An unpleasant surprise after a spa romance or a romantic adventure with a stranger can be an STD. The topic is rather delicate, so people, as a rule, are in no hurry to go to the doctor. However, sexually transmitted diseases in women, the symptoms of which may be absent, can lead to very unpleasant consequences.
Today there are more than 20 of them. The most common STDs are chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, genital herpes, hepatitis, genital warts, and, of course, the most formidable - HIV.
The problem is that the symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases in women are not always manifested. Often they do not even realize that they are infected and continue to transmit the infection to their sexual partners, and sometimes to relatives through the household.
The disease, with its asymptomatic course, causes the body no less harm than in the presence of vivid symptoms. Without timely therapy, it becomes chronic, which is harder to diagnose and treat. It can manifest itself as periodic exacerbations with a decrease in immunity.
So, how do sexually transmitted diseases manifest themselves? Symptoms in women depend on the body and have a different severity. STDs can manifest themselves as follows:
- redness, itching, burning, soreness and swelling of the genitals;
- unusual discharge (copious, purulent, having an unpleasant odor and a strange color, foamy, etc.);
- painful and rapid urination ;
- the appearance of ulcers, rashes, neoplasms on the genitals;
- abdominal pain;
- cycle disturbances;
- pain during sex.
Even the presence of one of these symptoms is an occasion to consult a doctor. By the way, inflammation of the urogenital system, caused not by STDs, but by the usual opportunistic flora, also manifests itself in a similar way. It is impossible to distinguish them only by symptoms, therefore it is necessary to visit a gynecologist or venereologist.
Treatment can be prescribed only after the pathogen is established. Quite often, a combination of several diseases is observed. Therefore, usually in the presence of symptoms, a complete diagnosis is performed.
Today, crops and PCR are used to detect sexually transmitted diseases in women. Symptoms can only indirectly indicate specific pathogens. For example, the presence of ulcers is characteristic of genital herpes and trichomoniasis, and the appearance of rotten fish odor in secretions is for gardnerella.
PCR is highly accurate and can detect even one DNA of the pathogen in the material. With the help of crops, you can determine the number of microorganisms and drugs to which they are sensitive. The main disadvantage of the method is a very long analysis, about a week.
To detect HIV, hepatitis and syphilis, blood is usually given from a vein. These are the most formidable diseases that can even lead to the death of a person without treatment.
Sexually transmitted diseases in women are especially dangerous for reproductive function. Their symptoms go away without treatment, but chronic inflammation remains. Over time, they lead to the formation of adhesions, pathological changes in the mucous membranes, can periodically worsen, this is especially dangerous during pregnancy, because it can lead to its pathologies and even miscarriage.
Quite often, chronic endometritis leads to infertility , in which implantation of the embryo and its bearing become problematic. Sluggish ovarian inflammation disrupts their functioning, questions the possibility of pregnancy and worsens women's health.
However, the most common complication of STDs, especially chlamydia, is the obstruction of the fallopian tubes. It occurs when there are adhesions in them and in the pelvis. With this pathology, either fertilization is not possible at all, or an ectopic pregnancy occurs that threatens the woman's life.
So, sexually transmitted diseases in women, whose symptoms may be absent, must be treated. Otherwise, they can lead to infertility, chronic inflammation, pelvic pain, even cancer and death.