More about sexual health
Most people catch a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) during sexual contact, however some infections can be passed on by close contact.
STI's can fall into one of the following categories:
- Bacterial infections, such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis
- Viral infections such as genital warts, herpes, hepatitis B and HIV
- Fungal infections such as thrush
- Parasitic infections such as pubic lice and trichomonas vaginalis
Some people with an STI will develop symptoms:
- In females this may include abnormal vaginal discharge, abnormal bleeding pattern during the menstrual cycle, deep discomfort during sexual intercourse and genital lesions
- In males, urethral discharge, pain when passing urine, genital lesions, and occasionally testicular discomfort
- Others may have mild symptoms that disappear without treatment, but many will not have any symptoms at all
If you're worried that you may have been exposed to an STI at any time it's vital that you seek medical attention, as undiagnosed infections can lead to long-term complications. Pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, ectopic pregnancies and epididymo-orchitis are just some of the negative health effects that an STI can cause.
People concerned about STI's can go to their GP or better still, a specialist sexual health service such as a Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) Department where testing and treatment is available. GUM Departments provide a confidential service and appointments can be made directly over the phone.
It is also important that sexual partners of anyone treated for an STI also attend for treatment, as otherwise the person will be re-infected with the same infection again. This is partner notification, and the GUM staff are trained to deal with this as sensitively as possible.
