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Dr. Lifton's Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the effective methods of birth control?
- Which birth control methods do NOT prevent
unwanted pregnancy?
- What are the general symptoms of Sexually
Transmitted Diseases (STDs)?
- What are the major risk factors of STDs?
- What should every person
know about STDs?
- What exactly are HIV and AIDS?
- Tell me about Gonorrhea and
Chlamydia?
- Tell me about Hepatitis B?
- Tell me about Hepatitis C?
- Tell me about Vaginitis?
- Fact or Fiction:
"Condoms will protect me from STDs"
- Fact or
Fiction: "Only people who have sex a lot will get STDs"
- Fact or Fiction:
"If I don't have symptoms, I don't have to be checked for STDs"
- Fact
or Fiction: "I won't get pregnant even though I don't use
contraception"
- Fact or Fiction:
"AIDS is a gay or homosexual disease"
- What are some
other common myths about STDs?
- What
are the short and long term consequences of STDs?
- How can I
find out answers to more of my questions?
- Abstinence
- Condoms - male and female
- Birth Control Pills
- Injections
- Diaphragm
- Inserts
- Norplant insertions
- Mini-pill (progesterone only)
- Regular birth control pills
- IUDs - Intrauterine Devices
- Cervical caps
- Creams
- Jellies
- Foams
- Film
- Surgical sterilizations - tying of female tubes or male vasectomy - meant
to be PERMANENT - reversal very costly and sometimes doesn't work
- Breastfeeding
- Douching
- Withdrawal
- Taking birth control pills only the day of, the day before, or the day
after intercourse
- Standing
- Having intercourse for the first time
- Having infrequent intercourse
- Rhythm
- Unusual vaginal discharge (changes in odor, color, consistency, amount)
- Bleeding during intercourse
- Pelvic pain
- Tingling or itching in the vaginal area
- Blisters or sores in the sexual areas
- Warts or bumps in the sexual areas
- Persistent vaginal yeast infection
- Jaundice
- Swollen lymph nodes in the groin
- Pain, difficulty, or failure when urinating
- Unprotected anal sex
- Unprotected vaginal sex
- Sharing needles (for piercing, tattooing, or drugs)
- Unprotected sex on a female with her period
- Unprotected sex on a male who "comes"
- Unprotected oral-anal contact
- Getting feces or urine in anus, vagina, or mouth
- Unprotected finger or fist insertion
- Unprotected oral sex on a male who DOES NOT "come"
- Unprotected oral sex on a female who DOES NOT have her period
The fastest growing population is the high school
population. Females are more susceptible to STDs than males because of
their anatomy. In most women (and some men), there are no symptoms of
STDs. Not only does a sexual partner not tell about the disease, often the
woman herself doesn't know she has it. If discovered early enough,
treatment can be simple (often antibiotics). However, if a case goes
untreated, the damage can be permanent, life-altering, or life-threatening.
Immunity to STDs does NOT develop, and some STDs are incurable. STDs have
nothing to do with cleanliness or grooming. STDs know no geographical or
socioeconomic boundaries. STDs can be transmitted by oral sex, anal sex,
vaginal sex, or even by heavy petting. Penile penetration does NOT have to
occur.
HIV is the Human Immunodeficiency Viral retrovirus which
results in the bodies inability to fight infection. AIDS is the Acquired
Immunodeficiency Syndrome and is subsequent to HIV by 3-10 years.
Abstinence is the only guaranteed method of prevention. Symptoms range
from none to specific infections or a specific skin cancer. Drug abuse,
promiscuous activity, tattooing, and sharing needles are among the high risk
activities for HIV and AIDS. Blood tests are the main method of
determining the presence of the virus and there is currently no cure.
Tell me about Gonorrhea
and Chlamydia?
Gonorrhea and Chlamydia are
very closely related, in terms of symptoms, infection sites, and treatments.
In fact, they are complimentary infections, meaning that if you have one
disease, you more than likely have the other one, too, and you are treated most
times for both diseases. The only difference between the diseases is that
each disease is caused by different bacteria. A main symptom is a pusy
discharge, but often there are none. Both diseases can involve the cervix,
rectum, throat, and/or the opening to the bladder. Different antibiotics
are used to treat each disease, and can only be prescribed by a doctor.
The high risk category includes intravenous drug users and sexually liberated
persons. If you are included in this high-risk category, you should
undergo periodic testing.
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Tell me about Hepatitis
B?
Hepatitis B is a viral
disease of the liver and can only be avoided through abstinence. Jaundice
is the main symptom. Promiscuous activities and drug use are in the high
risk category for this disease. Identification of infection is done
through blood testing, and treatment can range from nothing to liver transplant.
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Tell me about Hepatitis
C?
Hepatitis C is a viral disease that leads to infection of
the liver and can eventually cause liver cancer. Again, abstinence is the
only effective method of prevention. (A trend is appearing!).
Symptoms, testing, and treatment are similar to that for Hepatitis B.
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Tell me about Vaginitis?
Vaginitis is an infection of
the vagina. Male/female condoms and abstinence are the main forms of
prevention. Symptoms include itching and unusual discharge.
Antibiotics and various creams are the normal treatments.
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Fact or
Fiction: "Condoms will protect me from STDs"
Fiction: A recent
report from the Department of Health and Human Services evaluated 8 widespread
STDs. The results? Condoms give girls and women no protection from 7
of the 8 STDs studied, even when used correctly. Condoms do not stop
genital HPV - the cause of almost all cervical cancer. If you have sex,
you are at risk!
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Fact
or Fiction: "Only people who have sex a lot will get STDs"
Fiction: Even if you've
only had sex with one person, there's a chance that you've been infected with an
STD. Remember, you're sleeping with every person they've ever slept with.
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Fact or
Fiction: "If I don't have symptoms, I don't have to be checked for
STDs"
Fiction: You could have
an STD and not even know it. Some people have no symptoms. Some
people might have itching, sores, and extra fluids from their sex organs, or a
burning feeling when they pee. Get checked routinely to be certain that
you are healthy!
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Fact
or Fiction: "I won't get pregnant even though I don't use
contraception"
Fiction: There are many
methods for preventing unwanted pregnancy and one or several of them must be
used. Abstinence is the most preventive. Please see the following
website for a variety of these methods and their failure rates. http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/summarychart.html.
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Fact or
Fiction: "AIDS is a gay or homosexual disease"
Fiction: Infection with
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is increasing more rapidly among heterosexuals.
Many people are being infected with HIV through sexual activity with someone of
the opposite sex.
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What
are some other common myths about STDs?
Some common myths:
- You can tell if someone has an STD.
- You can tell if you have an STD.
- Getting an STD is no big deal - it's easy to treat and then you're immune.
- If you're clean, well dressed and groomed, you won't catch them.
- If you live in certain areas, you're immune from them.
- You must have sexual intercourse to catch them.
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What
are the short and long term consequences of STDs?
Short term consequences:
- Bad health
- Infertility
- Discomfort
- Distress (emotional and physical)
Long term consequences:
- Blockage of the fallopian tubes which can lead to infertility and ectopic
pregnancy.
- Pregnancy loss and increased newborn deaths caused by transmission of the
infection to the infant during pregnancy and childbirth.
- Genital cancers
- Enhanced transmission of HIV/AIDS
- It can be a large medical expense that people are not prepared for
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How
can I find out answers to more of my questions?
To find the answers to more of your
questions contact me, Dr. Lifton, by clicking here.
I am qualified to answer all gynecological questions. All information is private and confidential. Thank you for
visiting my site.
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