Cell Phones Might Cause Brain Cance

Limited Evidence' Suggests Cell Phones 'Possibly Carcinogenic'

By Daniel J. DeNoon
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

May 31, 2011 -- The expert panel that evaluates cancer risks today said that cell phones might possibly cause brain cancer.

The announcement comes from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Like the World Health Organization, the American Cancer Society relies on IARC for evaluation of cancer risks.

"After reviewing all the evidence available, the IARC working group classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans," panel chairman Jonathan Samet, MD, chair of preventive medicine at the USC Keck School of Medicine, said at a news teleconference. "We reached this conclusion based on a review of human evidence showing increased risk of glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer, in association with wireless phone use."

In finding cell phones to be "possibly carcinogenic," the IARC means that heavy cell phone use might -- or might not -- cause a specific form of brain cancer called glioma. The finding means that research is urgently needed to find out whether cell phones actually cause cancer, and how they might do it.

The IARC estimates that some 5 billion people worldwide have mobile phones. Lifetime exposure to the magnetic fields created by the phones -- particularly when they are held tightly against the head -- rapidly is increasing.

Children are at particular risk, not only because their skulls are thinner but also because their lifetime exposure to cell phones likely will be greater than the exposure of current adults.

Putting Possible Cancer Risk in Perspective

It's important to put the possible risk into context. Kurt Straif, MD, PhD, MPH, head of the IARC Monographs Program, notes that the IARC currently lists some 240 agents as "possibly carcinogenic," including dry cleaning fluid and some commonly used pesticides.

While the IARC doesn't make recommendations to consumers, Straif noted that there are precautions people can take.

"Some of the highest exposures come from using mobile phones for voice calls. If you text, or use hands-free devices, you lower exposure by at least [10-fold]," Straif said at the news conference. "So this is left to consumers to consider whether this level of evidence is enough for them to take such precautions."

Otis W. Brawley, MD, chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society, notes that the IARC is a highly credible group. But Brawley echoes Straif's advice: People who are worried can reduce their risk.

"On the other hand, if someone is of the opinion that the absence of strong scientific evidence on the harms of cell phone use is reassuring, they may take different actions, and it would be hard to criticize that," Brawley says in a news release.

John Walls, vice president for public affairs at CTIA, the trade group representing the wireless communications industry, notes that the IARC findings do not mean cell phones cause cancer -- and that the limited evidence on which the findings are based are far from conclusive.

"Based on previous assessments of the scientific evidence, the Federal Communications Commission has concluded that '[t]here's no scientific evidence that proves that wireless phone usage can lead to cancer.' The Food and Drug Administration has also stated that '[t]he weight of scientific evidence has not linked cell phones with any health problems,'" Walls notes in a news release.

Samet and colleagues will publish a summary of their findings in the July 1 issue ofThe Lancet, which is still in press.

SOURCES: IARC, news teleconference, May 31, 2011American Cancer Society, news release.News release, CTIA-The Wireless Association.International Agency for Research on Cancer web site.News release, International Agency for Research on Cancer.Jonathan Samet, MD, chair of preventive medicine, USC Keck School of Medicine.Kurt Straif, MD, PhD, MPH, head, International Agency for Research on Cancer Monographs Program. ©2011 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The Common Cold

The common cold

The common cold is arguably the most common illness in humans. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is also one of the most common causes of work and school absenteeism, with up to 22 million school days lost each year in the U.S. As the most frequently occurring illness in the world, it is also a leading cause of doctor visits.

What causes the common cold, and how is it spread?

Colds are caused by viral infections. Over 200 different viruses can cause cold symptoms of varying severity. Viruses that cause colds are spread from person to person through tiny droplets of mucus that enter the air from the nasal passages of infected persons and are inhaled by others. Colds can also be spread by touching surfaces that have been contaminated by contact with infected persons and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.

While it is impossible to completely prevent the spread of colds, there are steps you can take to reduce your and your family's chances of becoming infected with a virus that causes colds.

1. Wash your hands often.

This is probably the single best measure to prevent transmission of colds. Especially after shopping, going to the gym, or spending time in public places, hand washing is critical. Frequent hand washing can destroy viruses that you have acquired from touching surfaces used by other people. You can also carry a small tube of hand sanitizer or sanitizing hand wipes when visiting public places. Teach your children the importance of hand washing too.

2. Avoid touching your face.

Most importantly, avoid touching the nose, mouth, and eye areas if you are around someone with a cold or have been touching surfaces in a public area.

3. Don't smoke

Cigarette smoke can irritate the airways and increase susceptibility to colds and other infections. Even exposure to passive smoke can make you (or your children) more vulnerable to colds.

4. Use disposable items if a family member is infected.

Disposable cups can be thrown away after each use and prevent accidental spread of the virus from sharing of cups or glasses. This is particularly important if you have young children who may try to drink from others' cups.

5. Keep household surfaces clean.

Door knobs, drawer pulls, keyboards, light switches, telephones, remote controls, countertops, and sinks can all harbor viruses for hours after their use by an infected person. Wipe these surfaces frequently with soap and water or a disinfectant solution.

6. Wash toys

If your child has a cold, wash his or her toys as well when you are cleaning household surfaces and commonly-used items.

7. Use paper towels

Use paper towels in the kitchen and bathroom for hand washing. Germs can live for several hours on cloth towels. Alternatively, have separate towels for each family member and provide a clean one for guests.

8. Throw tissues away after use

Used tissues are sources of virus that can contaminate any surface where they are left.

10. Control stress

Studies have shown that people experiencing emotional stress have weakened immune systems and are more likely to catch a cold than their calmer counterparts.

9. Maintain a healthy lifestyle

While there isn't direct evidence to show that eating well or exercising can prevent colds, maintenance of a healthy lifestyle, with adequate sleep, good nutrition, and physical exercise can help ensure that your immune system is in good condition and ready to fight infection if it occurs.

source:http://www.emedicinehealth.com/slideshow_common_cold/article_em.htm

OSTEOPOROSIS

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and loss of bone tissue that may lead to weak and fragile bones. If you have osteoporosis, you have an increased risk for fractured bones (broken bones).

Does Osteoporosis Only Affect the Elderly?

Osteoporosis has often been thought to be a condition that frail elderly women develop. However, the damage from osteoporosis begins much earlier in life. Because peak bone density is reached at approximately 25 years of age, it is important to build strong bones by that age, so that the bones will remain strong later in life. Adequate calcium intake and exercise are essential for building strong bones.

What Are the Symptoms of Osteoporosis?

Normal bone is composed of protein, collagen, and calcium, all of which give bone its strength. Bones that are affected by osteoporosis can break (fracture) with relatively minor injury that normally would not cause a bone to fracture.

The osteoporosis condition can be present without any symptoms for decades. Therefore, patients may not be aware of their osteoporosis until they suffer a painful fracture. Symptoms depend on the location of the fracture. 

Osteoporosis Symptoms: Fractures of the Spine

Fractures of the spine (vertebra) can cause severe "band-like" pain that radiates around from the back to the side of the body. Over the years, repeated spine fractures can cause chronic lower back pain as well as loss of height or curving of the spine, which gives the individual a hunched-back appearance of the upper back, referred to as a "dowager hump.

Osteoporosis Symptoms: Stress Fracture

A fracture that occurs during the course of normal activity is called a minimal trauma fracture or stress fracture. For example, some patients with osteoporosis develop stress fractures of the feet while walking or stepping off a curb.

Osteoporosis Symptoms: Hip Fracture

Hip fractures typically occur as a result of a fall. With osteoporosis, hip fractures can occur as a result of trivial accidents. Hip fractures may also be difficult to heal after surgical repair because of poor bone quality

What Are the Consequences of Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis bone fractures are responsible for considerable pain, decreased quality of life, lost workdays, and disability. Up to 30% of patients suffering a hip fracture will require long-term nursing-home care. Some 20% of women with a hip fracture will die in the subsequent year as an indirect result of the fracture. In addition, once a person has experienced a spine fracture due to osteoporosis, he or she is at very high risk of suffering another such fracture in the near future (next few years).

What Factors Determine Bone Strength?

Bone mass (bone density) is the amount of bone present in the skeletal structure. Generally, the higher the bone density, the stronger the bones. Bone density is greatly influenced by genetic factors and can be affected by environmental factors and medications. For example, men have a higher bone density than women. African Americans have a higher bone density than Caucasian or Asian Americans. Normally, bone density accumulates during childhood and reaches a peak by around 25 years of age. Bone density is then maintained for about 10 years. After age 35, both men and women will normally lose 0.3%-0.5% of their bone density per year as part of the aging process

Menopause, Estrogen, and Osteoporosis

Estrogen is important in maintaining bone density in women. When estrogen levels drop after menopause, bone loss accelerates. During the first five to 10 years after menopause, women can suffer up to 2%-4% loss of bone density per year! This can result in the loss of up to 25%-30% of their bone density during that time period. Accelerated bone loss after menopause is a major cause of osteoporosis in women.

What Are the Risk Factors for Developing Osteoporosis? (continued)

• malabsorption (nutrients in the bowels are not properly absorbed)
• low estrogen levels
• chemotherapy
• loss of the menstrual period (amenorrhea)
• chronic inflammation
• immobility, such as after a stroke or any condition that interferes with walking
• hyperthyroidism (excessive thyroid hormone)
• hyperparathyroidism (excessive parathyroid hormone production causes too much calcium to be removed from the bone)
• vitamin D deficiency (vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium)
• certain medications can cause osteoporosis such as long-term use of heparin (a blood thinner), antiseizure medications phenytoin (Dilantin) and phenobarbital, and long-term use of oral corticosteroids (such as prednisone)

How Is Osteoporosis Diagnosed?

A routine X-ray can suggest osteoporosis of the bone, which appears much thinner and lighter than normal bones. Unfortunately, by the time X-rays can detect osteoporosis, at least 30% of the bone has already been lost. In addition, X-rays are not accurate indicators of bone density. The appearance of the bone on the X-ray is often affected by variations in the degree of exposure of the X-ray film.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation, the American Medical Association, and other major medical organizations are recommending a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scan (DEXA or DXA) for diagnosing osteoporosis. The test measures bone density in the hip and the spine, takes only five to 15 minutes to perform, uses very little radiation (less than one-tenth to one-hundredth the amount used on a standard chest X-ray), and is quite precise.

Who should have bone density testing?

The National Osteoporosis Foundation guidelines state that there are several groups of people who should consider DXA testing:

• all postmenopausal women below age 65 who have risk factors for osteoporosis;
• all women aged 65 and older;
• postmenopausal women with fractures, although this is not mandatory because treatment may well be started regardless of bone density;
• women with one of the many medical conditions associated with osteoporosis; and
• women whose decision to use medication might be aided by bone density testing.

How Are Bone Density Results Measured?

Upon completion of a DXA scan, the bone density of the patient is then compared to the average peak bone density of young adults of same sex and race. This score is called the "T score," and it expresses the bone density in terms of the number of standard deviations (SD) below peak young adult bone mass.

• Osteoporosis is defined as a bone density T score of -2.5 SD or below.
• Osteopenia (between normal and osteoporosis) is defined as a bone density T score between -1 and -2.5 SD. all women aged 65 and older;

How Is Osteoporosis Treated and Prevented?

The goal of osteoporosis treatment is the prevention of bone fractures by stopping bone loss and by increasing bone density and strength. Although early detection and timely treatment of osteoporosis can substantially decrease the risk of future fracture, none of the available treatments for osteoporosis are complete cures. In other words, it is difficult to completely rebuild bone that has been weakened by osteoporosis.

Prevention and Treatment: Exercise

Exercise has a wide variety of beneficial health effects. However, exercise does not bring about substantial increases in bone density. The benefit of exercise for osteoporosis has mostly to do with decreasing the risk of falls, probably because balance is improved and/or muscle strength is increased. Research has not yet precisely determined what type or duration of exercise is best for osteoporosis. Nevertheless, most doctors recommend weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, preferably daily.

A Word of Caution About Exercise

It is important to avoid exercises that can injure already weakened bones. In patients over 40 and those with heart disease, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and high blood pressure, exercise should be prescribed and monitored by their doctors. Finally, extreme levels of exercise (such as marathon running) may not be healthy for the bones. Marathon running in young women that leads to weight loss and loss of menstrual periods can actually cause osteoporosis.

Prevention and Treatment: Quit Smoking and Curtail Alcohol

Smoking one pack of cigarettes per day throughout adult life can itself lead to loss of 5%-10% of bone mass. Smoking cigarettes decreases estrogen levels and can lead to bone loss in women before menopause. Smoking cigarettes can also lead to earlier menopause.

Data on the effect of regular consumption of alcohol and caffeine on osteoporosis is not as clear as with exercise and cigarettes. In fact, research regarding alcohol and caffeine as risk factors for osteoporosis shows widely varying results and is controversial. Certainly, these effects are not as powerful as other factors. Nonetheless, moderation of both alcohol and caffeine is prudent.

Prevention and Treatment: Calcium Supplements

Building strong and healthy bones requires an adequate dietary intake of calcium and exercise beginning in childhood and adolescence for both sexes. Importantly, once osteoporosis is present, a high dietary calcium intake or taking calcium supplements alone is not sufficient in treating osteoporosis and should not be viewed as an alternative to or substituted for more potent prescription osteoporosis medications. In the first several years after menopause, rapid bone loss can occur even if calcium supplements are taken.

Unfortunately, surveys have shown that the average woman in the United States consumes less than 500 milligrams of calcium per day in her diet, less than the recommended amounts. Additional calcium can be obtained by drinking more milk and eating more yogurt or cottage cheese or by taking calcium supplement tablets as well from calcium-fortified foods, such as orange juice.

Prevention and Treatment: Vitamin D

An adequate calcium intake and adequate body stores of vitamin D are important foundations for maintaining bone density and strength. Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency is quite common in the United States. Vitamin D is important in several respects:

• vitamin D helps the absorption of calcium from the intestines;
• a lack of vitamin D causes calcium-depleted bone (osteomalacia), which further weakens the bones and increases the risk of fractures; and
• vitamin D, along with adequate calcium (1,200 mg of elemental calcium), has been shown in some studies to increase bone density and decrease fractures in older postmenopausal but not in premenopausal or perimenopausal women.

The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine has recommended the following as an as adequate vitamin D intake:

• 200 IU daily for men and women 19 to 50 years old;
• 400 IU daily for men and women 51 to 70 years old; and
• IU daily for men and women 71 years and older.

Good sources of vitamin D include natural sunlight, fortified milk, cheese, butter/margarine, cereal, and fish.

Prevention and Treatment: Menopausal Hormone Therapy

Menopausal hormone therapy (previously referred to as hormone replacement therapy or HRT) has been shown to prevent bone loss, increase bone density, and prevent bone fractures. Estrogen is available orally (Premarin, Estrace, Estratest, and others) or as a skin patch (Estraderm, Vivelle, and others). Estrogen is also available in combination with progesterone as pills and patches. Progesterone is routinely given along with estrogen to prevent uterine cancer that might result from estrogen use alone. Women who have had a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus) may take estrogen alone. Due to adverse effects of menopausal hormone therapy, such as increased risks of heart attack, stroke, blood clots in the veins, and breast cancer; menopausal hormone therapy is no longer recommended for long-term use but rather short-term use to relieve menopausal hot flashes. Every woman should have an individualized discussion regarding estrogen replacement with her doctor.

Prevention and Treatment: Medications

Currently, the most effective medications for osteoporosis that are approved by the FDA are anti-resorptive agents, which prevent bone breakdown. Antiresorptive medications inhibit bone removal (resorption), thus tipping the balance in favor of bone rebuilding and increasing bone density. Menopausal estrogen hormone therapy is one example of an antiresorptive agent. Others include alendronate (Fosamax), risedronate (Actonel), raloxifene (Evista), ibandronate (Boniva), calcitonin (Calcimar), and zoledronate (Reclast).

Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are a class of drugs that work like estrogen in some tissues. The SERMs are developed to reap the benefits of estrogen while avoiding the potential side effects of estrogen. Examples include tamoxifen and Raloxifene (Evista).

Prevention of Hip Fractures

The FDA has approved hip-protector garments for the prevention of hip fractures in unstable elderly people with known osteoporosis. Brand names available include Hipsaver and Safehip. These can be helpful for selected patients who are in the nursing-home environment, although the real extent of protection against hip fractures that is gained with use of hip protectors is a matter of current controversy.

Osteoporosis At A Glance

• Osteoporosis is a condition of increased susceptibility to fracture due to fragile bone.
• Osteoporosis weakens bone and increases risk of bone fracture.
• Bone mass (bone density) decreases after age 35 years and decreases more rapidly in women after menopause.
• Key risk factors for osteoporosis include genetic factors, lack of exercise, lack of calcium and vitamin D, personal history of fracture as an adult, rheumatoid arthritis, cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, low body weight, and family history of osteoporosis.
• Patients with osteoporosis have no symptoms until bone fractures occur.
• Diagnosis can be suggested by X-rays and confirmed by using tests to measure bone density.
• Treatments for osteoporosis, in addition to prescription osteoporosis medications, include stopping use of alcohol and cigarettes, and assuring adequate exercise, calcium, and vitamin D.

Reference:http://www.emedicinehealth.com/slideshow_osteoporosis_pictures/article_em.htm

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs, venereal diseases) are among the most common infectious diseases today. STDs are sometimes referred to as sexually transmitted infections, since these conditions involve the transmission of an infectious organism between sex partners. More than 20 different STDs have been identified, and about 19 million men and women are infected each year in the United States, according to the CDC (2010).

Depending on the disease, the infection can be spread through any type of sexual activity involving the sex organs, the anus, or the mouth; an infection can also be spread through contact with blood during sexual activity. STDs are infrequently transmitted by any other type of contact (blood, body fluids or tissue removed from an STD infected person and placed in contact with an uninfected person); however, people that share unsterilized needles markedly increase the chance to pass many diseases, including STD's (especially hepatitis B), to others. Some diseases are not considered to be officially an STD (for example, hepatitis types A, C, E) but are infrequently noted to be transferred during sexual activity. Consequently, some authors include them as STD's, others do not. Consequently, lists of STD's can vary, depending on whether the STD is usually transmitted by sexual contact or only infrequently transmitted.

• Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Causes

  Depending on the disease, STDs can be spread with any type of sexual activity. STDs are most often caused by viruses and bacteria. The following is a list of the most common STDs, their causes and other infections (see STDs with asterisk mark*) that may be transmitted on occasion by sexual activity, but are frequently not considered primarily to be an STD by many investigators:
  STDs caused by bacteria
  • Chancroid (Haemophilus ducreyi)
    
  • Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis)
    
  • Gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhea)
    
  • Granuloma inguinale (Calymmatobacterium granulomatis)
    
  • Lymphogranuloma venereum (Chlamydia trachomatis)
    
  • Syphilis (Treponema pallidum)
  STDs caused by viruses
  • Genital herpes (herpes simplex virus)
    
  • Genital warts (human papillomavirus virus [HPV])
    
  • Hepatitis B and D, and infrequently, A*,C*,E* (hepatitis viruses, types A-E)
    
  • HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus [HIV virus])
    
  • Molluscum contagiosum* (poxvirus)
  STD caused by protozoan
  • Trichomoniasis (Trichomonas vaginalis)
  STD's* caused by fungi
  • Jock itch (Tenia cruris)*
    
  • Yeast infections* (Candida albicans)
  STD's caused by parasites
  • Pubic lice or crabs (Pediculosis pubis)
    
  • Scabies*  Sarcoptes scabiei

    Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Symptoms

    Common STDs have a variety of symptoms (if symptoms develop at all) and many different complications, including death.
    Symptoms of STDs caused by bacteria
    Chancroid Symptoms
    • Are not common in the United States but common in developing countries.
      
    • Symptoms include painful ulcers on the genitals.
      
    • Can be confused with syphilis or herpes
      
    • Is treatable with antibiotics
    Chlamydia symptoms
    • Most common of all STDs caused by bacteria.
      
    • Cause no symptoms in about 80% of women and 50% of men
      
    • When symptoms are present, commonly there is discharge from the vagina or the penis, and burning or pain during urination.
      
    • Is transmitted through vaginal, oral, or anal sexual contact
      
    • Ectopic pregnancy and infertility for women are potential serious complications.
      
    • Is treatable with antibiotics
    Gonorrhea symptoms
    • Discharge from the vagina or the penis
      
    • Over 50% of infected women have no symptoms, but they can still transmit the disease to others.
      
    • Painful urination
      
    • Ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infertility for women, Fitzhugh-Curtis syndrome (perihepatitis) and death are potential serious complications.
      
    • Is treatable with antibiotics
    

    
    

    Granuloma inguinale (donovanosis) symptoms

    • Not common in the U.S.
      
    • Symptoms are painless genital ulcers in the groin area.
      
    • Is treatable with antibiotics, usually for three or more weeks
    Lymphogranuloma venereum
    • Not common in the U. S.
      
    • Symptoms are abscesses (buboes) in the groin, rectum or other areas; fistulas that drain pus may occur and are treatable with antibiotics.
    Syphilis
    • Symptoms are mild and often go undetected initially
      
    • Starts with a painless genital ulcer that goes away on its own
      
    • Rash, fever, headache, achy joints
      
    • Is treatable with antibiotics
      
    • More serious complications associated with later stages of the disease if undetected and untreated
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Symptoms of STDs caused by viruses
    Genital herpes
    • Recurring outbreaks of blister-like sores on the genitals
      
    • Can be transmitted from a mother to her baby during birth
      
    • Reduction in frequency and severity of blister outbreaks with treatment but not complete elimination of infection.
      
    • Can be transmitted by a partner who has herpes even if no blisters are present.
    
    
    
    
    Picture of Herves Simplek Virus Type 1
    
    
    
    
    Genital warts
    • Caused by a virus related to skin warts, human papillomavirus (HPV)
      
    • Small, painless bumps in the genital or anal areas (sometimes in large clusters that look like cauliflower)
      
    • Various treatments available (for example, freezing or painting the warts with medication)
      
    • Vaccines are available against the most common types of HPV
    
    Picture of genital wart (HPV
    Hepatitis
    • Hepatitis B and D are most often associated with sexual contact, hepatitis A, C, E are less frequently transmitted by sexual contact.
      
    • Both may be transmitted via contact with blood; for hepatitis B, sexual transmission is believed to be responsible for 30% of the cases worldwide.
      
    • The hepatitis B virus can cause both an initial (acute) and a chronic form of liver inflammation. Only 50% of acute infections with the hepatitis B virus produce symptoms. The initial phase of infection lasts a few weeks, and in most people (90%-95%), the infection clears.
      
    • Acute infection can cause yellowish skin and eyes, fever, achy, tired (flu-like symptoms).
      
    • Severe complications in some people, including cirrhosis and liver cancer may occur in a small percent of individuals infected with HBV.
      
    • Treatments are available and remission is possible with some aggressive medications.
      
    • Immunizations are available to prevent hepatitis B.
    HIV/AIDS
    • Spread primarily by sexual contact and from sharing IV needles
      
    • Can be transmitted at the time a person becomes infected with other STDs
      
    • No specific symptoms or physical signs confirm HIV infection.
      
    • The average time from infection to the development of symptoms related to immunosuppression (decreased functioning of the immune system) is 10 years.
      
    • Fatigue, night sweats, chills, or fever lasting several weeks, headaches, andcough may occur a few weeks after contracting the virus initially.
      
    • Serious complications of AIDS include unusual infections or cancers, weight loss, intellectual deterioration (dementia), and death.
      
    • No current cure but medications are available to slow disease progression.
    Molluscum contagiosum
    • Small (2-5mm) raised areas (papules) on the skin
      
    • Contagious, usually by direct skin to skin contact
      
    • Self-limited over months to years; treated with some topical creams
      
    • Often cryotherapy (freezing) or surgical removal is performed
    Symptoms of STDs caused by protozoan
    Trichomonas
    • Frothy vaginal discharge with a strong odor
      
    • Treated with antibacterial/antiprotozoal medicines
    Symptoms of STDs* caused by fungi
    Jock itch (genital itching or Tenia cruris)* (not always an STD)
    • Itchy groin skin, sometimes has a reddish color
      
    • Is treated with topical antifungal medicines
    Yeast infection (Candidiasis)* (not always an STD)
    • Cheese-like vaginal discharge or whitish exudates sometimes with a reddish hue to the skin; it may occur around the foreskin of infected males; common symptoms are itching and burning sensation of the vagina or penis.
      
    • Is treated with topical antifungal medicines in most cases
    Symptoms of STDs caused by parasites
    Pubic lice
    • Very tiny bugs that are found in pubic hair, sometimes referred to as "crabs"
      
    • Can be picked up from clothing or bedding
      
    • First noticed as itching in the pubic area
      
    • Are treatable with creams, anti-lice agents, and combing
    Scabies
    • Skin infestation caused by a tiny mite
      
    • Highly contagious
      
    • Intense itching is the primary symptom, which worsens at night
      
    • Spread primarily by sexual contact or from contact with skin, infested sheets, towels, or furniture
      
    • Is treated with creams

      When to Seek Medical Care

      A medical examination may be necessary if a person believes he or she may have an STD or if he or she may have been exposed to someone with an STD. Being seen by a doctor as soon as possible after exposure to an STD is important; these infections can easily spread to others and can have serious complications.
      Go to a hospital's emergency department in these circumstances if:
      • an STD problem worsens;
        
      • a fever develops with other symptoms; or
        
      • if it will be a couple of days before the individual can be evaluated by a doctor.
      
      

      Exams and Tests

      Some STDs can be diagnosed without any tests at all (for example, pubic lice). Other STDs require a blood test or a sample of any unusual fluid (such as an abnormal discharge from the vagina or the penis for gonorrhea or chlamydia) to be analyzed in a lab to help establish a diagnosis. Some tests are completed while a person waits; other tests require a few days before a person may obtain the results (for example, syphilis).

      Medical Treatment

      The treatment of an STD varies depending on the type of STD. Some STDs require a person to take antibiotic medication either by mouth or by injection; other STDs require a person to apply creams or special solutions on the skin. Often, reexamination by a doctor is necessary after the treatment to confirm that the STD is completely gone.

      Some STDs, such as genital herpes and HIV (which leads to AIDS), cannot be cured, only controlled with medication.

      Prevention

      The best way to prevent STDs is to avoid sexual contact with others. If people decide to become sexually active, they can reduce the risk of developing an STD in these ways:

      • Practice abstinence (refrain from sex entirely) or be in a monogamous relationship (both sexual partners are each other's only sexual partner).
        
      • Delay having sexual relations as long as possible. The younger people are when they become sexually active, the higher the lifetime risk for contracting an STD. The risk also increases with the number of sexual partners.
        
      • Correctly and consistently use a male latex condom. The spermicide nonoxynol-9, once thought to protect against STDs as well as to prevent pregnancy, has been proven to be ineffective for disease prevention. Do not rely on it. In addition, condoms are only about 90% effective in preventing STDs
        
      • Have regular medical checkups even if you do not have symptoms of an STD.
        
      • Learn the symptoms of STDs.
        
      • Avoid douching because it removes some of the natural protection in the vagina.
        
      • Vaccines against HPV and hepatitis B are available and effective.

      Source:http://www.emedicinehealth.com/sexually_transmitted_diseases/