DEBUNKING SOME COMMON MYTHS ABOUT STDS

DEBUNKING SOME COMMON MYTHS ABOUT STDS Jul,27,2020

Surveys show that there is much wrong information about sexually transmitted diseases being passed around in the US, that it makes understanding the severity of the health issue complicated. To help sort things a bit, below are some of the common myths about sexually transmitted diseases and the truth behind them.

Only Cheap People Get STDs

This is a very common misconception about STDs. In reality, STDs do not discriminate. Sexual contact with a person with STD can make you infected, no matter who you are. This is why it is always a wiser idea to use a condom each time you have sex. Even if you are taking some other birth control measures, such as a pill, you need to use a condom, as they are the only form of birth control that can help in decreasing the risk of contracting an STD.

You can see if your Partner has an STD

Even doctors will not be able to tell if someone has STD just by looking. It needs proper clinical tests to diagnose and confirm an STD infection. In fact, your partner might have an STD infection and he or she might not know about it either, as STDs do not always give symptoms. This means that it is very much possible to carry an STD and spread it, even though you feel completely normal and healthy.

Some of the sexually transmitted diseases only show up on tests. Therefore, it is important for you and your partner to get tested for STDs. You can opt for the free STD and HIV testing offered at our low income health clinics if you fulfill the criteria.

Once you are Cured of an STD, There is no Chance of Getting it Again

Some of the STDs, if contracted, are yours for a lifetime, such as HIV and Herpes virus. Others, such as Gonorrhea and Chlamydia, can be treated and cured. However, this does not mean that you cannot get infected by the same disease again in your life. If you have sexual contact with someone with Chlamydia or Gonorrhea, you will contract the infection again.

As said, the best way to protect yourself is by using a condom. If you are a sexually active person, you need to let your doctor know about the same, so that you can have checkups at regular intervals. Moreover, if you are diagnosed with an STD, make sure that your partner also gets tested for the infection.

There are millions of myths about STDs out there and the ones mentioned above are just a few of them. Always keep in mind that the best way to avoid STDs and unwanted pregnancy is not to have sex, abstinence, and if you can’t do that, make sure to use a condom.

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    About the Author

    Dr. Ghassan M. Al-Jazayrly, MD

    A graduate of University of Aleppo Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Al-Jazayrly or, as he is colloquially known: Dr. AJ, is an oncologist and hematologist of a Complete Care Community Health Center (CCCHC) with more than 36 years of experience. In recent years, he’s been involved with a non profit organization known as Every Woman Counts (EWC) which provides free breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services to California’s underserved populations in order to eliminate health disparities for low-income individuals.

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