Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infections that are passed from one person to another through sexual contact. They can be transmitted through vaginal, oral, and anal sex, as well as through intimate physical contact such as intense caresses. Although not very common, STDs can also be spread through open-mouth kissing. The risk of contracting an STD or transmitting it to others through oral sex depends on several factors, including the type of STD, the type of sex, and the number of sexual acts performed.
STDs are usually transmitted through the sex of the penis and vagina, but they can also be transmitted through anal sex, oral sex, and rarely, open-mouth kissing. Certain factors may increase a person's chances of contracting HIV or other STDs during oral sex if exposed to an infected partner. The correct use of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the risk of contracting or transmitting sexually transmitted diseases. There is no cure for STDs caused by viruses, but medications can often help with symptoms and reduce the risk of spreading the infection.
HIV, chlamydia, genital herpes, genital warts, gonorrhea, some forms of hepatitis, syphilis and trichomoniasis are all examples of STDs. Most STDs affect both men and women, but in many cases the health problems they cause may be more serious in women. If you have any of the symptoms described below, you should seek care right away as they may be signs that you have an STD: pain or burning during urination; unusual discharge from the penis or vagina; sores or bumps on the genitals; itching in the genital area; pain during intercourse; and/or bleeding between periods. Talk openly with your provider about activities that could put you at risk of contracting an STD, such as oral sex.
If you are sexually active, you should talk to your healthcare provider about your risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases and if you need to be tested. When doctors or nurses ask this question, they actually ask you if you've done anything since your last checkup that could have exposed you to an STD or pregnancy. Not 100%, but if used correctly every time, condoms are a great way to protect yourself from STDs that are transmitted through body fluids such as semen or vaginal secretions. Some STDs are curable while others have no cure and if you get one of those it can stay with you for the rest of your life. You may not realize that you have certain STDs until you have no damage to your reproductive organs (making you infertile), vision, heart or other organs. Some STDs can be diagnosed during a physical exam or by microscopic examination of a sore or fluid removed from the vagina, penis or anus.
Some STDs can also be transmitted through intimate skin-to-skin contact even when there is no penetration.
