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Reply: pain in 1 testicle. not STD related

Testicular pain can be anything from an infection including STDs as well as...

Posted by Karen Luster, MD

2 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:pain in 1 testicle. not STD related Testicular pain can be anything from an infection including STDs as well as...

Reply: my new sex partner is very big really big and I am...

Make sure there is plenty of lubrication to help reduce friction. Warm baths...

Posted by Karen Luster, MD

6 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:my new sex partner is very big really big and I am small and sex hurts how can I help fix this problem Make sure there is plenty of lubrication to help reduce friction. Warm baths...

Sex and Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) and Sex Although most women do not get UTIs by...

Posted by Karen Luster, MD

0 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Sex and Urinary Tract Infections Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) and Sex Although most women do not get UTIs by...

Reply: Legality

Some data have shown an increase risk of cervical cancer in women who use estrogen...

Posted by Karen Luster, MD

3 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Legality Some data have shown an increase risk of cervical cancer in women who use estrogen...

Reply: Plan B help?

It is not uncommon for women to have irregular vaginal bleeding within a month of...

Posted by Karen Luster, MD

5 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Plan B help? It is not uncommon for women to have irregular vaginal bleeding within a month of...

Reply: Urge to Urinate after intercourse

The nerve that goes to the vagina also goes to the bladder. So some women may feel...

Posted by Karen Luster, MD

4 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Urge to Urinate after intercourse The nerve that goes to the vagina also goes to the bladder. So some women may feel...

Reply: how do you get a friable cervix? can i get rid of...

Friable cervix just means that there were signs of irritation such as easy...

Posted by Karen Luster, MD

4 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:how do you get a friable cervix? can i get rid of it? Friable cervix just means that there were signs of irritation such as easy...

Getting Tested for Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Part of good sexual health is just that, staying healthy and disease free. There...

Posted by Karen Luster, MD

Part of good sexual health is just that, staying healthy and disease free.

There are many sexually transmitted diseases. Some of these need to be checked for at least one a year. This is called screening. Other you can get tested for based on symptoms. This is called diagnosing.

1. Why should a person be tested?
· Untreated infections can lead to spread of infection to another person.
· Some infections (gonorrhea and Chlamydia) can lead to infertility
· Almost all of these infections can cause harm to an unborn or newborn baby. They can lead to birth defects, early labor, and blindness or sever illness from infections and fetal death.
· Some infections (including syphilis and HIV) can even result in disability or death to the infected person if left untreated.

2. What can a person be tested for
· HIV,
· Gonorrhea,
· Chlamydia,
· Syphilis,
· Trichomoniasis, or "trich"
· Bacterial Vaginosis

3. Who should get tested?
· Anyone who wants to be tested
· Anyone with penile or vaginal discharge
· Men who have symptoms such as burning with urination and recent sexual activity especially age less than 45
· Pregnant women
· Sexually active female age 25 years and younger (specifically for gonorrhea and Chlamydia)
· Anyone who tests positive for at least one STD
· Someone who is HIV positive or has AIDS
· "High risk" patients. This includes anyone who has had sex with more than 5 people in a lifetime or more than 1 person in a year.
· Men who have sex with men

4. How often should a person be tested?
· HIV: CDC (Centers for Disease Control) now recommends that everyone should be screened for HIV at least once a year regardless of whether you are having sex. On an individual basis if you doctor thinks you have no risk, they may not offer it to you.
· Women usually are tested or offered testing once a year at their routine physical to prevent missed diagnosis of gonorrhea or Chlamydia.
§ During routine pregnancy evaluations
· Men who have sex with men may be offered specific testing such as syphilis once a year
· People who are HIV+ or have AIDS tend to receive testing at least once a year

5. What about herpes and genital warts?
· Unfortunately, some STDs have to be diagnosed because there is little you can do to screen for it. Things like herpes and genital warts fall into this category. An example is a lot of people have cold sores or fever blister in their life. Taking a blood test to say you have had a cold sore when there is no sore just costs the patient money and pain (through a blood draw or unnecessary stress) and there is absolutely no treatment that would be given for this. But if a person has a cold sore on their lip then they can go to the doctor and get diagnosed and treatment if needed. This is the same with herpes of the genitals and genital warts. You have a "sore" or you don't. If there is a sore, you need to be treated. If there is no sore there is no treatment no matter the blood test results.

For more information: http://www.cdc.gov/std/healthcomm/the-facts.htm
View Thread

Posted byKaren Luster, MD

1 Reply | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Getting Tested for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Part of good sexual health is just that, staying healthy and disease free. There...

Reply: Birth Control Pills (Ortho Tri Cyclen LO)

You can not become addicted to birth control. Prolong use will not make you...

Posted by Karen Luster, MD

10 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Birth Control Pills (Ortho Tri Cyclen LO) You can not become addicted to birth control. Prolong use will not make you...

Reply: Sex after Hysterectomy

Don't' worry your cervix is not a plug that hold your insides up or in so nothing...

Posted by Karen Luster, MD

3 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Sex after Hysterectomy Don't' worry your cervix is not a plug that hold your insides up or in so nothing...

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