Some major myths about sexual health

Many dangerous infections and diseases can be contracted through sexual intercourse, so having the wrong notion about it is both risky and deadly.


Below are a few Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) misconceptions that you need to stop believing to be true.

Myth: You can’t get diseases though oral sex.

Fact: You can contract gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HPV and herpes simplex virus from any oral-genital contact. It’s rare to transmit HIV through oral sex, however there is a 0.01 per cent risk if you’re giving, 0.05-0.1 per cent if you’re receiving.


Myth: If you feel fine, you’re fine.

Fact: Most STIs are  without symptoms. The only way to know if you have them is to get tested.



Myth: You’ll know if your sexual partner has an STI by looking at them.

Fact: No, you would not know by just looking.


Myth: If you only have sex with someone once you’re probably fine.

Fact: Any kind of sexual contact with someone, even if it’s only once, can get you infected.


Myth: Getting an STI once means you’re immune later.

Fact: Nope. (Some strains of chlamydia may confer a degree of protection from re-infection, but for syphilis, gonorrhea, hepatitis you can get infected again and again.)


Myth: If you’re not having sex with a new person every night, you don’t need to get tested.

Fact: You should get tested between sexual partners, right after getting a new partner, and once every three to six months if you’re having sex with multiple people over that period of time. If you’re in a long-term, monogamous relationship, you can get tested whenever you get regular check up.

Resources:

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/970.aspx?CategoryID=118

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/oralsex.html

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/hs/pubhealth/modules/reproductiveHealth/infections.html

https://www.verywell.com/asymptomatic-disease-and-the-std-epidemic-3133039