Categories
Featured

Cancer Prevention

[amazon_link asins=’0670021644,B01IG7QRO6′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’05befc71-0947-11e7-a023-5128f355f2dd’]

Cancer conjures up images of mutilating surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, years with doctors and in hospitals, and — most terrible — death. It comes in many avatars and can attack any part of the body. The risk factors for the ailment are many. It has been found to have associations with infections, lifestyle, genetic factors and heredity. If an injection is available to prevent cancer, it is hard to imagine anyone opting not to take it!

Viruses have long been known to cause infections that can progress to cancer. Previously, the association was suspected but not proven. Today, with electron microscopes, DNA sequencing and other advanced techniques, the association between certain viral infections and cancer has been conclusively proven. Of these, two types of cancer — of the cervix and some cancers of the liver — can be prevented with timely immunisation.a

The statistics speak for themselves. Cervical cancer (or cancer of the neck of the uterus) accounts for 25 per cent of all cancers in women. It is commoner than breast cancer (14 per cent). Around 1,30,000 cases are detected annually in India and half of these women eventually succumb to the disease.

Cervical cancer has long been associated with certain risk factors. It is more likely to occur if the woman smokes, does not have a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, is exposed to multiple male sexual partners, has her first sexual contact before the age of 17 years, or has multiple pregnancies. A higher incidence is also noted if the woman has other sexually transmitted infections like Chlamydia or infection with HIV.

Recently, the association between infection with HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) and cervical cancer has been conclusively established. More than 95 per cent of the women with cervical cancer have evidence of HPV infection. Although 75 per cent of normal women have evidence of HPV infection, the virus persists and goes on to cause cancer in 5-10 per cent.

There are 130 identified types of HPV. Some cause infection but produce no symptoms like fever or pain, and are harmless. The patient may remain totally unaware of the infection. Other subtypes of HPV may cause warts on the skin. Around 30-40 types of the virus is transmitted through sexual contact. They may produce no symptoms when the infection first occurs. The virus can persist in the surface mucosa of the moist ano-genital areas. It can produce disfiguring warts in these areas. It can extend into the vaginal areas and cervix. Cancerous changes occur 20-30 years after the initial infection, when the woman is in her 40s and 50s.The progression depends on the type of virus and is more likely to occur if the infection occurred with the subtypes 15-20.

Once the association between cervical cancer and HPV was established, the scientific community got to work and produced a vaccine. It has been extensively studied and is now marketed in India by two companies under the trade names “Gardasil” and “Cervarix”. This is a major scientific breakthrough and cervical cancer can now be prevented in future generations of women.

The dosage schedule advised for HPV vaccine is as follows. The first dose is given between nine and 11 years of age. The second dose is administered two months later, and the third six months after that. No booster doses are advised at present. Women who have not been immunised can have the first dose at any time up to the age of 26 years. If they have already been exposed to HPV, the vaccine will only protect them against the strains to which they have not been exposed. Immunisation is not advised in pregnancy but can be given to breast-feeding mothers. Side effects are rare and include fever and rash.

For those of us who are older and have not had access to the vaccine, a screening test called “pap smear” (Papanicolaou test) can be done to detect cervical cancer in its early stages. The test is widely used and is effective. Screening should ideally be done three years after sexual activity has started and then continued every three years after that. Many Indian women do not have access to this test or are unaware of it.

Liver cancer and chronic liver disease can occur in people who develop hepatitis B infection. This too is a viral disease which is spread by contact with infected body fluids (blood transfusions, sexual intercourse). Infection can be prevented by three doses of hepatitis B vaccine. The second dose is given a month after the first and the third six months later.

Men and women should receive immunisation against Hepatitis B. At present, HPV vaccine is advised only for girls. Perhaps we have forgotten that women get the infection from their infected male partners, making a case for non-gender specific universal immunisation of all children.

Source: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Categories
Featured

Dealing with Sexual Assault

We perceive India as a safe, tradition bound country that honours women and loves children. Yet, our cities are becoming famous, even internationally, for molestation and rape. The number of cases reported has increased 700 per cent since Independence. And this is probably only the tip of the iceberg.CLICK & SEE

Shame, family pressures, social stigma, economic vulnerability and lack of knowledge of legal procedures coerce a victim into silence. To make things worse, the victim is often regarded by our inadequately educated, underpaid and insensitive police personnel as the one at “fault”.

Rape is traditionally considered a crime against women. But times are changing. Horror stories abound about homosexual sexual predators targeting, kidnapping and victimising young boys. The victims range from six-month-olds to 80-year-olds. The perpetuators of rape, however, are almost always male.

Around 80 per cent of the crime is committed by someone known to the victim. Often, the abuser is a member of the victim’s family or belongs to his or her circle of acquaintances. In such cases, the crime is perpetuated in a known place, in either of their homes or that of a friend, relative or neighbour.

Today, children of both sexes are in danger, in exclusive neighbourhoods as well as the slums. Their lack of knowledge, inexperience and trusting nature make them ideal victims. Many of these attacks are not random but well planned by a predator known to the victim.

Police complaints are often followed by unwelcome media publicity. There are no “special victim units” in the police force yet, that may be trained to handle such cases with discretion and empathy. The guidelines provided deal mostly with the rape of women. The concept of male or child rape is new and the level of expertise in dealing with this is low.

Despite this, if a parent or the victim wishes to prosecute the assailant, a physical medical examination, documentation of the evidence and registration of an FIR (First Information Report) must be done.

Even otherwise, a thorough medical examination must be undertaken as soon as possible to treat and record lacerations and injuries, both external and internal.

The greatest fear about sexual assault is that of acquiring STDs. The number infected varies between 5 and 10 per cent. Infection depends upon several factors, such as the type of sexual contact, number of assailants, and whether or not they had an STD at the time of the assault.

The risk of contracting STDs can be reduced by taking medication as a preventive measure. Immediate and effective treatment options are available for some STDs such as hepatitis B, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, chlamydia and trichomonas vaginalis.

The regimen recommended is a single injection of ceftriaxone, plus an oral dose of azithromycin, plus either secnidazole, tinidazole or metronidazole. Herpes can be tackled with a five or seven-day course of acyclovir.

The risk of acquiring HIV infection is less than 1 per cent. However, it is important for medico-legal reasons to document the HIV status immediately. The test should be repeated after six months and then a year. A 28-day regimen of zidovudine and lamivudine provides post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV and should be started as soon as possible, preferably within 72 hours.

Injuries and lacerations require a single booster dose of tetanus toxoid. Hepatitis B can be sexually transmitted. Most children today have received three doses of the vaccine as part of their immunisation schedule and are thus protected against the infection. In that case, only a booster dose needs to be given. If the victim has not been immunised in childhood, immunoglobulin needs to be given. In addition, three doses of the vaccine must be given — immediately after the incident, after a month and after six months.

Prophylactic treatment against syphilis is not advised. Instead, a blood test can be done after three months to ascertain if infection has occurred.

Counselling, psychiatric evaluation and support are necessary for the victim as well as his or her family to overcome the trauma.

To protect children —

• Make them learn addresses and phone numbers by heart

• Teach them certain body parts are not to be touched

• Discourage them from talking to strangers

• Do not send them anywhere alone, especially after dark

• Escort them to and from school bus stops

• Encourage physical fitness and teach them martial arts

• Teach them to trust their survival instincts and, if needed, run in the opposite direction as fast as they can, shouting all the way.

For adults, the best bet is —

*To have peepholes in the front door

*Avoid dark and deserted areas

*Be physically fit and able to run fast.

Source: The Telegraph ( Kolkata, India)

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Categories
Health Quaries

Some Health Quaries & Answers

 

Hole in my ear:
Q: I developed a hole in my eardrum and I think it is due to prolonged use of the mobile phone. I cannot manage without my phone.

[amazon_link asins=’B06XYN536G,B01LZK2MR1,B072DT267Z,B01M18CHVD,B01MF4QTJO,B01MF4QR73,B01MF4IZFV,B01MF4HFDM,B01N0OTWV3′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’0175594b-2fc5-11e7-a14c-c3666a42a645′]

CLICK & SEE

A:
The hole (perforation) in the ear drum is unlikely to have been caused by the use of a mobile phone. Usually it develops as a result of an ear infection (otitis media), an injury with a sharp object or a sudden loud sound near the ear. It needs to be evaluated. You should consult an ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon.

It may heal and close with antibiotics and the use of ear drops. A long-standing non-healing perforation may require an operation called a tympanoplasty.

In any case, why not use the speaker phones option?

Tingling feet :
Q: My 72 years old father, is a diabetic, whose blood sugar is well controlled by oral medications. He has a lot of discomfort in his lower legs and feet. He had consulted a neurologist and after certain tests was found to have neuropathy. Although he was given vitamin combinations he has had no relief.

[amazon_link asins=’B006KKKYO6,B001OJCBD0,B00VOLK8XI,B00Y94K3NW,B00QNWT0TQ,B00027DCKG,B01M30XQAJ,B014HVSC98,B00VEVCCRI’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’b813d63a-2fc5-11e7-bc32-a77d9a1dd1c7′]

CLICK & SEE

A: Diabetic neuropathy is a nerve disorder that can occur as a complication of diabetes usually if there is poor blood sugar control. It can cause problems with the sensation in the feet. The symptoms are numbness, pain, or tingling in the feet or lower legs. There may be difficulty in walking and balance.

The first step is to bring blood sugar levels under control. You could purchase a glucometer and check the sugar level regularly at home. Make sure he always wears well fitting shoes. Walking regularly, taking warm baths, or using elastic stockings may help relieve leg pain. Analgesics, low doses of antidepressants, and some anticonvulsant medication can be prescribed, in addition to vitamins, in severely affected individuals.

Potty tot
Q: I have a son who is three and half years old. He has been suffering from acute constipation for the last one year. He passes hard stool, with pain. Sometimes small amounts are passed 10-12 times a day. He eats well and his diet includes 1,000ml of milk, which I give in a bottle at night.

[amazon_link asins=’B00NFJICL2,0981599915,B00NFJICEO,B01BYI8R1K,B01GSR8ACS,B0043X2N50,B00CYRYQ20,B018KT7KVO,0981599907′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’fa52c295-2fc5-11e7-9ad9-7354ea42bd42′]

A: The quantity of milk that you are giving is far in excess of what he requires. He needs only 400ml of milk a day at the very most. It can be split into two 200ml feeds, in the morning and evening, not at night. At three and a half years he is far beyond the stage of feeding bottles. Encourage bowel movement in the morning by making him sit in the toilet at a fixed time even if he does not feel the urge.

If the constipation persists a further evaluation with a paediatrician can be done to rule out thyroid deficiency or bowel malfunctions.

Worried about AIDs
Q: Does a married couple need to have sex with a condom? I want to prevent HIV infection in myself and my wife. I am worried about AIDS.

A: If either party has had prior sexual encounters, it is better to use a condom until you check for HIV and hepatitis B. It is better to check again after six months when the window period for HIV infection is over. If you go to a Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centre, the tests are free.

Married people need to use condoms as a contraceptive device if they wish to prevent pregnancy, or if one of the parties is HIV or HbAg positive (hepatitis B).

Seeking perfect eyesight :
Q: I want perfect eyesight. What diet should I eat and what can I do?

[amazon_link asins=’1615192271,B0197D263E,1612431771,1503161005,1118093879,0312141084,B0105K7XJK,0778804577′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’54239f1e-2fc6-11e7-90a9-c359b9c321a4′]

A: Green leafy vegetables like spinach, beetroot, carrot and drumsticks help eyesight because of their vitamin and antioxidant content. Overcooking destroys heat sensitive labile beneficial vitamins of the B group. Steaming or microwave cooking vegetables or eating them raw is, therefore, better. Eating two raw tomatoes a day will give you all the vitamins you need.

There are eye exercises in yoga which, done regularly, help to maintain and improve your eyesight.

More children
Q: I am 41 and my wife is 35. We have an eight-year-old daughter. We decided to try for a son. Despite our best attempts over the last one year, we failed. Although my wife’s periods are irregular, no tests have been done. We have received all kinds of tablets from various doctors. Now we read that some of them have potentially dangerous side effects.

A: All medicines have some side effects even if they are aryuvedic, homeopathic or herbal. The tablets used to induce ovulation can be dangerous if given for too many cycles in improper doses.

Before proceeding consider the following:

• You already have a healthy daughter.

• Do you really want another child?

•Test yourself — do a semen analysis

• Do an ultrasound for your wife to see why the periods are irregular.

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Categories
News on Health & Science

Older Adults’ Sexual Desires Don’t Have to Fade

[amazon_link asins=’B06XQN4TN1,B072K64LCV,B01LZZT41Q,B06XKGF1XX,B01B8LNOX4,B011EOZ3T8,B00XTDQRAM,B01MTE8SCV,B01BZC54FW’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’b7e710fc-5195-11e7-b654-bfbd8ba0e4fb’]

New studies on the sex lives of 57- to 85-year-old Americans find that such activity doesn’t have to fade with age, but it helps to stay healthy and positive.

Far be it from us to pick nits with billionaire Warren Buffett in these bleak economic times, but perhaps he knows more about finance than he does about sex. “It’s nice to have a lot of money, but you know, you don’t want to keep it around forever,” Buffett, worth $62 billion at age 78, told Bloomberg News recently. “Otherwise it’s a little like saving sex for your old age.”

His compatriots might disagree.

Nearly 40% of Buffett’s peers — American men between 75 and 85 years old — are sexually active, new studies reveal. More than half of those have sex at least twice a month. A quarter do it every week. (Only 17% of women that age are sexually active, but they’re equally busy.) That might be more positive transactions than Wall Street is seeing these days.

For decades, the medical profession politely averted its gaze from such issues as nursing-home libidos and octogenarian onanism. Many doctors — not to mention patients themselves — assumed that sex must simply fade away quietly over time and, really, who would miss it?

But now the study of aging and sexuality is gaining interest. (Perhaps those sexually pioneering youths from the ’60s, now nearing retirement themselves, have something to do with that?) And the resulting research reveals surprising news: Age itself does not limit our desire and prowess in bed. Rather, the blame goes to aging-related issues — health problems, medication side effects and a lack of steady partners.

If we manage to stay happy, healthy and socially connected as we get older — a tall order but not impossible — chances are good that we can continue to enjoy sex as long as we desire.

Depending on your preferences, that might be a long time indeed. “The oldest person that I ever referred for a penile prosthesis was 98,” says Dr. John Morley, geriatrics professor at St. Louis University. “He used it until he was 101, very happily. Our desire to have sex does not have an expiration date.”

Our bodies’ shelf life keeps extending too. Thirty years ago, medical practice considered people in their 60s to be “old,” Morley says. That’s almost laughable in geriatrics sex clinics these days. “I never see anyone who’s under 70,” he says, “and most of the patients I see are 80 and 90.”

Thank modern medicine and nutrition. In 1900, the average life expectancy was 47 years. Now it’s 75 years for men and 80 years for women. Today’s 65-year-olds can expect to live another two decades or so. And it makes sense that we would want to while away some of those extra hours with sex, especially after former libido-busters — stressful jobs, crying kids, pregnancy worries — have blissfully disappeared.

But if doctors are going to help us keep our sexuality in good shape, they need to know exactly what we’re doing in the bedroom — and how aging and illness change the picture.

“Until recently, we had very little work done on people after fertility,” says Edward Laumann, sociology professor at the University of Chicago and sociology of sex researcher.

That’s quickly changing. In 2004, Laumann and other University of Chicago researchers from the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project set out to study the sex lives of “older adults” in the U.S., which they defined as those between the ages of 57 and 85.

Researchers sat in living rooms across America and delicately asked more than 3,000 men and women about a variety of blush-worthy topics: sexual history, masturbation practices, oral sex preference, sexually transmitted diseases and so forth. The participants were carefully chosen to be balanced by race, age, gender and location. Researchers even drew blood and took fluid samples to draw links between physical and sexual health.

This data set will be mined for nuggets of information and trends for years to come. Two reports have been published already: an overview in the New England Journal of Medicine in August 2007 and an initial examination of sexual problems in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in September.

Here’s a sampling of recent findings on the sex lives of 57- to 85-year-olds:

ACTIVITIES:-

* About 69% of men and 40% of women have engaged in some form of sexual activity with a partner in the last year. Even after the age of 75, rates don’t plummet: 39% of men and 17% of women remain sexually active.

* The most common reason men and women cite for their lack of sexual activity? Men’s physical health. Other top reasons, mentioned by those without a partner, include lack of interest and not having met “the right person.”

* More than half of sexually active men and women have sex at least twice a month. This rate doesn’t change with age. And nearly a quarter of sexually active 75- to 85-year olds report having sex four times — or more — a month.

* Sex is still at least somewhat important to nearly two-thirds of women and 90% of men. While about 1 in 7 men take a medicine or supplement to help restore sexual function, only 1 in 100 women do so. (No prescription drug is approved specifically for enhancing women’s sexual function.)

*Vaginal intercourse is reportedly the activity of choice for most people most of the time. But oral sex is popular too. In fact, among 75- to 85-year-olds, more than a quarter of men and a third of women say they either gave or received oral sex in the past year. (Rates among the under-75 crowd: More than half for both men and women.)

* About half of men and a quarter of women say they have masturbated in the past year. Those in a relationship and those without a partner tend to masturbate at the same rates.

* The studies did not report on alternative sexual practices, such as use of pornography, anal stimulation or sadomasochistic activities. But this might become a larger focus as geriatrics doctors treat successively more sexually liberal generations, Morley says.

He adds that, although we tend to stick with practices we know work for us, sometimes we’re forced to adapt. As we age and lose our longtime partners, for instance, our new partners are more likely to be chosen based on intellectual and emotional factors than on sexual compatibility. So late-life couples could find themselves struggling to bridge gaps in sexual preferences.

PROBLEMS:-

* When researchers controlled for respondents’ physical and mental health status, they found that aging itself didn’t really cause sexual problems — except for erectile strength. After the age of 40, the chances of having erectile problems increase by about 7% every decade. By the time they reach the 75-to-85 age group, more than 40% of men complain of serious erectile problems.

* For women, lack of interest in sex is a common problem (affecting about 45% of them), as is difficulty achieving orgasm (about 35%). But these tend to be lifelong issues; neither increases dramatically with age. Menopause often brings lubrication problems (with chances jumping from 20% to 40%), but increasing age doesn’t bring an increased risk.

* Stressed, depressed or anxious women report less interest and pleasure in sex and more difficulties reaching orgasm. Men in the same mental states also report less interest in sex and more performance anxiety. (Or is it that men and women with sexual problems end up more stressed, depressed and anxious? The study can’t say.) Depression in men is also tied to erectile problems, probably through side effects of antidepressants.

* There is a silver lining to aging: With increasing years, women are less likely to find sex painful, and men are less likely to complain of premature ejaculation.

IRONIES :-

* Although men are more likely than women to pin their overall happiness on having a good sex life, having poor health cuts a man’s chances of being sexually active by a factor of 5, while similarly poor health cuts a woman’s chances only by a factor of 3.

* For women more than for men, having a steady romantic partner strongly determines the quality of their sex life. Yet women are less likely to be married or in an intimate relationship at any age — and it only gets worse with increasing years. Among 75- to 85-year-olds, for example, nearly 8 in 10 men have a steady partner — but only 4 in 10 women do. (Women tend to outlive men of the same age, and men tend to pair up with younger women.)

Laumann notes that aging men are forced to become a bit more like women in their approach to sex. Because they can no longer rely on their own automatic sexual performance, they find themselves needing to ask more from their partners — more cooperation, patience and skillful stimulation, for instance. Women, in turn, must adopt a more traditionally male approach to dating, Laumann says. With a shortage of available males in their age group, women who want a relationship are forced to more aggressively seek out partners and pursue men outside their usual circles.

Other factors

* Contracting a sexually transmitted disease even once increases the chances of sexual problems later in life. For a woman, it nearly quadruples her chances of experiencing pain from sex and more than triples her chances of lubrication problems. Similarly, a man will be about 5 1/2 times more likely to find sex not pleasurable. It’s unclear whether STDs themselves cause these problems, or whether some related factor in people’s lifestyle is at work.

* Women who drink alcohol every day report more interest and pleasure in sex than their teetotaling counterparts. (Men showed no such link.)

Again, It’s not clear whether a daily nip of brandy leads to better sex, or whether women who have fewer sexual problems also tend to imbibe more freely.

* Men who have had a sexual encounter with another man are five times as likely to lack interest in sex. Women with same-sex experiences show no such tendency.

* Less than 1% of men and women say they’re in a same-sex relationship. Numbers are likely to grow as society becomes more comfortable with homosexuality, Morley says.

Overall, these results show a huge variability in preferences, Morley points out. “There’s nothing wrong with sex as you get older, but there’s also nothing wrong with not having sex. We don’t become different people when we age. We’re still just trying to do what makes us happy.”

Sources: Los Angles Times

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies

Chlamydia-a Common Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD)

Definition:Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis, which can damage a woman’s reproductive organs. Even though symptoms of chlamydia are usually mild or absent, serious complications that cause irreversible damage, including infertility, can occur “silently” before a woman ever recognizes a problem. Chlamydia also can cause discharge from the penis of an infected man.

CLICK & SEE

It is one of the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infections. 1 in 10 sexually active people tested have chlamydia, many do not know they have it. Having a simple test can tell you, if you have it.
Men and women can carry the infection. It is easily treated with antibiotics.

What can Chlamydia do to you?
Women: Chlamydia can spread to other reproductive organs causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This can lead to long term pelvic pain, blocked fallopian tubes, infertility and ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy that can develop outside the womb).

 

Men: Chlamydia can lead to painful infection in the testicles and possibly reduced fertility. It is thought that in some men it might cause the prostrate to become inflamed.

Men and Women: Inflammation or swelling to the joints can occur (reactive ARTHRITIS). This is sometimes accompanied by inflammation of the urethra (the tube from the bladder to the outside of the body) ad the eye, when it is known as Reiter’s syndrome. This is rare and occurs more in men than in women.

Chlamydia is the most frequently reported bacterial sexually transmitted disease in the United States. In 2006, 1,030,911 chlamydial infections were reported to CDC from 50 states and the District of Columbia. Under-reporting is substantial because most people with chlamydia are not aware of their infections and do not seek testing. Also, testing is not often done if patients are treated for their symptoms. An estimated 2,291,000 non-institutionalized U.S. civilians ages 14-39 are infected with Chlamydia based on the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Women are frequently re-infected if their sex partners are not treated.

Causes::Chlamydia can be transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Chlamydia can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby during vaginal childbirth.

Any sexually active person can be infected with chlamydia. The greater the number of sex partners, the greater the risk of infection. Because the cervix (opening to the uterus) of teenage girls and young women is not fully matured and is probably more susceptible to infection, they are at particularly high risk for infection if sexually active. Since chlamydia can be transmitted by oral or anal sex, men who have sex with men are also at risk for chlamydial infection.

Symptoms: Chlamydia is known as a “silent” disease because about three quarters of infected women and about half of infected men have no symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after exposure.

In women, the bacteria initially infect the cervix and the urethra (urine canal). Women who have symptoms might have an abnormal vaginal discharge or a burning sensation when urinating. When the infection spreads from the cervix to the fallopian tubes (tubes that carry fertilized eggs from the ovaries to the uterus), some women still have no signs or symptoms; others have lower abdominal pain, low back pain, nausea, fever, pain during intercourse, or bleeding between menstrual periods.

Chlamydial infection of the cervix can spread to the rectum.

Men with signs or symptoms might have a discharge from their penis or a burning sensation when urinating. Men might also have burning and itching around the opening of the penis. Pain and swelling in the testicles are uncommon.

Men or women who have receptive anal intercourse may acquire chlamydial infection in the rectum, which can cause rectal pain, discharge, or bleeding. Chlamydia can also be found in the throats of women and men having oral sex with an infected partner.

Complications:If untreated, chlamydial infections can progress to serious reproductive and other health problems with both short-term and long-term consequences. Like the disease itself, the damage that chlamydia causes is often “silent.”

In women, untreated infection can spread into the uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This happens in up to 40 percent of women with untreated chlamydia. PID can cause permanent damage to the fallopian tubes, uterus, and surrounding tissues. The damage can lead to chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus). Women infected with chlamydia are up to five times more likely to become infected with HIV, if exposed.

To help prevent the serious consequences of chlamydia, screening at least annually for chlamydia is recommended for all sexually active women age 25 years and younger. An annual screening test also is recommended for older women with risk factors for chlamydia (a new sex partner or multiple sex partners). All pregnant women should have a screening test for chlamydia.

Complications among men are rare. Infection sometimes spreads to the epididymis (the tube that carries sperm from the testis), causing pain, fever, and, rarely, sterility.

Rarely, genital chlamydial infection can cause arthritis that can be accompanied by skin lesions and inflammation of the eye and urethra (Reiter’s syndrome).In pregnant women, there is some evidence that untreated chlamydial infections can lead to premature delivery. Babies who are born to infected mothers can get chlamydial infections in their eyes and respiratory tracts. Chlamydia is a leading cause of early infant pneumonia and conjunctivitis (pink eye) in newborns.

Diagnosis:
There are laboratory tests to diagnose chlamydia. Some can be performed on urine, other tests require that a specimen be collected from a site such as the penis or cervix.

Treatment:Chlamydia can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics. A single dose of azithromycin or a week of doxycycline (twice daily) are the most commonly used treatments. HIV-positive persons with chlamydia should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV negative.

All sex partners should be evaluated, tested, and treated. Persons with chlamydia should abstain from sexual intercourse until they and their sex partners have completed treatment, otherwise re-infection is possible.

Women whose sex partners have not been appropriately treated are at high risk for re-infection. Having multiple infections increases a woman’s risk of serious reproductive health complications, including infertility. Retesting should be encouraged for women three to four months after treatment. This is especially true if a woman does not know if her sex partner received treatment.

Herbal Treatment: YOU can fight infection causing inflammation of the genitals, vaginal or urethral discharge, difficulty urinating, painful intercourse, itching, or prostatitis with these herbs from Mother Nature’s medicine chest:

Astragalus, red clover, echinacea extract, goldenseal extract.

Quik Tip:
Red clover is a deeply nutritive herb with positive implications in the treatment of hormonal difficulties, infections and even cancer.

Prevention: The surest way to avoid transmission of STDs is to abstain from sexual contact, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected.

Latex male condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of transmission of chlamydia.

CDC recommends yearly chlamydia testing of all sexually active women age 25 or younger, older women with risk factors for chlamydial infections (those who have a new sex partner or multiple sex partners), and all pregnant women. An appropriate sexual risk assessment by a health care provider should always be conducted and may indicate more frequent screening for some women.

Any genital symptoms such as an unusual sore, discharge with odor, burning during urination, or bleeding between menstrual cycles could mean an STD infection. If a woman has any of these symptoms, she should stop having sex and consult a health care provider immediately. Treating STDs early can prevent PID. Women who are told they have an STD and are treated for it should notify all of their recent sex partners (sex partners within the preceding 60 days) so they can see a health care provider and be evaluated for STDs. Sexual activity should not resume until all sex partners have been examined and, if necessary, treated.

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose.

For more Information You may contact:
Division of STD Prevention (DSTDP)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/std

Order Publication Online at www.cdc.gov/std/pubs

CDC-INFO Contact Center
1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
Email: cdcinfo@cdc.gov

CDC National Prevention Information Network (NPIN)
P.O. Box 6003
Rockville, MD 20849-6003
1-800-458-5231
1-888-282-7681 Fax
1-800-243-7012 TTY
E-mail: info@cdcnpin.org

American Social Health Association (ASHA)
P.O. Box 13827
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3827
1-800-783-987

Resources:
http://www.asplandsmedicalcentre.co.uk/t11013.html
http://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/STDFact-Chlamydia.htm#WhatIs
http://www.herbnews.org/chlamydiadone.htm

css.php