Functions of the Gastrointestinal System in the Body

Your digestive or gastrointestinal system turns what you eat and drink into the energy your body needs to grow and keep working. Digestion begins in your mouth. You chew food into small pieces that can be digested more easily. An enzyme in the saliva helps break down carbohydrates.

Food moves from your mouth through your esophagus and then to your stomach. The esophagus is a muscular tube that uses wave-like motions to move the food to your stomach. When food arrives in your stomach, it mixes with strong acids and enzymes. The strong muscles of the stomach churn the mixture of food, acids and enzymes. This mixture is called chime.

You are considered constipated if you have two or more of these for at least 3 months

What Is Constipation?

Constipation occurs when bowel movements become difficult or less frequent. The normal length of time between bowel movements ranges widely from person to person. Some people have bowel movements three times a day; others, only one or two times a week. Going longer than three days without a bowel movement is too long. After three days, the stool or feces become harder and more difficult to pass.

You are considered constipated if you have two or more of the following for at least 3 months:

• Straining during a bowel movement more than 25% of the time
• Hard stools more than 25% of the time
• Incomplete evacuation more than 25% of the time
• Two or fewer bowel movements in a week

What Causes Constipation?

Constipation is usually caused by a disorder of bowel function rather than a structural problem. Common causes of constipation include:

• Inadequate water intake
• Inadequate fiber in the diet
• A disruption of regular diet or routine; traveling
• Inadequate activity or exercise or immobility
• Eating large amounts of dairy products
• Stress
• Resisting the urge to have a bowel movement, which is sometimes the result of pain from hemorrhoids
• Overuse of laxatives (stool softeners) which, over time, weaken the bowel muscles
• Hypothyroidism
• Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis
• Antacid medicines containing calcium or aluminum
• Medicines (especially strong pain medicines, such as narcotics, antidepressants, or iron pills)
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Pregnancy
• Colon cancer

In some cases, lack of good nerve and muscle function in the bowel may also be a cause of constipation.

What Are the Symptoms of Constipation?

Symptoms of constipation can include:

• Infrequent bowel movements and/or difficulty having bowel movements
• Swollen abdomen or abdominal pain
• Pain
• Vomiting

>>How to be relieved From Constipation quickly

How Is Constipation Diagnosed?

Most people do not need extensive testing to diagnose constipation. Only a small number of patients with constipation have a more serious medical problem. If you have constipation for more than two weeks, you should see a doctor so he or she can determine the source of your problem and treat it. If constipation is caused by colon cancer, early detection and treatment is very important.

Tests your doctor may perform to diagnose the cause of your constipation include:

• Blood tests if a hormonal imbalance is suspected
• Barium studiesto look for obstruction of the colon
• Colonoscopyto look for obstruction of the colon

The vast majority of patients with constipation do not have any obvious illness to explain their symptoms and suffer from one of two problems:

• Colonic inertia.A condition in which the colon contracts poorly and retains stool
• Obstructed defecation.A condition in which the person excessively strains to expel stool from the rectum

The Signs and Symptoms of Hemorrhoids

Definition of hemorrhoid

Hemorrhoids (Piles) are blood vessels located in the smooth muscles of the walls of the rectum and anus. They are a normal part of the anatomy and are located at the junction where small arteries merge into veins. They are cushioned by smooth muscles and connective tissue and are classified by where they are located in relationship to the pectinate line, the dividing point between the upper 2/3 and lower 1/3 of the anus. This is an important anatomic distinction because of the type of cells that line the hemorrhoid, and the nerves that provide sensation.

Internal hemorrhoids are located above the pectinate line and are covered with cells that are the same as those that line the rest of the intestines. External hemorrhoids arise below the line and are covered with cells that resemble skin.

Hemorrhoids become an issue only when they begin to swell, causing itching, pain and/or bleeding.

What causes hemorrhoids?

While the presence of hemorrhoids is a reflection of the normal anatomy, most people and care professionals refer to hemorrhoids as an abnormal finding because they only present when they swell and cause problems.

Hemorrhoid swelling occurs when there is an increase in the pressure in the small vessels that make up the hemorrhoid causing them to swell and engorge with blood. This causes them to increase in size leading to symptoms. Increased pressure may be caused by a variety of factors:

• Low fiber diet and smaller caliber stool causes a person to strain when having a bowel movement, increasing the pressure within the blood vessels.
• Pregnancy is associated with hemorrhoid swelling and is likely due to increased pressure of the enlarged uterus on the rectum and anus. In addition, hormonal changes with pregnancy may weaken the muscles that support the rectum and anus.
• Prolonged sitting on the toilet may increase pressure within the hemorrhoid blood vessels
• Obesity
• Diarrhea, both acute and chronic
• Colon cancer
• Previous rectal surgery
• Spinal cord injury and lack of erect posture

What are the signs and symptoms of a hemorrhoid?

• Hemorrhoids are the most common cause of rectal and anal complaints. The most common complaint is painless bleeding, anal itching, pain, swelling and feeling a lump at the anus are all associated with an inflamed hemorrhoid.
• It is important to remember that rectal bleeding or blood in the stool is never normal and while it may come from a relatively benign cause like hemorrhoids, more serious causes can be life threatening. These include bleeding from ulcers,diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and tumors. If rectal bleeding occurs, it is important to contact your health care professional or seek emergency medical care. This is especially important if the person is taking blood thinning medications.
• When an internal hemorrhoid becomes inflamed, it can cause swelling. This in itself does not cause pain because there are no pain fibers attached to the veins above the pectinate line. Passing a hard stool can scrape off the thinned lining of the hemorrhoid causing painless bleeding. However, the swollen hemorrhoid can also cause spasm of the muscles that surround the rectum and anus causing pain, especially if they protrude or prolapse through the anus. A lump can be felt at the anal verge. Internal hemorrhoids can also thromboses (clot) leading to severe pain.
• The inflamed hemorrhoid can leak mucus that can cause inflammation of the skin surrounding the anus causing burning and itching, known as pruritis ani. However, other causes of itching include yeast and other skin infections and parasites like pin-worms. Most importantly, just as blood in the stool should not ignored in the stool because it mike be a sign of colon cancer, anal itching or bleeding should not be presumed to be due to hemorrhoids because it can be a sign of anal cancer tumor.
• External hemorrhoids behave differently since they are covered by “regular skin” and have pain fibers associated with them. A thrombosed external hemorrhoid occurs when an underlying vein within the hemorrhoid clots off causing intense pain from the rapid stretching of the skin covering the hemorrhoid. A hard painful lump can be felt at the anus. External hemorrhoids can also result in excess skin tags that can be felt at the anal verge and can cause difficulties with cleaning after a bowel movement, leading to secondary skin infections

What does a hemorrhoid look like?

Normal hemorrhoidal tissue cannot be seen since they must first swell and become inflamed or develop a clot to cause symptoms. One can see swollen external hemorrhoids or prolapsed internal hemorrhoids exposed outside the anus but internal hemorrhoids cannot be seen because they remain inside the anus. A thrombosed hemorrhoid will appear as a lump at the anal verge, protruding from the anus and will be dark bluish in color because of the blood clot contained inside the swollen blood vessel. A non-thrombosed hemorrhoid will appear as a rubbery lump. Often more than one swollen hemorrhoid appears at the same time.

How are hemorrhoids treated?

Regardless of the size or swelling of a hemorrhoid, no treatment is required if symptoms do not exist.

Prevention is perhaps the most effective treatment. Diet and adequate hydration are very important to maintain normal bowel movements. Hemorrhoid symptoms can occur with the passage of hard stool and constipation, as well as diarrhea and frequent bowel movements. For patients with constipation, high fiber diet, adequate hydration and stool softeners may be required. For those with too frequent bowel movements, antidiarrheal medications and diet adjustments may be required. These preventive measures decrease the amount of straining that is required to have a bowel movement, thus decreasing the pressure within the blood vessels to prevent swelling.

>>This product is very effective for hemorrhoid

Once hemorrhoid symptoms develop, a variety of treatment options exist, depending upon the situation and severity of the hemorrhoids.

Internal hemorrhoids are graded by the degree of prolapse below the pectinate line into the anal canal.

• Grade 1:the internal hemorrhoid bulges into the canal but does not prolapse or fall completely into it. These may bleed.
• Grade 2:the hemorrhoid protrudes past the anal verge with straining for a bowel movement or passage of flatus, but spontaneously return to their original internal position once the straining has subsided.
• Grade 3:the hemorrhoid may protrude past the anal verge without any straining and requires the patient to push them inside manually.
• Grade 4:the internal hemorrhoid always stays protruded or prolapsed and is at risk for thrombosis or strangulation should the anal muscles go into spasm.

How GI bleeding may also be a sign of more serious diseases and conditions

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding refers to any bleeding that starts in the gastrointestinal tract.

Bleeding may come from any site along the GI tract, but is often divided into:

• Upper GI bleeding: The upper GI tract includes the esophagus (the tube from the mouth to the stomach), stomach, and first part of the small intestine.
• Lower GI bleeding: The lower GI tract includes much of the small intestine, large intestine or bowels, rectum, and anus.

Considerations

The amount of GI bleeding may be so small that it can only be detected on a lab test such as the fecal occult blood test. Other signs of GI bleeding include:

• Dark, tarry stools
• Larger amounts of blood passed from the rectum
• Small amounts of blood in the toilet bowl, on toilet paper, or in streaks on stool (feces)
• Vomiting blood

Massive bleeding from the GI tract can be dangerous. However, even very small amounts of bleeding that occur over a long period of time can lead to problems such as anemia or low blood counts.

Once a bleeding site is found, many therapies are available to stop the bleeding or treat the cause.

Causes

GI bleeding may be due to conditions that are not serious, including:

• Anal fissure
• Hemorrhoids

However, GI bleeding may also be a sign of more serious diseases and conditions, such as the following cancers of the GI tract:

• Cancer of the colon
• Cancer of the small intestine
• Cancer of the stomach
• Intestinal polyps (a pre-cancerous condition)

Other possible causes of GI bleeding include:

• Abnormal blood vessels in the lining of the intestines (also called angiodysplasias)
• Bleeding diverticulum, or diverticulosis
• Crohn’s disease orulcerative colitis
• Esophageal varices
• Esophagitis
• Gastric (stomach) ulcer
• Intussusception (bowel telescoped on itself)
• Mallory-Weiss tear
• Meckel’s diverticulum
• Radiation injury to the bowel

>>Also read about

• Symptoms of Indigestion
• What causes painful urination in male & female
• What are the symptoms of Appendicitis
• The causes of Gastrointestinal Bleeding and as a sign for some serious diseases & conditions.
• This medical condition is not good for the body
• Urinary tract infections in teens and adults
• What is constipation

The Basics of Diarrhea

Diarrhea describes bowel movements (stools) that are loose and watery. It is very common and usually not serious. Many people will have diarrhea once or twice each year. It typically lasts two to three days and can be treated with over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Some people have diarrhea often as part of irritable bowel syndrome or other chronic diseases of the large intestine.

Doctors classify diarrhea as “osmotic,” “secretory,” or “exudative.”

• Osmotic diarrhea means that something in the bowel is drawing water from the body into the bowel. A common example of this is “dietetic candy” or “chewing gum” diarrhea, in which a sugar substitute, such as sorbitol, is not absorbed by the body but draws water from the body into the bowel, resulting in diarrhea.
• Secretory diarrhea occurs when the body is releasing water into the bowel when it’s not supposed to. Many infections, drugs, and other conditions cause secretory diarrhea.
• Exudative diarrhea refers to the presence of blood and pus in the stool. This occurs with inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, and several infections.

What Causes Diarrhea?

The most common cause of diarrhea is a virus that infects the gut. The infection usually lasts for two days and is sometimes called “intestinal flu” or “stomach flu.” Diarrhea may also be caused by:

• Infection by bacteria (the cause of most types of (food poisoning)
• Infections by other organisms
• Eating foods that upset the digestive system
• Allergies to certain foods
• Medications
• Radiation therapy
• Diseases of theintestines (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)
• Malabsorption (where the body is unable to adequately absorb certain nutrients from the diet)
• Hyperthyroidism
• Some cancers
• Laxative abuse
• Alcohol abuse
• Digestive tract surgery
• Diabetes
• Competitive running

Diarrhea may also follow constipation, especially for people who have irritable bowel syndrome.

What Are the Symptoms of Diarrhea?

Symptoms of diarrhea can be broken down into uncomplicated (or non-serious) diarrhea and complicated diarrhea. Complicated diarrhea may be a sign of a more serious illness.

Symptoms of uncomplicated diarrhea include:

• Abdominal bloating or cramps
• Thin or loose stools
• Watery stool
• Sense of urgency to have a bowel movement
• Nausea and vomiting

In addition to the symptoms described above, the symptoms of complicated diarrhea include:

• Blood, mucus, or undigested food in the stool
• Weight loss
• Fever

Contact your doctor if you have prolonged diarrhea or a fever that lasts more than 24 hours. Also see your doctor promptly if vomiting prevents you from drinking liquids to replace lost fluids.

How Is Diarrhea Treated?

If you have a mild case of diarrhea, you can just let it run its course, or you can treat it with an over-the-counter medicine. Common brand names include Pepto-Bismol, Imodium A-D, and Kaopectate, which are available as liquids or tablets. Follow the instructions on the package.

In addition, you should drink at least six 8-ounce glasses of fluid per day. Choose fruit juice without pulp, broth, or soda (without caffeine). Chicken broth (without the fat), tea with honey, and sports drinks are also good choices. Instead of drinking liquids with your meals, drink liquids between meals. Drink small amounts of fluids frequently.

How to know if you are suffering from Indigestion

Indigestion is often a sign of an underlying problem, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), ulcers, or gallbladder disease, rather than a condition of its own.

Also called dyspepsia, indigestion is a term used to describe a feeling of fullness or discomfort during or after a meal. It can be accompanied by burning or pain in the upper stomach.

What Are the Symptoms of Indigestion?

The symptoms of indigestion include:

• Bloating (full feeling)
• Belching and gas
• Nausea and vomiting
• Acidic taste
• Growling stomach
• Burning in the stomach or upper abdomen
• Abdominal pain

These symptoms may increase in times of stress.

People often have heartburn (a burning sensation deep in the chest) along with indigestion. But heartburn is caused by stomach acids rising into the esophagus.

Who Is at Risk for Indigestion?

People of all ages and of both sexes are affected by indigestion. It’s extremely common. An individual’s risk increases with excess alcohol consumption, use of drugs that may irritate the stomach (such as aspirin), other conditions where there is an abnormality in the digestive tract such as an ulcer and emotional problems such as anxiety or depression.

What Causes Indigestion?

Indigestion has many causes, including:

Diseases:

• Ulcers
• GERD
• Stomach cancer (rare)
• Gastroparesis (a condition where the stomach doesn’t empty properly; this often occurs in diabetics)
• Stomach infections
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Chronic pancreatitis
• Thyroid disease

Lifestyle:

• Eating too much, eating too fast, eating high-fat foods, or eating during stressful situations
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Cigarette smoking
• Stress and fatigue

Swallowing excessive air when eating may increase the symptoms of belching and bloating, which are often associated with indigestion.

>>How you can treat indigestion with this medicine

Sometimes people have persistent indigestion that is not related to any of these factors. This type of indigestion is called functional, or non-ulcer dyspepsia.

During the middle and later parts of pregnancy, many women have indigestion. This is believed to be caused by a number of pregnancy-related factors including hormones, which relax the muscles of the digestive tract, and the pressure of the growing uterus on the stomach.

How Is Indigestion Diagnosed?

If you are experiencing symptoms of indigestion, make an appointment to see your doctor to rule out a more serious condition. Because indigestion is such a broad term, it is helpful to provide your doctor with a precise description of the discomfort you are experiencing. In describing your indigestion symptoms, try to define where in the abdomen the discomfort usually occurs. Simply reporting pain in the stomach is not detailed enough for your doctor to help identify and treat your problem.

First, your doctor must rule out any underlying conditions. Your doctor may perform several blood tests and you may have X-rays of the stomach or small intestine. Your doctor may also use an instrument to look closely at the inside of the stomach, a procedure called an upper endoscopy. An endoscope, a flexible tube that contains a light and a camera to produce images from inside the body, is used in this procedure.

What should be known about Gall Bladder Diseases

Gallbladder disease is a term for several types of conditions that can affect your gallbladder, a small pear shaped sac located under the liver. Your gallbladder’s main function is to store the bile produced in your liver and pass it along to the small intestine.

The majority of gallbladder diseases are caused by inflammation due to irritation to the gallbladder wall (cholecystitis). This occurs when gallstones obstruct the ducts leading to the small intestine and may eventually lead to necrosis or gangrene. Other diseases of the gallbladder include biliary enteric fistulas, sclerosing cholangitis, gallbladder polyps, and gallbladder cancer.

What are the Types of Gallbladder Disease?

• Gallstones

  

  Gall Bladder Stone

Gallstones are the most pressing of all gallbladder diseases. They develop when substances in the bile (such as cholesterol, bile salts, and calcium) form hard particles that block the passageway to the gallbladder.

In addition, stones tend to form when the gallbladder doesn’t empty completely or often enough. They vary in size from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a golf ball.

Numerous factors contribute to your risk of gallstones. These include:

• being overweight or obese
• eating a high-fat or high-cholesterol diet
• having diabetes
• being age 60 or older
• taking medications that contain estrogen
• having a family history of gallstones
• being a women

Cholecystitis

Cholecystitis is the most common type of gallbladder disease. It presents itself as either an acute or chronic inflammation.

Acute Cholecystitis

Acute cholecystitis is generally caused by gallstones, but may also be the result of tumors or various other illnesses. It may present with pain in the upper right side or upper middle part of the abdomen. The pain can come right after a meal and range from sharp pangs to dull aches that may often radiate to the right shoulder. Fever nausea, vomiting,jaundice, and different colored stools are also a result of acute cholecystitis.

Chronic Cholecystitis

After several attacks of acute cholecystitis, the gallbladder will shrink and lose its function of storing and releasing bile. Abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting may follow.

Choledocholithiasis

Gallstones may become lodged in the neck of the gallbladder or in the bile ducts. When the gallbladder is plugged in this way, bile cannot exit. This may lead to the gallbladder becoming inflamed or distended. The plugged bile ducts will further prevent bile from traveling from the liver to the intestines. Choledocholithiasis produces extreme pain in the middle upper abdomen, fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting.

Acalculous Gallbladder Disease

Acalculous gallbladder disease (biliary dyskinesia) occurs without the presence of gallstones. It can be chronic or acute and may result from the gallbladder muscles or valve not working properly. Symptoms include abdominal pain on the right side of the body, radiating to the shoulder. Eating high fat foods often triggers this. Related symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, bloating, and loose stools.

Diabetes: This Ailment is dangerous to health

Diabetes, often referred to by doctors as diabetes mellitus, describes a group of metabolic diseases in which the person has high blood glucose (blood sugar), either because insulin production is inadequate, or because the body’s cells do not respond properly to insulin, or both. Patients with high blood sugar will typically experience polyuria (frequent urination), they will become increasingly thirsty (polydipsia) and hungry (polyphagia).

Fast facts on diabetes

Here are some key points about diabetes. More detail and supporting information is in the main article.

• Diabetes is a long-term condition that causes high blood sugar levels.
• In 2013 it was estimated that over 382 million people throughout the world had diabetes (Williams textbook of endocrinology).
• Type 1 Diabetes – the body does not produce insulin. Approximately 10% of all diabetes cases are type 1.
• Type 2 Diabetes – the body does not produce enough insulin for proper function. Approximately 90% of all cases of diabetes worldwide are of this type.
• Gestational Diabetes – this type affects females during pregnancy.
• The most common diabetes symptoms include frequent urination, intense thirst and hunger, weight gain, unusual weight loss, fatigue, cuts and bruises that do not heal, male sexual dysfunction, numbness and tingling in hands and feet.
• If you have Type 1 and follow a healthy eating plan, do adequate exercise, and take insulin, you can lead a normal life.
• Type 2 patients need to eat healthily, be physically active, and test their blood glucose. They may also need to take oral medication, and/or insulin to control blood glucose levels.
• As the risk of cardiovascular disease is much higher for a diabetic, it is crucial that blood pressure and cholesterol levels are monitored regularly.
• As smoking might have a serious effect on cardiovascular health, diabetics should stop smoking.
• Hypoglycemia – low blood glucose – can have a bad effect on the patient. Hyperglycemia – when blood glucose is too high – can also have a bad effect on the patient.

There are three types of diabetes:

1) Type 1 diabetes

The body does not produce insulin. Some people may refer to this type as insulin-dependent diabetes, juvenile diabetes, orearly-onset diabetes. People usually develop type 1 diabetes before their 40th year, often in early adulthood or teenage years.

Type 1 diabetes is nowhere near as common as type 2 diabetes. Approximately 10% of all diabetes cases are type 1.

Patients with type 1 diabetes will need to take insulin injections for the rest of their life. They must also ensure proper blood-glucose levels by carrying out regular blood tests and following a special diet.

2) Type 2 diabetes

The body does not produce enough insulin for proper function, or the cells in the body do not react to insulin (insulin resistance).

Approximately 90% of all cases of diabetes worldwide are type 2.

Measuring the glucose level in blood

Some people may be able to control their type 2 diabetes symptoms by losing weight, following a healthy diet, doing plenty of exercise, and monitoring their blood glucose levels. However, type 2 diabetes is typically a progressive disease – it gradually gets worse – and the patient will probably end up have to take insulin, usually in tablet form.

Overweight and obese people have a much higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those with a healthy body weight. People with a lot of visceral fat, also known as central obesity, belly fat, or abdominal obesity, are especially at risk. Being overweight/obese causes the body to release chemicals that can destabilize the body’s cardiovascular and metabolic systems.

Causes of Infertility in Men and Women

Infertility refers to an inability to conceive after having regular unprotected sex. Infertility can also refer to the biological inability of an individual to contribute to conception, or to a female who cannot carry a pregnancy to full term. In many countries infertility refers to a couple that has failed to conceive after 12 months of regular sexual intercourse without the use of contraception.

Studies indicate that slightly over half of all cases of infertility are a result of female conditions, while the rest are caused by either sperm disorders or unidentified factors.

Study shows that:

• About 20% of cases of infertility are due to a problem in the man.
• About 40% to 50% of cases of infertility are due to a problem in the woman.
• About 30% to 40% of cases of infertility are due to problems in both the man and the woman.

Many cases of apparent infertility are treatable. Infertility may have a single cause in one of the partners, or it could be the result of a combination of factors.

Risk factors of infertility

In medicine, a risk factor is something that raises the risk of developing a condition, disease or symptom. For example, obese people are more likely to develop diabetes type 2 compared to people of normal weight; therefore, obesity is a risk factor for diabetes type 2.

Age – a woman’s fertility starts to drop after she is about 32 years old, and continues doing so. A 50-year-old man is usually less fertile than a man in his 20s (male fertility progressively drops after the age of 40).

Smoking – smoking significantly increases the risk of infertility in both men and women. Smoking may also undermine the effects of fertility treatment. Even when a woman gets pregnant, if she smokes she has a greater risk of miscarriage.

Alcohol consumption – a woman’s pregnancy can be seriously affected by any amount of alcohol consumption. Alcohol abuse may lower male fertility. Moderate alcohol consumption has not been shown to lower fertility in most men, but is thought to lower fertility in men who already have a low sperm count.

Eating disorders – women who become seriously underweight as a result of an eating disorder may have fertility problems.

Being vegan – if you are a strict vegan you must make sure your intake of iron, folic acid, zinc and vitamin B-12 are adequate, otherwise your fertility may become affected.

Over-exercising – a woman who exercises for more than seven hours each week may have ovulation problems.

Not exercising – leading a sedentary lifestyle is sometimes linked to lower fertility in both men and women.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – chlamydia can damage the fallopian tubes, as well as making the man’s scrotum become inflamed. Some other STIs may also cause infertility.

Exposure to some chemicals – some pesticides, herbicides, metals (lead) and solvents have been linked to fertility problems in both men and women.

Mental stress – studies indicate that female ovulation and sperm production may be affected by mental stress. If at least one partner is stressed it is possible that the frequency of sexual intercourse is less, resulting in a lower chance of conception.

How to prevent yourself from STDs

STD Prevention

The only way to absolutely prevent ever having a sexually transmitted diseases is to not have sex (abstinence) or to only have sex with one partner who doesn’t already have an STD and who isn’t having sex with anyone else (a mutually monogamous relationship).

If you have more than one sex partner or if you’re at all uncertain about whether your sex partner is having sex with anyone else, you may be at risk of catching an STD. The risk increases with the number of sex partners you have. Some people may be offended by a discussion of protective measures for STDs. But many people are at risk, and it’s important to understand which sexual practices can put you and others at risk and how you can reduce that risk.

You can help lower your risk of catching an STD by practicing the following suggestions, known as “safer sex”. Keep in mind that these tips aren’t guaranteed to protect you and that the only “safe” options are to choose abstinence or to stay in a mutually monogamous relationship.

1. Know your sex partner very well. Tell your partner if you have an STD and ask if he or she has one. Talk about if you’ve both been tested for and if you should be tested again.
2. Look for signs of an STD in your partner. For example, sores around the penis or vagina can indicate a STD. Keep in mind that a person with an STD doesn’t always know he or she has an infection.
3. Always use a latex condom when you have sex, including oral and anal sex, if you’re all uncertain about whether your sex partner has an STD or is having sex with anyone else. A condom blocks and protects the skin. Condoms reduce the risk of passing or catching an STD but don’t eliminate the risk. That’s because condoms don’t protect all of your skin in the genital area, and sometimes they can break. Condoms shouldn’t provide a sense of total security because that might lead to risky sexual activity.