc.gov/std/ and stay informed.

Genital Herpes-

 Most genital herpes is caused by HSV-2. Most individuals have no or only minimal signs or symptoms from HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection. When signs do occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur. Other symtoms include crop of sores, flu-like symptoms, including fever and swollen glands. At least 45 million Americans age 12 and older have genital herpes. There are two types of herpes simplex virus: HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-1 is what fever blisters and cold sores are and HSV-2 is genital. There is no known cure for herpes.

Gonorrhea-

Infection caused by a kind of bacteria that is passed during sexual contact. It can infect the penis, vagina, cervix, anus, urethra, or throat. Symptoms usually appear 2 to 7 days after a person has been exposed to gonorrhea. Symptoms include yellow-white like discharge, burning when urinating, and in females between period bleeding.Gonorrhea is treated with antibiotics. Early treatment is recommended.

Trichomoniasis-

Trichomoniasis is caused by a protozoan parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis and is a cause of vaginal infections in women and urethral infections in men. Trichomoniasis is an STD that affects approximately 5 million people in the US every year. Trichomoniasis is one of the most common, curable causes of vaginal infections in women. Symptoms include Genital itching and/or burning,Vaginal or vulval redness, pain during sex, abdominal pain. Men may experience tingling inside the penis, discharge from the penis, pain during peeing. Antibiotic treatment is used to cure you of symptoms if left untreated you become a higer risk for contracting HIV.

Syphilis-

caused by bacteria (germ). It progresses in stages. Syphilis is easy to cure in its early stages. But without treatment, it can hurt your body’s organs, leading to severe illness and even death. Syphilis occurs in 3 stages

1. Primary stage-A single sore, called a chancre (SHANG-kuhr), appears in the first, or primary stage. Sometimes, more than one sore appears. The time between infection with syphilis and the start of the chancre can range between 10 to 90 days (21 days average). The chancre is usually firm, round, small, and painless. It appears at the spot where the infection entered the body, such as the vulva, vagina, cervix, tongue, lips, or other parts of the body. In this stage, syphilis can be passed to others through contact with the chancre during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. The chancre lasts 3 to 6 weeks and heals with or without treatment. If the infection is not treated, it moves to the secondary stage.
2. Secondary stage-The secondary stage can start as the chancre is healing or a few weeks after it has healed. It typically starts with a rash on 1 or more areas of the body. Some or all of these symptoms can appear: Skin rash with rough, red, or reddish-brown spots both on the palms of the hands and bottoms of the feet. The rash usually does not itch. Rashes on other parts of the body may not look the same,Sores on the throat, mouth, or cervix,Fever,Swollen glands,Sore throat,Patchy hair loss,Headaches and muscle aches,Weight loss,Tiredness
3. .Latent stage-The latent, or hidden, stage starts when symptoms from the first and second stages go away. The latent stage can last for many, many years. During this stage, the infection lives in the body even though there are no signs or symptoms. The infection cannot be passed to others during the latent stage. Sometimes, symptoms from the secondary phase come back. If this happens, the infection can be passed to others until the symptoms go away again. Without treatment, the infection will advance to the late stage in some people.
4.  4.  Late stage-About 15 percent of people with untreated syphilis will advance to the late stage. This can happen within a few years or as many as 20 years or more after first becoming infected. In the late stage, the disease can hurt your organs, including the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints. This damage can lead to nerve problems, paralysis, blindness, dementia, and other health problems. Some people may die from the disease

Infections due to chlamydia are the most common bacterial (STDs) in the U.S. today, with an estimated 4 million new cases occurring each year. Chlamydial infections are caused by a bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis, and are transmitted during vaginal, oral or anal sexual contact with an infected partner.Women report vaginal discharge, vaginal bleeding between periods, abdominal pain that is sometimes accompanied by fever and nausea, and burning or pain during urination. Men with the infection report burning or pain during urination and a discharge from the penis.About three-quarters of infected women and about half of infected men, however, may have no symptoms at all. Infections are treated with a seven-day course of antibiotics.

HIV/AIDS -

AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a disease in which the body’s immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off certain infections, known as “opportunistic infections,” and other illnesses that take advantage of a weakened immune system. When a person is infected with HIV, the virus enters the body and lives and multiplies primarily in the white blood cells. These are the immune cells that normally protect us from disease. The hallmark of HIV infection is the progressive loss of a specific type of immune cell called T-helper or CD4 cells.Most people show no symptoms for 10 to 12 years, and a few for much longer. African-American and Hispanic women, who represent less than one-quarter of U.S. women, represent nearly 80% of AIDS cases reported among American women to date. You cannot tell by looking at someone whether he or she is infected with HIV or has AIDS. There is still no cure.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-

Approximately 20 million Americans are currently infected with HPV. At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives.HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. There are many different types of HPV and more than 30 are sexually transmitted. Researchers keep track of the different types of HPV by identifying them with numbers, such as 6, 11, 16, and 18. Some types (such as 6 and 11) cause genital warts, others (such as 16 and 18) cause pre-cancerous changes on the cervix that can later lead to cancer of the cervix. In rare cases, the virus can cause other types of cancers to the vulva, vagina, and anus in girls and the anus and penis in guys. At least 1 in every 2 sexually active young women has had a genital HPV infection. Sometimes, certain types of HPV can cause genital warts in males and females.There is no “cure” for HPV infection, although in most women the infection goes away on its own.

Now I’m not trying to scare you into not having sex. I want you to be armed with the knowledge to make healthy and safe sexual choices. Everything has a consequence and sex is no different. You should always have a threesome: YOU, YOUR PARTNER,AND A CONDOM. That is the best way to protect yourself from contracting any of these diseases. The safest way is abstaining from sexual activity. No one else is responsible for your sexual health except you. take the steps to keep it sexy and keep it safe.