’ Sexually transmitted infection is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex.’
www.wikipedia.com
Sexual health is something that can be embarrassing, or unapproachable, but that’s something we aim to break down when it comes to talking about it. The Students’ Union has numerous support links regardless of the problem or query!
Time to get to the facts by looking at STI’s that are common among young people, and some that you may not be aware even exists!
You may not even show any symptoms, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have the infection. Men and women are affected by this, it may cause pain, swelling, abdominal pain, make sex uncomfortable and may lead to unusual happenings down below.
Often this infection has no symptoms at all, but in other cases it
can cause pain usually when urinating. The throat can also be affected and become sore in both men and women when infected.
A contagious virus that can live in the nerves of the affected area. This infection can affected both men and women, resulting in blisters and pain that usually last around 2 weeks; this is a recurring infection that can flare up when an individual is stressed.
This can also be transmitted through unprotected oral sex.
It is possible to catch this through sexual intercourse, but the physical symptoms do not appear initially, this can take a few weeks, or a few years. This does not mean the infection is not there, it is still in the body, and need treatment at whatever stage it is at.
Without an actual HIV test, it is very hard to diagnose this illness from symptoms alone. In the early stages of HIV signs of fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat, rash and diarrhoea may be indications, but medical advice is always to be sought before HIV can be confirmed.
This infection can come in 3 stages, primary, secondary and latent. Ulcers can develop in both men and women, healing after 4-6weeks without treatment, further symptoms can include flu-like illness, rashes, hair loss and white patches in the mouth. In the later stages of this infection, it can begin to affect the heart and the nervous system.
Did you know?
• There are up to 25 different STI’s
• 1 in 9 people have had an STI
• 4 STI’s are untreatable, including HIV
If in doubt get checked out!
If you are worried about something and you feel you need to have a sexual health check, the GUM clinic is based at Monkgate Family Planning Clinic.
To contact the centre Phone: 01904 725432
Opening times:
Monday: 8.15-6pm (except bank holidays)
Tuesday: 8.15-12pm
Wednesday: 8.15-6pm
Thursday: 8.15-6pm
Friday: 8.15-4pm
At the Students’ Union we have condom packs that you can pick up for free (as long as you have a C-card which you can get from the college nurses via the InfoZone), so practising safe sex has never been easier, dont be embarrassed, just drop in to the Students’ Union Office.
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