Part Twelve: Self-Discovery of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Clarification of Common Misconceptions

◇A Guide to Caring for Your Husband's Health as a Good Wife◇

Previous articleBAO JIAN ZHI SHI

Health knowledge

How to detect sexually transmitted diseases on your own

Be alert to the possibility of sexually transmitted diseases in the following 30 situations (especially after unprotected sex):

◎If the individual or their sexual partner discovers abnormal discharge from the urethra after unprotected sex, sometimes only a small amount of discharge in the morning or after urination, and feels burning or pain when urinating.

◎Men often have a small amount of watery or mucous discharge from the urethral opening, resembling a crust sealing the opening, or their groin may be soiled.

◎Male patients who experience frequent urination, urgency, painful urination, and difficulty urinating, and who experience painful penile erections when falling asleep at night.

◎Male patients with scrotal swelling, or swelling and tenderness of the testicles or epididymis.

◎Female patients with increased vaginal discharge, vulvar itching, or lower abdominal pain (or tenderness).

◎Women may experience redness, swelling, pain, and heat in the labia, possibly with purulent discharge, along with fever and general malaise.

◎Those with painful or painless ulcers on the vulva.

◎Those with wart-like growths on the vulva.

◎Those with wart-like growths (sharp, cauliflower-like, or flat wart-like growths) in the perianal or perineal area.

◎Those with recurrent clusters or scattered small blisters on the vulva.

◎Painless and non-itchy skin rashes all over the body (mainly the trunk), accompanied by swollen lymph nodes, general malaise, loss of appetite, and joint pain.

◎Those with a history of homosexuality, redness and swelling of the anal skin and mucous membranes, purulent discharge, discomfort or difficulty in defecation, pain or bleeding during defecation.

◎Those with a history of oral sex who experience redness and swelling of the oral and pharyngeal mucosa, purulent discharge, or discomfort or pain when swallowing food.

◎Those who develop purulent infections of the skin and mucous membranes after engaging in deviant sexual behavior.

◎ Enlarged inguinal lymph nodes on one or both sides, adhered to surrounding tissues, may rupture to form fistulas, and are painful and tender to the touch.

◎Those with contracture scars in the inguinal lymph nodes and anorectal walls.

◎ Rectal stenosis, difficulty in defecation, and stool mixed with pus and blood.

◎If the mother has a history of syphilis, the newborn may have blisters or erosions on the skin and mucous membranes, hoarseness or wrinkled skin, radial cracks at the corners of the mouth, or periodontitis.

◎If a mother has a history of syphilis, her offspring may develop conjunctivitis, blurred vision, deafness, serrated teeth, or a rounded and convex frontal bone, and a forward-bulging tibia in their adolescence.

◎If the mother has a history of gonorrhea, and the newborn has red and swollen eyelids and discharge.

◎ Young girls with redness, swelling, and pain in the vulva, painful urination, or purulent discharge; young girls with wart-like growths on the vulva.

Anyone with a history of syphilis who has recently developed the following conditions should also be vigilant:

◎Persistent dull pain in the joints, which worsens at night or during rest and is relieved during the day or during activity.

◎Those whose hair loss appears as irregular, insect-bite-like edges.

◎The skin has small, hard, dark red or copper-red nodules arranged in a ring or arc shape.

◎Those with slowly developing dark red infiltrated patches in the oral cavity or nasal cavity.

◎The skin develops lumps that, after rupturing, release a sticky, gum-like secretion, and may even ulcerate and perforate due to bone damage.

◎ Patients with aortic inflammation, aortic aneurysm, or aortic valve insufficiency.

◎Spinal tuberculosis (inability to control the movement of the limbs at will and to perform correct and moderate movements).

◎ Individuals with muscle relaxation in the limbs, sensory disturbances, and malnutrition of the skin.

◎Those with eye symptoms.

Can sexually transmitted diseases be diagnosed with the naked eye?

Some sexually transmitted infection (STI) symptoms are visible on the vulva or skin, aiding in diagnosis. However, some STI carriers can shed bacteria and infect others without showing any visible symptoms. For example, about 50% of women infected with gonorrhea do not develop symptoms, but the gonococci in their vulva can still transmit the disease to others. Similarly, about 90% of HIV-infected individuals are not yet symptomatic but are infectious and can infect others. STI patients who already have symptoms, especially if their symptoms are mild or the rash is subtle and easily overlooked, pose a greater risk of infection.

Doctors diagnose sexually transmitted diseases by considering three aspects: medical history, symptoms, and laboratory tests. It is extremely unreliable to try to determine whether you have a sexually transmitted disease by visual inspection alone.

Can sexually transmitted diseases be transmitted through swimming pools?

Modern medicine has confirmed that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are primarily transmitted through sexual contact, and in rare cases, through contaminated personal items such as towels, bath towels, bathtubs, toilets, and bedding. However, most STD pathogens are quite delicate and thrive in warm, moist environments and secretions, and cannot survive long outside the human body. Therefore, common disinfection methods can kill them. Nowadays, most swimming pool water is disinfected, with a chlorine content of 0.5 mg/L. Under such conditions, STD pathogens die quickly, thus preventing transmission. However, risk factors still exist, such as inadequate or non-existent disinfection of the pool water; sharing towels, bath towels, or swimming attire with carriers or patients; and the possibility of contracting STDs. Therefore, swimming should be done in well-hygienic and disinfected pools, and personal hygiene should be maintained. Avoid borrowing towels or clothing from others, shower promptly after swimming, and ideally urinate immediately to flush the urethra. Relevant departments should also strengthen the disinfection management of swimming pool water, testing the chlorine content twice daily, morning and evening. If the residual chlorine is insufficient, it should be added in time; if the pool water is unclean, it should be changed in time to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Can sexually transmitted diseases cause erectile dysfunction?

Generally speaking, if a sexually transmitted disease (STD) is treated properly and cured, it will not cause erectile dysfunction. However, some people, due to a lack of prior knowledge about STDs, may accidentally contract one and experience physical pain and mental stress. Even after recovery, the memory of the illness remains vivid, creating a heavy psychological burden. They fear the infection might not have fully progressed into their reproductive organs and worry about transmitting it to their wives through sexual intercourse. This constant anxiety and reluctance to engage in sexual activity can lead to psychogenic erectile dysfunction. These individuals experience numerous anxieties, emotional tension, feelings of guilt and self-blame, and the added pressure from their wives or societal discrimination can further depress them and worsen their erectile dysfunction. In reality, STDs are completely curable if treated promptly and systematically at a reputable specialist hospital. From a physiological perspective, they will not affect sexual function and will not cause erectile dysfunction. In addition, it is more important to have the right understanding, correct bad sexual behaviors, and gain the wife's understanding and sympathy. This will remove the burden, make you feel relaxed and at ease, and your sex life will naturally be more satisfactory.

However, some patients with sexually transmitted diseases may avoid seeking medical help, resort to indiscriminate treatment or medication, or continue indulging in excessive sexual activity, leading to a worsening of the infection and various complications such as epididymitis, prostatitis, seminal vesiculitis, balanitis, and fistula formation. Inflammation of the reproductive system can severely affect sexual function, potentially causing erectile dysfunction.