That Other Culprit: What Else You Can Get From Unprotected Sex

            We all know or somehow have an inkling on the common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that are diagnosed in thousands of men and women annually. In a nutshell, various public health and reproductive health programs and safe sex advocates warn against contacting syphilis, gonorrhea, Chlamydia, trichomoniasis, genital herpes, HPV, Hepatititis A,B, C, D, and E, and of course, HIV and AIDS. All of these diseases are likely to manifest themselves after practicing unprotected sex, the most common of which is foregoing the use of condoms. However, there are other lesser known diseases and conditions that may result when, for some reason or another, one foregoes safe sex and engage in acts without using protective devices, such as male or female condoms.
            One is chancroid, a condition caused by the bacteria Haemophilus ducreyiit and about a handful of person are infected of it every year. Most of those diagnosed with chancroid also report recent travels outside the country, particular to third world nations where it is prevalent. Being uncircumcised is also a risk factor. The physical manifestation of this disease are the appearance of a small bump in the genital areas that gets ulcerated over time and enlargement of the lymph node located in the inguinal fold of the body, above the thigh. Though treatable with antibiotics, people infected with chancroid also increase their risk of contacting AIDS and other STDs. A way of preventing it would be to practice safe sex, abstaining when you can, selecting only one sexual partner, or if you can’t really help it, using condoms whenever you engage in sexual acts, especially in high risk areas.
            Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is a condition that is not transmitted sexually. However, it is a secondary disease that results from gonorrhea or Chlamydia infections. PID develops when bacteria from the vagina and cervix infiltrates the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. Though some report no symptoms at all, most will experience lower abdominal pain, pain during urination and sex, and discharge with foul odor. If left untreated, PID can lead to infertility, as it damages the tissues inside the female reproductive organs. One way you can avoid PID is to adhere to the principles of safe sex and use condoms every time one has sexual contact to avoid the primary culprit, gonorrhea and Chlamydia.
            Another condition that affects women is bacterial vaginosis, manifested by vaginal discharge that has strong foul smell, as well as itching and burning sensation when urinating. This condition is caused by the imbalance of the bacterial composition in the vagina and the biggest culprit is having a new or multiple sex partners. Douching and the insertion of intrauterine devices are also implicated. Though easily treated, bacterial vaginosis increases the woman’s risk of getting STDs and HIV. Women already diagnosed with this condition should use female condoms when having sex, and insisting for their partner to wear male condoms, as well. As usual, safe sex practices still contribute a lot to human reproductive health and should not be forsaken.
            Other unsavory conditions that you might get from sexual acts are the infestations of public lice and scabies. Pubic lice, as the name suggests, make its home in the pubic hairs and gets spread around with direct contact. When you experience itching and crawling sensation in the genital area, chances are you are harboring these small parasites. A special kind of shampoo is used to kill pubic lice.
            Scabies are caused by Sarcoptes scabei, a kind of mite. It affects not only areas near the genitals but the whole body as well. Symptoms include intense itching, particularly during nighttime, and the subsequent sores caused by scratching. Specially formulated lotions are applied to kill the mites and alleviate itching.
            Though the last two conditions are not considered STDs in the strictest sense of the word, it is nevertheless an indication of frequent sexual activities, more probably with several partners. Persons diagnosed with scabies and pubic lice have increased chances of getting all the other STDs and should be made more aware about it. They are the ones that would greatly benefit from the understanding and practice of safe sex, particularly the proper use of condoms, if only to prevent them from contacting something infinitely more serious and life-threatening. Safe sex advocates could only do so much in raising awareness on the dangers of STD, individuals still need to heed the warnings and make conscious decisions on this matter. It would be good to remember that in this aspect of life, safe sex practices save lives, while recklessness and ignorance bring much pain and suffering.