STDs and Menopause

How do you know you have an STD?

Sometimes there are no symptoms—at least not for a while. But the good news is

 that if you can catch an STD early, some are easier to treat at that stage, usually

with a course of antibiotics or antivirals.

Some symptoms include:

Fever, headache or sore throat

Rash

Fatigue

Vaginal discharge, rash or itching

Sores, bumps or warts near the mouth, vagina or anus

Painful or burning urination

Pain during intercourse

Sounds scary—so, how can we protect ourselves?

Use a condom. Although condoms don't totally remove the risk, they can

significantly lower your chances of contracting an STD. Did you know that a

female (or "internal") condom can also help protect against STDs? Here's some

information on that.

Get tested, along with your partner, for STDs. And get treated, if necessary.

Don't have multiple sexual partners. That increases the odds of contracting an

STD.

Get screened. A simple blood test can detect HIV and syphilis. For chlamydia

and gonorrhea it's a throat swab, a swab of the vagina or penis or a urine sample.

 Annual screening is recommended if you have multiple partners.

Vaccines are available for two STDs: hepatitis B and HPV.

What happens if you don't treat an STD?

Untreated, your risk for another STD increases, because having one stimulates

an

immune response in your genital area that can then raise the risk of HIV. Also,

untreated STDs can lead to certain types of cancer, infertility or organ damage.

Any encouraging news to share?

Yes! Many STDs are highly preventable, treatable and curable. Currently

curable

are syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis. Incurable are hepatitis B,

 herpes simplex virus (HSV or herpes), HIV and HPV. But those that are

incurable can be reduced or modified through treatment, according to the World

Health Organization.