STIs can be a difficult topic to discuss, but if it’s possible that you may have contracted something, it’s important to address it as soon as possible. Some STIs can have very serious and even life-threatening symptoms, so if you’re sexually active, you should be aware of the risks and have routine STI checks to protect your health.
One of the most important things to remember about STIs is that many of them have no symptoms or are not immediately noticeable. If caught early, treatment is usually effective for common STIs, and most can be cured, or the symptoms prevented from recurring. Regular tests will prevent you and your sexual partner or partners from passing STIs to others and a clean bill of health will give you peace of mind and reassurance.
The Most Common STIs
There are many different STIs, and it is a good idea to be familiar with the most common if you are sexually active. If you have multiple sexual partners or are not certain that your sexual partner is monogamous, you should have regular STI checks and get to know the symptoms (or lack of symptoms) of the following sexually transmitted infections:
- Human Papillomavirus is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections and is widely known as HPV. Many people do not realise that there are many different HPV infections, and that more than 40 of these can be passed on during sex. Many of these viruses are not harmful and do not have any symptoms, but some can cause genital warts, which can be painful and distressing. Some types of HPV affect the mouth and throat, and some can even increase the risk of cancer in the cervix, penis, throat or mouth.
- HSV-1 and HSV-2 are different types of the herpes virus, and it is usually HSV-2 that leads to genital herpes. This is characterised by painful blisters on and inside the genitals in most people, but symptoms may not appear. Herpes is spread through skin-to-skin contact and having sexual contact with an infected partner can result in you contracting the infection even if you use a barrier method as it is highly contagious, especially when blisters are evident. Medication can help you to manage herpes, but it cannot be cured yet.
- Chlamydia is a very common STI that is easily spread through sexual contact. It is particularly difficult to know if you have chlamydia because only a quarter of women who are infected show any symptoms, and only half of men. If you do experience symptoms, you may notice an unusual discharge or a burning sensation or pain on urination. Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics, and it is essential to retest regularly to ensure that the infection has been eradicated.
- Gonorrhoea. Another common bacterial infection that is transmitted through sexual contact is gonorrhoea, which is often contracted at the same time as chlamydia. Gonorrhoea may also cause unusual discharge and pain or burning on urination but can also be symptom-less. More men than women appear to develop symptoms of gonorrhoea, with only one in five women reporting symptoms. This can also be treated with antibiotics, so retesting is vital to ensure that these have been effective.
- Syphilis, was historically known as a killer, and it can still be life-threatening and endanger your fertility. It is spread via contact with a syphilis sore, known as a chancre, which can infect another person during sexual contact or via kissing. These sores may be painless, but the disease can develop and cause damage to the heart, liver, bones, joints, blood vessels and skin.
- Hepatitis is a disease that can cause liver inflammation and fibrosis, and it can be transmitted via sexual contact and, in the case of Hepatitis A, in other ways including food or water contamination. Symptoms include fatigue, vomiting and nausea, stomach pain, yellowing of the skin and eyes and dark coloured urine. Hepatitis B and C are most often transmitted during sex, and regular testing will help to identify the disease early so that it can be treated.
- HIV causes AIDS, and it can be passed on through sexual contact as well as other transfers of bodily fluids, such as breastfeeding from a mother with HIV. It can be transmitted by having unprotected sex or sharing needles with someone who is infected with HIV but cannot be passed on through saliva. HIV symptoms include flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue, low level fever and muscle aches, as well as weight loss and diarrhoea. A blood test is required to test for HIV infection, and it can be managed with medication. However, if untreated, HIV can break down the immune system and lead to AIDS, for which there is currently no cure.
Book a Regular STI Test
Booking regular STI tests is a vital way to take care of your health, and we offer no hassle, easy testing to give you peace of mind. Our full STI screening service can test for all of the above STIs in our comfortable, discreet clinic in Limerick, and you can rest assured that our professional staff will help you to feel relaxed and informed throughout the process.
If you are having unprotected sex with one or multiple partners, or if you are not certain of the sexual history of your partner or their other or previous partners, it is very important to protect your health with regular STI screening tests. We will take a full sexual history and perform an examination, and you can choose whether you would prefer to see a male or female doctor. We will carry out all relevant tests, including urine, swabs and blood tests, and follow this up with a phone or face-to-face consultation to discuss your results and any treatment required. If you test positive for an infection that requires antibiotics, you may need to arrange a follow up test to ensure that treatment has been successful.
Peace of Mind with Roxboro STI Testing
Here at Roxboro Medical Centre, we know that it isn’t always easy to talk about sexual health and we offer patient focused care that can help you to feel comfortable in our clinic. We offer our services by appointment from 9am-5pm Monday to Friday and you can book by calling or emailing our team.
We are only a short walk from Limerick City centre and we provide services for the whole family, including children’s health, men’s health, women’s health and sports medicine. You can get in touch with us to discuss your situation and find out which service will be most beneficial to you or book an initial appointment with one of our experienced GPs to discuss any of the services we offer.