How condom helps prevent HIV
Sex can give you pleasure. Sex can give you pain. Be careful. Be selective. Limit the sex to one partner who also does the same. Avoid doing sex altogether with a person thought or known to be physically engaged with multiple partners. And if you are stilling doing it, use condom.
Other than minimising pregnancy risk, condom is known to reduce the risk of sexual transmission of life threatening diseases like HIV.
HIV infection is caused by transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from HIV infected person to uninfected person. The virus attacks the while blood cells, mainly CD4+ T cells involved in fighting infections, and weakens the immune system of the body, resulting in infections and illnesses. Not intervened timely and managed properly, this HIV infection gradually progresses to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) – a condition in which CD4+ T count fall below 200 from a normal range of 500-1500 and makes a person extremely susceptible to opportunistic infections and cancers.
How condom helps
Unprotected sexual intercourse is the leading cause of HIV transmission and spread, thanks to the unhealthy practice being followed by millions of people worldwide.
During unprotected sexual intercourse, mucous membrane located at the entrance of urethra (penis), vagina and rectum (anus) of uninfected person get(s) directly exposed to the HIV carrier body fluid (blood, precum, semen and/or vaginal/ rectal secretions) of HIV positive person. It is this direct exposure that causes sexual transmission of the disease. Condom, a wall between the two, helps prevent the direct exposure/ contact.
HIV, according to "Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)", can get transmitted, though the chance is very minute, even through unprotected oral sex, particularly if there is bleeding gums, sores in the mouth, vagina or on the penis, oral contact with menstrual blood/ semen and the presence of other STDs. HIV, however, does not spread through kiss, including intense lip lock unless and until there is a cut/ open sore/ ulcer/ bleeding gum there in the mouth of HIV infected person and the blood of that person gets into the bloodstream of uninfected person. Exchange of saliva doesn’t transmit HIV.
What are the other diseases that condom can help prevent?
Other than HIV, condom can help prevent a host of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including chlamydia, genital herpes, genital warts, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, and syphilis.
What type of condom one should use?
The one that is made of latex/ polyurethane and is meant for prevention of diseases (not
all the condoms are intended for disease prevention but for only sexual stimulation). Read the label. Further, the condom should be long enough to cover the entire penis.
Do not lubricate condom with oil, fat or petroleum jelly based lubricants like Vaseline, baby oil, body lotion and so on - it can seriously weaken latex, causing a condom to tear easily - but only with water based lubricant (intended for this purpose only) if at all it is needed or desired (most condoms come already lubricated). Lubricants help prevent condoms from breaking during use and may prevent irritation, which might increase the chance of infection.
What to do after unprotected sex
Better not to do unprotected sex, there are three things you can possibly do after it.
One, ask the partner if s/he has HIV or not. This may, however, not help much as s/he may or may not know/ reveal. Get her/him tested, if possible. Again, in case s/he has been recently infected it may not show up in report but may still infect you. In fact, the chances of transmitting the virus are higher during this time. Not full proof, doing all these may however give you some indication.
Two, see a doctor immediately, preferably within 72 hours of exposure. Depending on the risk levels, he may give you medicine.
Three, get yourself tested for HIV after 3, 6 and 12 months of exposure (the HIV virus takes time to show up in the report), especially if you have encountered several of these symptoms within 4 to 6 weeks of unprotected sex.
Fever
Chills
Musculoskeletal pain
Swelling of lymph nodes
Red rashes on the body
Mouth sores/ ulcers
Night Sweats
Fatigue
It is to be however noted that some person may experience only a few or no symptom but may still have HIV and some person may have almost all the above symptoms but may still not have HIV but a general flu or some other health problem. Get tested and wait for the report.
What if you test positive?
See a doctor immediately and follow his advice strictly. Effective management can check/ delay the multiplication of HIV virus in the body and help live near to normal life.
What are the other modes of HIV transmission?
Other modes of HIV transmission includes mother to baby during pregnancy/ birth/ breastfeeding (only if the mother is HIV positive), transfusion of HIV infected blood in the body and sharing of needles/ syringes with HIV infected person/s.
It is important here to understand that HIV transmission happens only when the body fluid (blood, precum, semen, vaginal/ rectal secretion, breast milk) of HIV infected person gets into the bloodstream of non-infected person either directly (through injection/ transfusion) or indirectly through open cut/ sores or through mucous membrane (mucous membranes are located at the entrance of uretha, cervix, vagina, rectum and mouth). Mere talking, touching, hugging, handshaking, social kissing, closed mouth kissing, sharing a toilet/ drinks/ food/ plate/ glass, sneezing/ coughing of an infected person doesn’t transmit HIV if we go by CDC website. HIV virus doesn’t thrive on exposed body parts and in air.
How do you know if the person is HIV infected or not?
The person may look as normal as you. There is no way you can make out whether the person before you is HIV infected or not unless and until s/he herself/ himself admits/ declares, of which the possibility is very grim. Better practice safe sex with everyone. Always. Should there be any query pertaining to HIV/ AIDS or any other health problem, please write to doctor@medivisorhealth.com. Our team of healthcare experts shall be happy to help you.
Reference
https://www.fda.gov/ForPatients/Illness/HIVAIDS/ucm126372.html
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/transmission.html
