Preventing STDs may sound like a no brainer but STDs are more common than you realize. People do not walk around with a scarlet letter indicating they have chlamydia, herpes or HIV. The reality is that people often have no signs or symptoms making transmission easy.
So how do you protect yourself?
*Talk openly with your partner. Know their history and ask them to be tested.
*Get tested after an unprotected sexual contact, with new signs or symptoms, and before starting a new relationship.
*Use condoms. Condoms do not protect against all stds because there is still skin on skin contact but condoms can significantly reduce your chance of a STD.
*Know the facts and the signs and symptoms of STDs. Many STDs do not cause symptoms or only cause mild symptoms that one attributes to a urinary tract infection, a yeast infection, or razor burn. Genital herpes is a great example. The majority of people are unaware they have genital herpes (as high as 87% do not know). Asymptomatic people can still spread the virus and viral shedding occurs on 10% of days.
The CDC (The Center for Disease Control) has great resources. Contact our office with any questions or to schedule an appointment for std screening.