Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), also known as venereal diseases, is a broad term that refers to more than 50 diseases and syndromes, which may be transmitted through the exchange of body fluids such as semen, vaginal fluid, and blood.

However, you can get some STDs, such as Herpes and HPV , by kissing and caressing or direct contact with infected areas. STDs can be serious and painful and may have long term health consequences including sterility, chronic infection, scarring of a woman’s fallopian tubes, ectopic pregnancy, cancer, and death.

STDs affect men and women of all backgrounds and economic levels. A conservative estimate predicts that STDs will affect one in four sexually-active Americans at some time. Nearly 65% of all STDs occur in people younger than 25 years of age. The most common STDs on college campuses include chlamydia, genital herpes , and genital warts .

Unfortunately some sexually transmitted diseases cause no symptoms. For example, it is estimated that from 10 to 20 percent of the male population and 75 percent of the female population who are infected with chlamydia experience no symptoms. You can be infected and unknowingly transmit a disease.

Several common signs which may indicate an STD are listed below. These symptoms can show up anytime from two days to several months after initial exposure to the disease. Though it is rare, some symptoms show up as much as several years later.

You may feel embarrassed about having an STD. Do not allow your embarrassment to keep you from seeking medical attention. Procrastinating and hoping that the symptoms will disappear is not the answer. Every day that you wait means increased risk to you and your partner(s) health. That is why it is also important to notify your sexual partner(s) as early as possible so that they can be tested and receive proper treatment.

Diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases varies. Some STDs are diagnosed by physical examination, while others require blood tests or other types of laboratory tests. If you have reason to believe that you have been exposed to an STD, see your health care provider immediately. Even if you experience no symptoms (which is characteristic of some STDs), if you are sexually active you may need to be screened for certain STDs as part of your regular medical check-up.

STDs include bacterial and viral organisms and parasites. Bacterial STDs, such as gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis, are relatively easy to cure with antibiotics if diagnosed early. Viral STDs such as genital herpes , genital warts , and HIV/AIDS cannot be cured, however, symptoms can be relieved. No STD should be dismissed as harmless. Even a curable sexually transmitted disease, if left untreated, can have serious consequences. Also, having an STD once does not protect you from getting the same or other STDs in the future.

Methods of protecting yourself from STDs range from abstaining to practicing safer sexual behaviors. Outlined below are a number of ways in which you can protect yourself from STDs.

Abstinence is when you voluntarily refrain from engaging in sexual activity. For some individuals this may mean not having sexual intercourse. To others it may mean not having any genital contact. No genital contact is the best protection against STDs.

Safer sex entails a wide range of sexual activities. Some sexual activities carry no risk of infection. Others have limited risk. If you do choose to have sexual intercourse it is important to practice responsible sexual behavior. This entails taking a number of precautions.

Always use a latex condom and spermicide for anal and vaginal intercourse, regardless of the need for contraception.

The condom is the best protection currently available against STDs for sexually active people.

Always use a latex barrier (condom, dental dam) for oral-genital sex. There is risk of transmitting many sexually transmitted diseases from the mouth to the genital area or from the genital area to the mouth. (See "Should I use a barrier for oral sex?" below.)

Limit your number of sexual partners. Restricting your sexual activities to a committed relationship in which you and your partner make an agreement to be faithful sexually makes good emotional as well as disease prevention sense.

Avoid sexual contact until you and your partner(s) have been tested for pre-existing STDs. However, be aware that some STD infections may not be detected by testing or visual exam.

Do not rely upon your partner to know the sexual history of all his or her partners.

Do not rely upon your partner to tell the truth because studies indicate that many college men and women do not reveal everything about their sexual history.

Before you have sex, look closely for any signs of an STD: a rash, a sore, redness or discharge on your partner(s) genitals. If you notice anything unusual, refrain from any sexual contact and insist your partner(s) get a medical checkup.

If you or a partner was ever infected with a viral STD like herpes, genital warts, or HIV avoid unprotected sex. Even if no symptoms are present, the virus is still there and can be transmitted.

If you are infected with an STD, notify your partner(s) so they can be evaluated and treated and will not infect others.

If you have an STD, refrain from sexual activity until you and your partner(s) have completed the entire treatment, even if your symptoms disappear before the treatment is finished.

If you are using oral contraceptives, a diaphragm, or an IUD, protect yourself from STDs by insisting that your partner use a condom.

Know the signs and symptoms of STDs. If you notice a symptom that worries you, get medical attention. Do not wait.

If you have more than one partner, you should have a regular STD checkup one to two times a year.

Health professionals often recommend using a barrier during oral sex (oral-vaginal sex, oral-penile sex or oral-anal sex) to reduce the possible transmission of STDs. Barrier options include non-spermicidal latex condoms and dental dams. Though no testing has been done on plastic wrap, some people choose to use it as a barrier for oral sex.

A dental dam is a six-inch square piece of latex, sometimes flavored, used during oral-vaginal sex or oral-anal sex to prevent the transmission of STDs from the anus or vagina to the mouth or the mouth to the vagina or anus. Although dental dams have not been clinically tested to prove effectiveness in preventing STDs, the use of dental dams for these types of oral sex is recommended.

To use the dam, first rinse it to remove the powdery talc. Pat it dry with a low-lint towel or let it air-dry. In oral-anal contact use the dam to cover your partner’s anus.

Remember to use a new dental dam each time you have oral sex and use only one side. Always use separate dams if you are practicing both oral-vaginal and oral-anal sex because anal organisms can be harmful to the vagina.

If you do not have a dental dam you can make a latex barrier by cutting a rolled non-spermicidal latex condom with a pair of scissors from the edge to the center. Unroll the resulting sheet of latex. This can be used just like a dental dam only it is much thinner.

Reduce your risk by using a non-spermicidal latex condom on the penis from start to finish if you decide to have anal, or oral sex. Use condoms and spermicide with nonoxynol 9 for anal sex, since this chemical has been shown to kill HIV and other STDs in test tubes. (See article "Condoms" )

Being under the influence of drugs and alcohol can drastically reduce your ability to make self-protecting decisions. Alcohol and other drugs may cloud your judgment and lead you to engage in unsafe sexual practices, therefore placing you at risk of infection.