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Prevention and awareness are key essentials in maintaining our physical bodies. Many resources may be found here including: statistics, demographics, and basic health regulations to assist you in a lifelong journey of whole health focusing on the first component of wholeness, the body. The health and faith resources found on this site combined can bring balance between our body, soul (mind, will and emotions) and spirit. Learn more about the continuum of care in whole health while increasing your faith, utilizing wisdom, and bringing wholeness to your overall being, body, soul and spirit.
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Wondering how you can be more health conscious and are unsure where to start? You can check the National Health Observances calendar and see how you and your congregation celebrate health and honor those you love by making them aware of resources and agencies that provide support and materials to help you succeed!
Focus on health observances throughout the year.
Timely Topics:
Here's how to fight the "flu"...
Use this guide to discover the most common causes of the most common symptoms for your illnesses...
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Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
Description: Sexually transmitted diseases are those passed from one person to another by some form of sexual contact. This group of diseases includes at least twenty types. They are highly contagious and often unreported. AIDS is the most common serious STD. Syphilis, gonorrhea, and Chlamydia are also common STD’s
Incidence: Common (fifteen million Americans per year)
Prevalence: Males and females affected at about the same rate
Signs and symptoms:
- Variable-often produce no symptoms, but the infected person can transmit illness to sex partner
- Herpes Simplex Virus-painful ulcers on the skin of genitalia
Symptoms for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea
Male: Penile discharge, “burning” with urination
Female: vaginal discharge
Symptoms for Syphilis:
- Initially, nonpainful genital ulcers
- Later, painful joints, swollen lymph glands, neurological damage
Risk factors:
- Being less than twenty-five years of age
Usual treatment:
- Medication (appropriate antibiotics)
- Avoiding unprotected sexual contact with other people is key
Usual course: Varies, though many diseases respond well with medication. AIDS is extremely slow to develop (see section on AIDS).
Syphilis usually begins three to four weeks after exposure with a nonpainful ulcer on the genitalia. Untreated, this disease progresses, in six to twelve weeks, into the secondary stage with the appearance of characteristic rashes. During this stage, infection of lymph nodes occurs in many areas throughout the body. The third, or latent, stage follows: the disease may then seem dormant and may remain so for years. However, in three to ten years after the initial infection, abscess-like lesions develop in the skin, nose and mouth. The heart and brain may eventually be affected. Appropriate treatment with antibiotics can stop this disease and prevent progression to the various stages.
Gonorrhea becomes evident in men by yellowish-white discharge from the urethra. Diagnosis of the disease is usually made promptly. In women, the disease is not obvious. Many times, the infected person does not know she has it. The disease progresses with additional complications. The time from exposure to appearance of symptoms is two to fourteen days for men, and seven to twenty-one days for women. Left untreated, gonorrhea can spread to other sex organs and to other areas of the body. Gonorrheal arthritis is a fairly common result of untreated disease. Gonorrhea has become resistant to eradicate.
Chlamydia is a bacteria that causes infection in both males and females. It can invade the tubes of the females or be confined to the vagina or bladder. In the male the bacteria infects the urethra, the tube from the bladder.
Spiritual considerations:
- Promote exploration of feelings, which may include anger, guilt, blame, and sadness.
- Instill hope.
- Encourage use of self-help groups.
Suggested scriptures: Psalm 103; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Resources:
Center for Disease Control
National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention
1108 Corporate Square
Atlanta, GA 30329
800227-89-22 (M-F 8 a.m.-11p.m. EST)
cdc.gov.nchstp/dstd/disease_info.htm
National Women’s Health Information Center
8550 Arlington Blvd., Suite 300
Fairfax, VA 22031
www.4woman.gov/
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Faith, hope, and love coupled with wisdom assists the believer in achieving health harmony in the soul (mind, will, and emotions) and spirit. Strengthen your inner man's soul and spirit by the associated articles, resources, and inspiration in our faith section. May the Lord prosper you with whole health. Learn more about the continuum of care in whole health while increasing your faith, utilizing wisdom, and bringing wholeness to your overall being, body, soul and spirit.
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We welcome collaboration with any professional health care agencies, as well as, church leaders. Also, if you are interested in linking, contributing or assisting Congregational Health ReSource with content, please contact us.
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