What are the risks of changing sexual partners? Sexually transmitted diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases: the main problem is frequent changing of sexual partners, either for pleasure or for profit.

Sometimes it is a minor disease, sometimes it is a disease that seriously threatens a person's health and life.

Modern times, frequent travelling, sex tourism, indiscretion or even quick-fire love affairs without prior knowledge of the partner's previous sex life. Sexually transmitted because their transmission occurs during sexual union. But some diseases find their way outside the sexual act.

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Sexually transmitted diseases and what we should know about them

The biggest factor for the increasing number of cases is the lifestyle of young people. Tourism is more accessible nowadays than in the past. Open borders, migration of people and other factors associated with free movement of people. STDs are prevalent all over the world.

Lifestyles associated with frequent changes of sexual partners, prostitution, homosexuality and other risk factors have pushed STDs to the top of the global problem.

Sexual intercourse is an intimate affair, but one that people often enter into without sufficient information about their sexual history. This is where the risk of disease transmission comes into play.

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Often they are not even aware that they are taking a risk when they enter into sexual intercourse with an unknown person. In weaker social classes, awareness about STDs is low and hence the risk of contracting it is higher.

Often the diseases are mild or asymptomatic and thus may not come to light. The person becomes a carrier or the outbreak occurs at a later stage.

It happens that multiple STDs are spread during sexual contact.

This can be the case, for example, with syphilis and HIV. The immune system does not have a lifelong memory for STDs and, after cure, recurrent infections occur when the lifestyle is resumed.

To reiterate the points, we list the main risk factors for the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases:

• Sex at a young age
• changing sexual partners
• having sex with a partner who has many sexual partners
• not knowing about the sexual history of a partner
• low awareness of sexually transmitted diseases
• in some cases, neglecting to use protection
• low standards of hygiene
• drug addiction

The concept of STDs groups together a broad group of diseases that have different symptoms, manifestations, consequences and different forms of treatment. Some are well treatable, while others are nowadays incurable (HIV/AIDS).

Sexually transmitted diseases are most prevalent in people between the ages of 17 and 40. After the age of 40, the consequences of untreated and hidden diseases and their complications usually appear. Complications include sterility (inability to conceive).

The representation of STDs between the sexes is almost balanced, but a slightly higher percentage belong to men.

Do you know how transmission occurs?

These diseases are preferably spread by sexual contact. Only a small percentage are transmitted by other means. For example, by touching the skin, mucous membranes or even infected objects such as toothbrushes or razors. Bloodborne transmission through needle sticks.

In the past, infection could also occur through transfusion. Nowadays, this transmission should not occur. If you like tattoos, there is also a risk of transmission from an infected needle. One of the possible transmissions is also from mother to child, which can occur during pregnancy, during childbirth, but also during breastfeeding.

The reason why the route of transmission and penetration of the disease is so variable is that body fluids such as blood, saliva, vaginal secretions and semen are infected. During sexual intercourse, body fluids are exchanged. Skin integrity can be broken and mucous membranes can be injured during violent or ungentle sexual intercourse.

In almost all cases, anal intercourse results in fissures, which are both an entry and exit gate for infection. Because the anal opening is not designed for sexual intercourse, unhealed skin injuries are also a route. The route for penetration can also be through the eyes.

Transmission is through vaginal, oral and anal intercourse.

Some STDs are also transmitted through the skin of the hands, fingers and kissing.

Even in the case of sex play, the person cannot be sure of avoiding the risk. The use of barrier devices to avoid STDs is limited and cannot be considered 100% protection. But it is the minimum that should, at least in part, reduce the risk of transmission of some diseases.

Do you know what STDs we know about?

The causative agent of the disease can be a bacteria, a virus, a yeast and a parasite.

Sexually transmitted diseases in the table below

Symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases are mainly manifested in the genital area and in the area of transmission, in the vagina, on the penis, in the vicinity. After oral intercourse it can be on the lips, in the oral cavity. After anal intercourse in the vicinity of the anus.

Some diseases are not sexual in the true sense, but use sexual intercourse for transmission. They can manifest systemically in other organ systems (liver), immune problems, as in the case of AIDS, as skin diseases in other parts of the body, even as hair loss and a host of other symptoms.

It all depends on the type of disease.

Symptoms may be high intensity, others may be mild or hidden. Some diseases use carriers for mass transmission to people. The person concerned may not even know about it. Great care should be taken if symptoms typical of venereal disease appear.

Diseases that are sexually transmitted may not have symptoms typical of venereal disease. They may have systemic symptoms (increase in body temperature, general weakness). The period of suspicion is the time after sexual intercourse with an unknown person or a new sexual partner whose sexual history is unknown. In this case, when problems occur, caution should be exercised.

We briefly list the main symptoms of STDs that you should definitely seek a medical examination:

• increased vaginal and urethral discharge, coloured (white, yellow, green, brown), smelly discharge
• itching in the genital and rectal area
• painful testicles
• painful urination (burning, cutting)
• pain in the lower abdomen
• redness in the genital area, rectum
• ulcers, warts in the genital area, rectum
• painful intercourse or pain after intercourse
• bleeding outside menstruation

Who should you see if you have symptoms of an STD?

If you notice symptoms on yourself that are genital-related and can be linked to previous risky sexual intercourse, you should seek a medical examination. You can go to the doctor without difficulty if you have had intercourse that you consider risky or if you want to be tested for a sexually transmitted disease.

For example, in a relationship before you start having sex.

And which doctor can help you? Your first choice is an adult GP, or for younger people a paediatric GP. They can do blood tests. They can then refer you to a specialist doctor who knows what special tests need to be done to make an accurate diagnosis.

And these can be:

• gynaecologist
• urologist
• dermatovenerologist

How to avoid contracting an STD?

After reading this, it should be obvious that avoiding infection means either sexual abstinence or simply living an ordered monogamous life, not changing partners, learning about your partner's sexual history in a new relationship. After all, a relationship should be built on honesty from the start.

Testing oneself before sexual intercourse is also effective in this case. Avoiding oral and anal intercourse because of the risk of injury. If, and when, using a condom is recommended. Avoiding the penetration of body fluids (semen, vaginal fluid, blood) of the sexual partner into the body.

The use of a condom reduces the risk of transmission but does not eliminate it. For some STDs, using your own hygiene products when showering, shaving will also help.

For drug addicts, one recommendation: needle only for one use!

Contraception is not to prevent transmission of an infectious disease. It is only to prevent conception.

The watchword in a healthy sex life should be: safe sex with a steady partner.

Personally, I think that the topic of sexually transmitted diseases is topical and not discussed enough. What is appropriate is to educate people, the socially vulnerable, and especially our children. As we have mentioned, the incidence of diseases is increasing every year, even at school age.

Ignorance among young people or just irresponsible behaviour also plays a part. The whole issue of risk and transmission should be explained at puberty, which is the gateway to sexual life. The right form of sex education is important and should not be neglected.