Aging and STD

Age is never one’s preventive measure against sexually transmitted diseases. It does not mean that if you are already old then you will not be infected with STDs. Aging is not your passage to becoming disease-free. Some older people may even have a higher risk of becoming infected with STD. Aging should be a happy journey; one does not have to suffer the complications STD during the latter period of time. This is why it is important to make sure that the older people are also well informed about sexually transmitted diseases. This way, they may know how to protect themselves and their health.

Some older people may be at risk of getting STD infection because they lack reproductive health checkups. They may not know it but they are already infected during their earlier ages but since they do not have any reproductive health screenings, it was not detected. Until long term symptoms show as they aged, but these are often mistaken for diseases of old age. This is why the disease was not treated.

Another high risk factor is that women, thinning of the vagina walls happen after menopause. So, tearing may occur during sexual intercourse making the woman more susceptible to infection and viruses. Also old people are not aware that they may also get infected with STD which makes them practice unprotected sex.

People as they age may get stubborn at times and would not want to listen anymore. It is important to give them lots of information sources where they may believe and listen to. The internet may not be that appealing to them but books or writings may work. It is just important that they know what might happen to them if ever they get infected with STD.

One health complications that happen with an STD infected person is cancer. The most is the cervical cancer. This results from the sexually transmitted disease HPV. Cervical cancer is a highly preventable disease. If one has regular reproductive health screening like pap smear, changes in a woman’s organs that may result to cervical cancer may be detected.

Just like any other STDs, if one is detected right away, the patient may be given treatment and cure. There are certain diseases that may be cured through antibiotics. The bacteria may then be completely eliminated from the patient’s system. This is when an STD test is most needed.

STD testing is able to detect any sexually transmitted diseases which then transfer the patient to its proper treatment. If an STD is ignored and untreated, it may result to other different illness like cancer, pneumonia and hepatitis. The initial action to take if a person has seen symptoms or signs of STD is to have the test. This way, one can confirm his or her health condition. This is also to provide prompt treatment and cure if possible. This also goes to those who are just suspecting that they have been infected with STD.