Brazil Hands out Nearly Half Billion Condoms

Brazil's government says it handed out nearly a half-billion free condoms last year — a record for the nation's campaign to reduce AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
    Brazil's Health Ministry says it distributed 493 million condoms last year. That's 2 1/2 condoms for every person in Latin America's largest nation. They cost the government about $19 million. The ministry says the Brazilian government buys and distributes more condoms than any other nation. About 90 percent of all condoms used in Brazil are provided by the government.The federal government distributes the condoms, with some going to states and municipalities to be handed out in various programs including in Brazil's schools.

 

via @abcnews.com

Urination Problems

Pain and difficulty with urination are common conditions in both men and women. But urination problems may be a sign of more serious problems. Follow this chart for more information about these symptoms and their care.

SYMPTOMS		DIAGNOSIS		SELF-CARE
1. Do you have pain or burning with urination?		Go to Question 7.**
2. Is your urine cloudy?		Go to Question 5.*
3. Do you have a fever and/or backache?		Pain and fever may be caused by an infection of the kidneys called PYELONEPHRITIS.		See your doctor right away.
4. Do you have sharp, knife-like, intense pains in your back or groin?		You may have a KIDNEY STONE or another serious problem.		EMERGENCY See your doctor or go to the emergency room right away.
		You may have a BLADDER INFECTION or a more serious problem with the KIDNEYS.		See your doctor right away. Left untreated, problems with your kidneys may cause blood poisoning.
*5. Are you a man, and do you have an ache under your scrotum?		You may have PROSTATITIS, an infection of the prostate gland.		See your doctor.
6. Are you a man, and do you have a discharge from the tip of your penis?		These may be symptoms of an INFECTION such as URETHRITIS or a SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION, such as GONORRHEA.		See your doctor right away.
**7. Do you have the urge to urinate after just using the restroom, and are you only urinating small amounts at a time?		Your symptoms may be caused by an infection in the bladder, called CYSTITIS, or from an irritation of the bladder, called INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS, or from a KIDNEY STONE stuck in the bladder, or a chemical in the urine.		See your doctor.
8. Are you producing more urine than usual?		Go to Question 10.***
9. Have you been losing weight, drinking lots of fluids and/or have a history of diabetes in the family?		You may have DIABETES, a condition in which your body lacks insulin or doesn't use it in the right way.		See your doctor.
		You may be taking a medicine that can cause increased urination. Drinking liquids containing caffeine can also cause increased urination.		You may want to check with your doctor. If you drink caffeinated beverages, try decreasing the amount you drink.
***10. Are you a woman, and do you leak urine when you cough or sneeze?		Your symptoms may be from a weakness in the bladder due to childbirth or aging. This weakness causes STRESS INCONTINENCE.		Absorbent protection may be helpful. Kegel exercises may help strengthen muscles that support the bladder. See your doctor.
11. Are you a man, and do you leak or dribble urine after you urinate, or do you have problems starting the urine stream, or do you wake many times at night to urinate?		You may have a problem with your PROSTATE GLAND. Your symptoms may be caused by a benign (non-cancerous) ENLARGEMENT or a more serious condition such as INFECTION or CANCER.		See your doctor.
12. Do you have blood in your urine?		You may have a KIDNEY STONE, a TUMOR in the kidney or bladder, a BLADDER INFECTION, TRAUMA to your kidney, or possibly a BLEEDING DISORDER.		See your doctor right away.
For more information, please talk to your doctor. If you think the problem is serious, call your doctor right away.

Facts about Intercourse during Menstruation

         Sex during periods is a matter of personal preference and cultural beliefs. Medically, it is safe to have sex during your period as long as you don't use it as a ticket to have unprotected sex.
       Deciding to have sexual intercourse requires knowledge about both the male and female reproductive systems, STDS, and birth control. Sex can become even more complicated when it comes to deciding when and where to do the deed; in particular, you may find that you or your partner want to have sex during your menstrual period. But is sex during your period safe? Here are some answers to a few of the most common questions regarding period sex. 

Is it Safe To Have Sex During Your Period?
Many men and women worry that having sexual intercourse during a woman's period is unhealthy. Though frowned upon in many cultures and faiths, sexual intercourse during menstruation is entirely normal and completely healthy.
Worries about this act generally stem from societal misconceptions about menstrual blood: most girls are taught from a young age that their menstrual blood is unclean and "dirty," and therefore should be hidden and contained at all times. However, menstrual blood is an entirely natural bodily fluid, and does not in anyway affect a man's penis or a woman's reproductive tract. As long as you are engaging in safe and protected sexual intercourse, it is entirely alright for you and your partner to have sex during your period.

Benefits of having sex during menstruation:

• Sex may help relieve pre or post menstrual symptoms if you get an orgasm
• Endorphins released during an orgasm are natural painkillers and mood lifters, which can allay cramps, headaches, mild depression, and irritability associated with periods
• Some women also claim enjoying sex more when they are menstruating because of the feelings of fullness in the pelvic and genital areas

Let's talk about STDs - Herpes Genitalis (III)

Common names:

• Genital Herpes
• Herpes Genitalis
• Herpes Groin
• Herpes Simplex Type 2  

 What Is Genital Herpes?

Genital herpes is an infection of the *genitals, *buttocks, or *anal area caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). Most genital herpes is caused by HSV type 2. Yet as people begin to have sex at younger ages the herpes type 1 virus has increasingly been shown to also cause genital herpes.  Photos

 

 Causes

Genital herpes is a highly contagious infection usually spread through intercourse, but it can be passed through oral or anal sex as well. Learn about it in this sexual health article.

• Are You at Risk?   

Let's talk about Sexually Transmitted Diseases (I)

• What are STD?
  
  
  

  

            
   
  STDs Overview Presentation
  

  
  
  

 (STIs) Sexually transmitted infections/diseases  are a major global cause of  
                    *acute illness, 
                    * infertility,
                    *long-term disability and   
                    *death, with severe medical and psychological consequences for millions of men, women and infants.STIs are spread primarily through person-to-person sexual contact.
       There are over 30 different sexually transmissible bacteria, viruses and parasites. Several STIs, particularly HIV and syphilis, can be transmitted through blood products and tissue transfer, and from mother to child during pregnancy and childbirth.
             Symptoms of STIs may be
    -absent,
    -mild and transient,
    - acute(as with gonorrhoea, chancroid, herpes simplex virus).
      Many STIs can have severe long-term consequences. In adults, chlamydia and gonorrhoea may lead to complications such as infertility, chronic illness and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy. Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis can produce serious and often life-threatening conditions in fetuses and newborn babies, such as congenital syphilis, pneumonia and low birth weight. Infection with human papillomavirus is a proven precondition for the development of carcinoma of the cervix, which is the second leading cause of female cancer mortality worldwide.
Some of the most common sexually transmitted pathogens can be divided into bacteria, viruses and parasites.

Common bacteria

• Neisseria gonorrhoeae (causes gonorrhoea or gonococcal infection)
• Chlamydia trachomatis (causes chlamydial infections)
• Treponema pallidum (causes syphilis)
• Haemophilus ducreyi (causes chancroid)
• Klebsiella granulomatis (previously known as Calymmatobacterium granulomatis, causes granuloma inguinale or donovanosis)

Common viruses

• HIV (causes AIDS)
• Herpes simplex virus type 2 (causes genital herpes)
• Human papillomavirus (causes genital warts and certain subtypes lead to cervical cancer in women)
• Hepatitis B virus (causes hepatitis and chronic cases may lead to cancer of the liver)
• Cytomegalovirus (causes inflammation in a number of organs including the brain, eye and bowel)

Parasites

• Trichomonas vaginalis (causes vaginal trichomoniasis)
• Candida albicans (causes vulvovaginitis in women and inflammation of the glans penis and foreskin in men)

Related articles by Zemanta

• 10 Things You Need to Know About STDs (lifescript.com)
• STDs on the Rise (lifescript.com)
• Most Common Venereal Diseases (brighthub.com)

Let's talk about Sexually transmitted Diseases (II)

  * When to seek Medical Care 
  * Prevention

  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.