What happens if one partner learns that their partner has cheated? The most crucial step after a cheating case has occurred is considering health concerns. The reason is that in addition to deeply hurting one’s partner, the partner has now been exposed to the potential of a life threatening disease such as HPV or HIV/AIDS.

Even if a condom was used for protection, there are no guarantees of complete safety from sexually transmitted diseases. In fact, many STD’s go on without detection. One such STD is the Human Papillomavirus, more commonly known as HPV.

The U.S. Dept. of Health has stated the following: "Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common causes of sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the world. Many people can be infected with HPV have no symptoms. High-risk HPV may cause abnormal Pap smears, and could lead to cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, or penis." Considering the dire consequences, as soon as one discovers that a partner has cheated, they should be tested for various forms of STDs including AIDS and HPV.

Even if a partner will say the other person is safe, automatically trusting their word is not in anyone’s best interests. If the partner has already lied and cheated, trusting them with safety issues such as herpes or HPV is not a good idea.

When all is said and done, is saying I’m sorry good enough? Unfortunately, many people believe, once a cheater, always a cheater, and some people have a predilection for cheating. Saying I’m sorry may just be an attempt at going through the motions in a relationship touched by STDs.

If that is the case, there is really nothing the non-cheating person can do to stop their partner from cheating and therefore saying I’m sorry, is not enough. But if one is truly sorry for the indiscretion, and both agree to work on the marriage, seeking the expertise of a qualified relationship counselor is paramount.

Because the pain of cheating can run very deep, in order to deal with painful feelings it is best to get the help of someone who can take the partners step by step through the healing process. Additionally, a counselor will be able to help the non-cheating partner determine whether or not an "I'm sorry," is enough to keep the relationship together.

In short, maintaining a stable, happy relationship does not come easily or without much work. One of the best keys to a fulfilling relationship is making sure to keep the lines of communication open. To do so requires telling the truth and being willing to share your real feelings.

A happy, successful relationship takes a great deal of patience, practice and persistence. Because there is nothing more precious than having another person in your life that you trust completely, working on the relationship is worth its weight in gold.

Learning together, laughing together and investing time together on a regular basis are the true components to a successful and long-lasting relationship. After all, faithfulness and loyalty to another person will reap its own unique rewards. Dating or marriage relationships can be extremely fragile, and subject to sexually transmitted diseases, such as genital herpes virus, HPV, and HIV.