Tag Archives: E. coli

STD Awareness: Can I Use Plastic Wrap as a Dental Dam During Oral Sex?

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plastic wrapIf you read this blog — or any sexual health website, really — you’ll probably see dental dams getting a lot of props. A dental dam (not to be confused with a female condom) is a square piece of latex that can cover the vaginal opening or the anus. Anyone wishing to avoid the oral transmission of STDs like herpes, gonorrhea, HPV, syphilis, chlamydia, and intestinal parasites, dental-dam advocates say, should use a latex barrier. Most people, however, have probably never even seen a dental dam, and they are not widely used. Perhaps their unpopularity is related to myths about oral sex being safe sex (it’s not!); perhaps it’s due to dental dams being expensive or difficult to find.

Plastic wrap hasn’t been evaluated by the FDA for STD prevention, and no studies have assessed its effectiveness in reducing disease risk during oral sex.

Some safer-sex aficionados have found ways around that, though. They might cut the tips off of condoms and make incisions along the sides, creating little latex rectangles. An even easier and cheaper option lies in plastic wrap, which many people use as a barrier while performing cunnilingus (oral contact with the female genitalia) or rimming (oral contact with the anus). It is inexpensive, easy to find, odorless, and tasteless, and can be purchased without even a hint of embarrassment (unless perhaps your other purchases include duct tape, cucumbers, and clothes pins). And it can be pulled off the roll in sheets as long as your heart desires!

Planned Parenthood endorses the use of plastic wrap for oral sex when dental dams aren’t available. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and AIDS.gov both recommend plastic wrap for use during rimming. Health authorities, such as AIDS.gov and the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare, recommend non-microwavable Saran Wrap, because microwave-safe Saran Wrap has tiny pores to let out steam — which might also let viruses and bacteria through. Continue reading →

Over 90 Percent of What Planned Parenthood Does, Part 11: Diagnosing and Treating Epididymitis

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Welcome to the latest installment of “Over 90 Percent of What Planned Parenthood Does,” a series on Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona’s blog that highlights Planned Parenthood’s diverse array of services — the ones Jon Kyl doesn’t know about.

Planned Parenthood Arizona treats epididymitis.This statement might raise a few questions:

Q: What’s epididymitis?
A: Epididymitis is the inflammation, or swelling, of the epididymis, resulting in pain in the scrotum.
Q: That’s great, but what the heck is an epididymis?
A: The epididymis is a tube that is connected to the testicle, and is where sperm are stored before ejaculation. The epididymis is 12 to 15 feet long, but is coiled tightly enough to fit inside the scrotum alongside the testes!

Chlamydia causes 70 percent of epididymitis cases in young heterosexuals. This STD is easily treated but frequently asymptomatic — and prevented by condoms.

So, basically, epididymitis is a condition that can strike anyone whose reproductive anatomy features an epididymis. It is generally caused by a bacterial infection — which may be sexually transmitted, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, or may not be sexually transmitted, such as tuberculosis. Very rarely, epididymitis can be caused by other pathogens, such as viruses, fungi, or parasites. Inflammation of the epididymis can also be caused by the heart medication amiodarone (also known as Pacerone).

Epididymitis most commonly affects males between the ages of 14 and 35. Risk factors, regardless of age, include being uncircumcised, a history of prostate or urinary tract infections, having had surgery in the urinary tract, having a history of a neurogenic bladder, an enlarged prostate, regularly using a catheter, and not using condoms during vaginal or anal intercourse.

The symptoms of epididymitis usually develop over one or two days and can include: Continue reading →

Over 90 Percent of What Planned Parenthood Does, Part 9: Treating Urinary Tract Infections

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Urinary tract infections occur when certain bacteria invade the urethra.

Welcome to the latest installment of “Over 90 Percent of What Planned Parenthood Does,” a series on Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona’s blog that highlights Planned Parenthood’s diverse array of services — the ones Jon Kyl doesn’t know about.

A urinary tract infection (UTI) affects the urinary system, most notably the urethra. Symptoms might include an increased urge to urinate, accompanied by a burning sensation; urine might be cloudy or bloody. Among adults, UTIs are 50 times more common in people with vaginas than in people with penises, probably due to the shorter distance bacteria travel from the bowel. If you have a vagina, there is more than a 50 percent chance that you’ll have at least one UTI in your lifetime. And, if you’re unlucky enough to be in this group, there’s a 20 percent chance that you’ll develop recurrent UTIs (three or more infections yearly). Annually, UTIs prompt an estimated 8 million visits to health-care providers, costing at least $1 billion.

How can urinary tract infections be prevented?

Although symptoms often recede without medical intervention, it’s important to seek treatment for persistent UTIs because the infection could spread. If you are or have been sexually active, it is also important to ensure you don’t actually have a sexually transmitted disease.

Causes of UTIs

When certain species of fecal bacteria wend their way from the bowel into your urethra, they might initiate an infection. Up to 90 percent of UTIs are caused by certain strains of Escherichia coli; the rest are caused by Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and a few other species. Continue reading →

Can Cranberry Juice Cure Urinary Tract Infections?

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Cranberry products have a reputation for fighting urinary tract infections. But is this reputation deserved? Image: FreeDigitalPhotos

An increased urge to urinate. A burning sensation when you do. These are two of the signs of a urinary tract infection (UTI), an incredibly unpleasant condition that can seem to come out of nowhere. Anyone can get a UTI, but among adults they are about 50 times more common in females than in males. Certain microorganisms cause these infections, often when bacteria from feces are introduced into the urinary tract. Although symptoms often clear up without medical intervention, it is very important to seek treatment for a persistent UTI because the infection could spread and become much more serious. (If you are or have been sexually active, it is also important to make sure you don’t actually have a sexually transmitted infection.)

Cranberry products — either as juice (sweetened, unsweetened, or blended with other fruit juices) or capsules — are considered by many to be an effective home remedy for UTIs. While cranberries are a well-known and accessible treatment, the evidence for their efficacy is not very strong. Why, then, are they such a popular treatment? It could be due simply to the placebo effect, an amazing phenomenon in which our expectations help shape our experiences. It could be that symptoms often clear up on their own, but we attribute our improvement to whatever remedies we happened to be trying at the time. It could be that drinking extra fluids (e.g., cranberry juice) helps flush the bacteria from our bodies as we urinate more. Or, it’s possible that cranberries do help clear up UTIs, but we just don’t have solid evidence yet. Continue reading →