April is STD Awareness Month.
According to the Center for Disease, Control and Prevention (CDC), sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) are on the rise. Young people ages 15–24, and gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men continue to be at greatest risk for infection. Individual risk behaviors, environmental, social, and cultural factors, and difficulty accessing health care contribute to the increasing number of STDs. The good news is that STDs are preventable! You can protect your sexual health by taking three simple steps: Talk, Test, Treat. Know how to talk about STDs, when to test for STDs, and how to treat STDs.
The second step in protecting your sexual health is Test. Many STDs don’t cause any symptoms. If you’re having sex, the only way to know if you have an STD is to get tested.
The third step in protecting your sexual health is Treat. Some STDs can be cured with the right medicine from your doctor. It is important that you take all of the medication your doctor prescribes. Other STDs are not curable, but they are treatable. Your doctor can talk with you about which medications are right for you.