Could Lyme Disease Be The Newest Recurring STD?

When you think about sexual wellness and wellbeing, we are betting that Lyme disease isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Nevertheless, around 300,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease every year. This illness comes from ticks and can cause serious health problems including facial paralysis, arthritis and even a heart attack. The disease is even on the rise in the states, particularly in the North East, and last year a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that 10 times more Americans have suffered from the disease than was previously thought.

 

To add fuel to the fire, a team of international researchers has published an astounding study that looks into a very controversial theory, looking at whether or not Lyme disease could be sexually transmitted.

 

These findings could change the way in which Lyme disease is viewed and treated, both by doctors and patients. The lead author of the study, Marianne Middelveen, works as a microbiologist in Canada, and she says that the sexual transmission theory explains why the disease is far more common than we might expect.

 

The team also included two molecular biologists from the USA, and they tested vaginal and semen samples from three separate groups of subjects. First, there was a control group who did not have the disease. Next, there was a group of people who had all tested positive for the disease. The final group was a group of married couples (all heterosexual) who both had the disease and who were regularly having unprotected sex with one another). Both the semen and vaginal samples tested positive for the disease, indicating that it is possible to transmit the disease sexually. In addition to this, the researchers found that one married couple had an identical strain of the Lyme bacteria.

Categories: Disease, group, lyme, lyme disease, nbsp, Sex, tested, tested positive

STI Testing: The Who, What, Where, When and Why

Getting tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is an absolutely vital part of sexual health, both for the sake of your wellbeing and that of anyone you come into sexual contact with. When you have an STI, there are often no symptoms to alert you to the fact that you have been infected, meaning that you could be passing it on to others and letting your own wellness deteriorate without even realising. Therefore, you need to take control of your health by using condoms and getting tested for STIs.

 

Once you begin having sex, it’s a good idea to have regular sexual health check-ups. Whether you have multiple sexual partners or you’re starting a new relationship, you and your partner need to be tested – and recently tested – before you stop using condoms. If you have had unsafe sex, or some of the symptoms of STIs such as pain, discharge or itching in your genital area, you should consult your doctor. Most STIs are treatable but, if left untreated, you may end up experiencing some unpleasant symptoms and even long-term problems such as infertility.

 

Having a test is simple and painless, and easily available from your local GP, family planning clinic or sexual health clinic. There is no single test to detect all STIs, which means you’ll have to have a chat with your doctor about your specific symptoms. Your doctor will also want to discuss your sexual history, so be prepared to talk about that. It can be tempting to lie about or paint a rosier view of your sexual history, but you need to be completely truthful. Even if you’re embarrassed, your doctor will need to use the information from your conversation to work out the tests you should have.

 

If you have an STI such as gonorrhoea or chlamydia, a simple test will be able to pick up the STI soon after you have been infected, even if you haven’t shown any obvious signs or symptoms. However, other STIs – like HIV – won’t show a positive result as quickly and your doctor will advise you on when to be re-tested. As a general rule, the testing will involve a blood sample, urine sample, swab or just a physical examination – depending on which STI is being looked for. Lots of places provide low-cost or even free STI testing for young people, but you’ll need to ask when you make your appointment, and maybe look online for the most price-efficient option in your local area. The cost also depends on the tests required.

 

If you’re worried or embarrassed about someone else finding out about your STI test, you don’t need to be concerned. Your doctor will be legally obliged to keep information that you give him or her confidential, regardless of how old you are. The only exception would be if you are under the age of 16 and an issue of your safety arises. However, the results of STI testing are completely confidential. The results are stored in your medical files and sexual health clinics normally keep separate records to the files kept by your doctor or local hospital. That said, if you do test positive for an STI, you absolutely need to tell your recent sexual partners so that they can be tested too. One of them may have passed it on to you unknowingly, and may be doing so with other people. To help minimise the embarrassment of getting in touch with former partners, many clinics will provide you with letters or other ways to ease the process.

Categories: Costs, doctor, sexual, sexual health, sexual history, sexual partners, sti testing, STIs, Symptoms, tested, Testing

Cystic Fibrosis Month

May is Cystic Fibrosis month. Learn more about Cystic Fibrosis and what we can all do to raise awareness and support the journey towards a cure…

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has designated May as CF awareness month. This life-shortening inherited disease affects almost 10,000 people in the UK and 30,000 in the United States.

What is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic Fibrosis comes from a faulty gene that controls the way salt and water moves in and out of cells in the body. This means the lungs and digestive system gets clogged with mucus. Breathing and digesting food becomes increasingly difficult as the disease progresses.

At the moment there is no cure for Cystic Fibrosis but the condition can be managed with medication, exercise, physiotherapy and nutrition. Today data from the Cystic Fibrosis Trust estimates that, “More than half of the CF population in the UK will live past 41, and improved care and treatments mean that a baby born today is expected to live even longer.”

Because Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease it can’t be caught or developed. However, one in 25 people carry the faulty CF gene which could be a consideration if you are thinking of starting a family.

Being screened or tested for Cystic Fibrosis

There are a number of different types of testing and screening that can be done to identify Cystic Fibrosis depending on your age and situation. If there is a history of the condition in you or your partner’s family then you can be tested easily by taking a sample of the cells from the inside of your mouth. The cells are then tested in a lab. Couples often decide to be tested before starting a family. This can be organised through your GP or if you have health insurance through a private provider.

Bupa’s Health Information Directory gives a comprehensive list of facts and advice on Cystic Fibrosis and pregnancy including the antenatal test Amniocentesis and Chorionic villus sampling. All new-born babies are screened for Cystic Fibrosis in the UK. A midwife will visit you and your baby about five days after the birth and collect a few drops of blood to be tested. Since some tests can provide inconclusive results there are three in total that can be used to determine if a baby has Cystic Fibrosis. The other two are sweat testing and genetic testing. This first test reads the level of salt in a baby’s sweat as people with CF have very high levels in their sweat. The second relies on a sample of saliva taken from inside the baby’s mouth. This test can confirm if a child has CF or is a carrier of the gene.

How can I help?

Cystic Fibrosis charities are always looking for willing volunteers to help them raise awareness and funds to support research into a cure and also help provide support and respite for people living with the condition. You can donate your money or your time by joining an event or organising your own. Companies often donate money to charities or organise team building events around raising money for good causes. It could be as simple as organising a bake sale at your office or as grand as suggesting your local or national Cystic Fibrosis charity be adopted as their national charity as Manchester United did for three years.

Has your company or workplace ever raised money for a Cystic Fibrosis organisation?

Categories: Baby, cystic, cystic fibrosis, Cystic Fibrosis Month, fibrosis, fibrosis month, help organisations, people, raise awareness, Screened, tested