According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are an estimated 20 million new sexually transmitted disease infections in the United States each year.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services ranks Cumberland County as fifth in the state for sexually transmitted diseases, with the exception of chlamydia, where it ranks fourth.
While these numbers can be daunting, STDs are preventable. There are simple steps that you can take to avoid giving or getting an STD.
The surest way to avoid STDs is to not have sex. This means abstaining from all forms of sex -- vaginal, oral, or anal.
If that seems unrealistic, the next step is to have fewer partners. Agree to only have sex with one person. That person must also agree to only have sex with you. As part of this agreement, both partners should get tested to know for sure that neither one of you has an STD. Talking to your partner before having sex about STDs might be uncomfortable, but protecting your health is your responsibility.
Use condoms. Using a condom correctly every time you have sex can help you avoid getting or spreading an STD.
The most common STD, human papillomavirus, can be prevented by a vaccine. The vaccine is safe and can help you avoid HPV-related health problems, including genital warts and some cancers. The HPV vaccine is routine for boys and girls ages 11 to 12. It can also be administered as a catch-up vaccination for young women ages 13 to 26; young men ages 13 to 21; gay, bisexual and other men up to the age of 26 who have sex with men; and men with a compromised immune system up to the age of 26.
The most important thing is to get tested, which can be done by scheduling an appointment with your primary care provider. Many STDs don't have symptoms, but they can still cause health problems. If you have unprotected sex and think you might be at risk, it depends on the disease on how long it would take to show symptoms. You may never show symptoms, but you still want to get tested.
"It's like a gun," said Howard Franklin Jr., a physician assistant at the Womack Army Medical Center Epidemiology and Disease Control Clinic. "I could hand you a gun and tell you it was unloaded, but you would still want to check to make sure there wasn't a round in the chamber before you pointed it at yourself or someone you loved. Getting tested is the same premise as making sure that gun really isn't loaded."
Getting an STD can be a life changing event said Franklin. However, many STDs are curable and all are treatable. The key is getting tested as soon as you suspect you or your partner may have an STD and start treatment immediately to avoid getting reinfected or infecting someone else.
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