As a Nurse I strive to make talking about taboo subjects easier and less tricky. There is not alot that shocks me, after all in my career I see it all- but one thing I know is that people put off seeking medical advice because of embarrassment. It is so important not to ignore any signs or symptoms that are worrying you and to gain advice. In the below infographic and article it highlights some symptoms that can be a concern. Please do have a read!
Most
of the time, it’s fairly obvious to tell when your health isn’t
at the top of its game. From a sniffly cold, to a nasty stomach bug,
to a crippling migraine, not to mention just generally feeling
unwell, there are a whole host of symptoms that can help you spot
when there is a problem. However, when it comes to your sexual
health, it’s not always easy to spot that something is up.
The
truth is, even if you think there's nothing wrong with your sexual
wellbeing, there could in fact be a problem. Having unprotected sex
puts you at risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection
(STI), and unfortunately, they’re not always easy to detect. In
fact, up to half of all men and 80% of women with chlamydia - the
most common STI - will not experience any symptoms, while 10% of men
and 50% of women won’t show any sign of having gonorrhea.
Similarly, some STIs, such as herpes, are not always obvious at
first, sometimes taking months or even years before people pick up on
the problem.
However, if you have an STI, there may be a few
things that can help you suss out if something is wrong. For example,
pain when you pass urine, an unusual discharge or bleeding during or
after sex could indicate that you have an STI such as chlamydia,
while visible painful, blisters on your intimate areas could be a
sign of genital warts or herpes. To help you determine if you have an
STI and for more information about chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes or
genital
warts symptoms, you could refer to a trusted online source or
speak to your GP.
If you discover that you have an STI,
there’s no need to panic. Most infections are easy to treat with a
short course of antibiotics. However, leaving an STI untreated can be
detrimental to your overall health, and it could lead to a more
serious problem like infertility. So, even if you experience no
symptoms but you suspect you might be infected, it pays to get
checked out. From your doctor’s surgery to a local sexual health
clinic, there are a number of places you can go to get yourself
tested. To save you from future STI scares, it’s a good idea to
practice safe sex by using a condom - the only type of contraception
that can prevent both STIs and pregnancy.
To find out what you
can do to look after your health when you’re in between the sheets,
make sure you check out this LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor
infographic.
* Collaborative Post.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I absolutely love it when someone leaves me a comment, I will always reply back when possible! You can also follow me on twitter for more beautiful chatter: @Helsy_1983