Sex is great. Amazingly, mind-blowingly fantastic, even. It’s one of the best parts of the human experience: the intimacy, the connection, the intense pleasure… you get what I’m saying.
Unfortunately with sex, comes the unpleasant truth: the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STIs). I’m not going to bore you with what you probably already know – we all put that condom on the banana during sex-ed in school, we all know STIs exist. We know they can be pretty grim.
But let’s face it, what’s the chances of us actually having an STI, right?
Well… actually higher than you probably think.
Although the overall number of diagnosed STI cases has remained steady in recent years, a recent report published by Public Health England reveals there was a 20% increase in cases of syphilis and a 22% increase in cases of gonorrhoea in England between 2016 and 2017. This is very worrying for syphilis as it’s the highest number of diagnosed cases in the country since 1949.
Gonorrhoea has increased across the population with a fifth more cases diagnosed in 2017 compared to 2016.
By far the most common STI diagnosed last year was chlamydia, which can cause fertility problems if left untreated, making up 48% of all new cases.
What’s worse, the BBC reported in December that almost half of under-25s ‘never use a condom with a new partner’.
Almost half of under-25s ‘never use a condom with a new partner’
Getting checked with LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor
If you’re having regular casual sex, or with a new partner, it’s pretty important to get yourself checked. It may be a tad embarrassing… but is it more embarrassing than having to tell someone you’ve slept with, or a new partner in a budding relationship, “sorry, I have Gonorrhoea, so you may want to get checked too”?
Nothing shouts sexy like “I have an STI and accidentally gave it to you”.
Not only may it ruin the relationship you have, but STIs have pretty devastating long-term effects if left untreated.
First things first, we all know it’s a bit of a faff – having to book a doctors appointment, take time off work or try and find a sexual health clinic which is open when you’re free. It’s a nuisance.
Luckily, LloydsPharmacy are campaigning for STI testing, to normalise and break the taboo. With the recent reports of a rise in some STIs they are passionate about promoting STI testing for anyone who is sexually active, and are convinced it should really be no different to visiting the dentist or the doctor.
LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor offers confidential consultations with GPs in a free online STI assessment, with tests for a range of Sexually Transmitted Infections including Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Trichomonas, Syphilis and HIV. They offer treatment for Chlamydia, Genital Herpes and Warts. All communication is online, and products are discreetly sent to the patients address, with free delivery.
[Read: The Importance of Getting Tested]Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, and may become untreatable in the future.
A bit about STIs and their Symptoms
Chlamydia
Chlamydia is often symptomless, but if left undiagnosed it can cause infertility in both men and women and lead to ectopic pregnancy.
Gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea can be symptomless or cause mild symptoms in women which can often be mistaken for a less serious infection such as cystitis. Left untreated, it can lead to infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, serious infections of the brain, blood or heart, miscarriage or babies being born blind.
Doctors are worried because gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, and may become untreatable in the future.
Genital herpes
This highly contagious STI that can be caught even if a condom is used during sex, via contact with infected skin. It can cause painful red blisters, but not all carriers show symptoms.
Syphilis
If left untreated over a long period of time this infection can spread around your body, even damaging the brain. It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirth.
Syphilis is usually caught by coming into contact with an infected sore, so using a condom reduces the risk of it spreading.
Protecting yourself is the first step – use a condom, ask if your partner(s) have been tested, make sure you’ve been recently tested and be confident in abstaining from sex until you can do it safely. But if you do have unprotected sex and think you may have contracted an STI, your next steps are testing and treatment if required.
If you think you might be at risk take the LloydsPharmacy free online STI assessment, or you can find your local sexual health clinic online. If you don’t want to visit in person, you can start by ordering a home kit that will test for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV and syphilis.
CLICK HERE for more on LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor.
Data taken from Public Health England’s Sexually Transmitted Infections: annual data tables 2018
This post was written in collaboration with
