signs of STI in men

What Are The Signs of Chlamydia In Men ? Major Symptoms Of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Men

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Watch Out For These Symptoms Of Major Sexually Transmitted Infections In Men

Sexually transmitted infections also known as Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are infections passed through anal, vaginal, and or oral sex.STIs like gonorrhea, syphilis, and Chlamydia are prevalent.
A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveillance report on STIs shows that over 2 million chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis cases were reported in 2020.
Some men may not show any signs of contracting the infections, but it is important to be on the lookout for the symptoms since if left untreated, STIs can cause severe damage to the body. Here are the major symptoms of various STIs in men:
men should use condoms to prevent sexually transmitted infections
men should use condoms to prevent sexually transmitted infections

HPV Human Papilloma Virus

HPV causes 9 out of 10 cases of cervical cancer, and 66.7% of South African women have it (Zizipho et al., 2018). This Sexually Transmitted Infection affects men in their late teens or early 20s. Males infected with the virus may not develop symptoms or they may start showing several months after the infection develops.
The most common symptom of HIV is warts in the mouth, genital or anus. Other times, HPV can cause serious health problems which include certain cancers. According to Dr. Douglas Lowy, a cancer researcher at NIH, a variety of cancers are caused by HPV the most prominent being cervical cancer.

How To Avoid Getting HPV

Use dental dams and condoms every time you have anal, oral, and vaginal sex to minimize the risks of contracting the virus.

Getting the HPV vaccine. Gardasil 9 is an HPV vaccine that can be used for both boys and girls.

Limit the number of sexual partners.

Gonorrhea

This infection develops in the urethra or throat and can be transmitted through oral or vaginal sex. Some of the symptoms of gonorrhea include anal bloody discharge, testicular pain, itchy anus, painful urination, and yellow discharge from the urethra.

Prevention and Treatment

The safest way to prevent the spread of the STI is through abstinence or using a barrier method every time you have oral, anal, or vaginal sex. It is also important to have candid conversations before engaging in sexual activity with new partners.

Testing regularly for STIs with new partners is also highly recommended. Since over-the-counter drugs cannot treat gonorrhea, antibiotics like amoxicillin have been used to cure gonorrhea in the past. There have been emerging strains of drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhea, antibiotics like Ceftriaxone injection and oral azithromycin (Zithromax) are being used to treat uncomplicated gonorrhea.

are recommended since in most cases they can cure the STI.

Chlamydia

partners should test regularly for sexually transmited infections
partners should test regularly for sexually transmitted infections
This bacterial STI is spread through oral, anal, or vaginal unprotected sex. Most people call it a silent infection since most people are mostly unaware that they have contracted it. It is estimated that 40-96% of people with chlamydia don’t have symptoms.

In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that there were approximately 4 million trusted Source cases of chlamydia in the United States. Some symptoms of the STD include pain during urinating, pain and swelling in the testicles, and discharge from the penis.

Risk factors for infection

Having a history of other STIs including chlamydia.
Not using barrier protection when having sexual intercourse with new partners.
Having a sexual partner who also has other sexual partners.

Treatment

A single dose of azithromycin or taking doxycycline twice a day for 7 to 14 days can cure chlamydia.

Syphilis

This STD is transmitted through anal, oral, or vaginal unprotected sex. It is commonly known as the Great Pretender since its symptoms are similar to those of other STDs. The symptoms progress in three stages; Primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary all stages having a unique set of symptoms.

Primary Syphilis

Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, and groin
Sores on the fingers and buttocks

Secondary syphilis

Swollen lymph nodes
Headaches
Sore throat
Lesions in the mouth, anus, or groin
Sexually transmitted infections may cause penis pain
Sexually transmitted infections may cause penis pain

The latent stage

  It has  no visible symptoms and can last for many years

Tertiary Syphilis

This stage causes severe health complications like stroke, dementia, heart blindness, and numbness.

Prevention and Treatment of Infection

Using protection during sexual intercourse lowers the chances of spreading the infection.

Avoid sharing needles if using injected drugs.

Avoid sharing sex toys.

Practicing safe sex like using latex condoms or dental dams.

Syphilis can be cured by taking oral antibiotics like Doxycycline (100 mg orally 2 times/day for 14 days) (600,601) and tetracycline (500 mg orally 4 times/day for 14 days)  can prevent it from damaging the body further.

Take Away: People who are sexually active should go for thorough screening to ensure early detection and treatment of sexually transmitted infections to prevent infections from spreading. One can avoid contracting these STIs by using barrier protection like condoms and vaccinating themselves to prevent Hepatitis B and HPV.
What Are The Signs of Chlamydia In Men ? Major Symptoms Of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Men 1 1420

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