Boomers And The Rise Of STDS | 468 Views
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Posted : Sunday, Nov 21, 2010 - YvonneRice.com Editor
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Baby Boomers And STD’s – Are You Protecting Yourself and Your Health?
There has always been a lot of effort spent on educating the youth about the dangers of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s). But today, there’s another group that appears to be at equal if not greater risk – the Baby Boomers. To these widowed or divorced seniors making a comeback to sexually active relationships, it seems like STD’s are something the younger generation need to worry about. This false belief of being immune to the dangers of STD’s is fast being wiped out by the statistics flooding in from all over the country.
While the most common infections are genital warts and herpes, instances of gonorrhea, syphilis and Chlamydia are also on the rise. Women in the age group of 35 to 50 years are at the greatest risk – the hormonal imbalances during this age can act as triggers. While abstinence from sexual intercourse is the surest way to avoid STD’s, it’s often not a practical solution. What you can certainly do is take a few simple steps like those outlined here to make sure you protect your health.
1. Choose mutually monogamous relationships
The best way to keep safe is to make a conscious decision to give up multiple partners. Stick to a long term relationship with an uninfected person and make a mutual pact of being monogamous. If your partner is reluctant, perhaps it’s time to give the relationship a re-think.
2. Always practice safe sex
Condoms are not just for contraception, they also block out bacteria and viruses – the main agents responsible for transmitting STD’s. In the event that the male partner refuses to use a condom, women can use the female condom that fits inside the vagina. You can also try using lubricants or anti viral gels that reduce transmission of the virus. Any unprotected sex is a risk, and not just AIDS, quite a few other STD’s have no cure. So, protecting yourself is entirely up to you.
3. Experiment with safer alternatives
Anytime you’re not sure about the health status of your partner, avoid penetrative sex and instead, try one of several safer alternatives. This could include kissing, masturbation – individual or mutual, non sexual massaging or even phone sex.
4. Learn about STD’s
Women need to avoid too much of douching – this wipes out some of the vaginal bacteria that have a protective role in preventing infections. This and other similar tips on avoiding infection can be obtained by reading up on the Internet about the common STD’s and their symptoms. You’ll also get convinced of the need for safety.
5. Get medical help
When you find yourself experiencing any of the symptoms that are typical of STD’s, don’t ignore them. Many of these infections, especially AIDS, cause symptoms that can mimic the natural process of aging. So it’s imperative to get to a physician at the earliest to diagnose if your fatigue, night sweat and weight loss is normal for your age or whether it indicates a STD. Many of such infections have a latent period during which tests may return a negative result. Hence, no matter what the tests say, just continue to practice safe sex.
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