A lot of men are quick to conclude that if they had sexually transmitted disease (STD), they would know it. While the majority of the sexually transmitted diseases cause symptoms a lot of them are mistakenly taken for another condition. Sexually transmitted diseases may not show symptoms in some cases.
Knowing the risk and having a better knowledge of the signs and symptoms of common sexually transmitted diseases in men is vital for any sexually active man. Below are some of the common sexually transmitted diseases in men:
- Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a bacterial disease which is transmitted during anal, oral or vaginal sexual intercourse with a person infected with chlamydia. In the United State, it is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases.
A lot of people who are infected with chlamydia never have symptoms but in others, it only takes a few weeks after infection before the symptoms are manifested. Some common symptoms of chlamydia in men include pain during urination, penile discharge, and swelling of the testicle, among others.
- Gonorrhea
Like chlamydia, gonorrhea is a bacterial infection which can affect the anus, throat, or urethra. Transmission of gonorrhea form affected an individual to another occurs during anal, oral or vaginal sex. Most men with gonorrhea have no symptoms. However, the most common symptoms are pain during urination, green discharge, white or yellow discharge from the penis.
- Herpes (simplex)
Herpes is a viral infection which occurs as a result of contact with herpes simplex virus (HSV). Herpes is of different types, oral herpes or HSV type 1 which affects the mouth or genital herpes which can also be referred to as HSV type 2 that affect the genitals. Some common symptoms of herpes in men include blisters on the penis or testicles, or on and around the anus, buttocks or thighs, Swollen and sometimes painful lymph nodes in the groin, loss of appetite, and fever among others.
- Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by bacterial during anal, oral or vaginal sex. Syphilis is considered to be one of the most serious sexually transmitted diseases in men and this is due to its relationship with HIV and the huge risk of developing HIV in case of infection with syphilis. Some of the symptoms include small, firm, and painless sore where the bacteria entered the body, usually on the penis, anus, or lips, swollen lymph nodes in the area near the sore, tiredness, sore throat, headache and swollen lymph nodes among others.
- HIV and AIDS
HIV and AIDS are one of the most famous sexually transmitted diseases. Like hepatitis, HIV can be transmitted through contact with blood or other body fluids. The virus acts mainly by weakening your immune system, which makes it easier to fall sick and increases the risk of developing certain types of cancer.
A lot of health problems arise as a result of the weakening of the immune system. Examples of health conditions are massive weight loss, unusual infection, intellectual worsening, some forms of cancer and death.
How to prevent sexually transmitted diseases
There are so many individuals that can be affected with STD without any apparent symptoms. This is an indication that engaging in safer sex is vital if you have decided to prevent infection with sexually transmitted diseases.
The only way to completely prevent sexually transmitted diseases is to refrain from any kind of sexual contact or contact with open wounds and body fluids of an infected person. However, there are some other ways which have been found to be helpful in preventing sexually transmitted diseases. Making use of condoms during sex and dental dams during oral sex has proven to be effective when used properly.
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