What Do You Need To Know? All Things Sexual Health

Having a happy sex life starts with good sexual health, which you can only be confident of if you know what to look out for.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are passed from one person to another through unprotected sex or genital, oral or anal contact. Anyone who has sex can get an STI, you don’t need to have lots of sexual partners.

So how might you know if you have a sexually transmitted infection? They can include:

• unusual discharge from the vagina, penis, or anus
• pain when peeing
• lumps or skin growths around the genitals or bottom (anus)
• a rash
• unusual vaginal bleeding
• itchy genitals or anus
• blisters and sores around your genitals or anus
• warts around your genitals or anus
• warts in your mouth or throat, but this is very rare

STI symptoms in women and men

Symptoms can also show up somewhat differently depending on your anatomy:

In women:

• Unusual vaginal discharge
• Bleeding between periods or after sex
• Lower abdominal pain
• Pain when passing urine

In men:

• Discharge from the penis
• Pain or burning when peeing
• Lumps, sores or rashes around the genitals

You should never apply more than one condom at a time, some people do this because they believe it will be safer, but in fact quite the reverse is the case – doubling up can lead to friction and even breakages. Breakage can also occur too where any oil-based lubricants are used with a condom, so you should stick to water-based lube. Condoms also have an expiry date; this is in place to avoid the risk of them breaking due to age. The expiry date should always be looked at before use to avoid the risk of breaking and avoiding some sexual health diseases.

However, condoms can’t guard against everything – they’re not a catch-all and shouldn’t be treated as such. Certain sexually transmitted infections, like genital herpes, are spread by skin contact, so if you notice sores around your partner’s genitals you should remember condoms won’t protect you from it. There are also alternatives which are less well-known: dental dams, for instance, are squares of thin, soft plastic which are designed to cover the genitals or anus during oral sex.

Common STIs and their symptoms

A number of different infections fall under the STI umbrella, each with its own typical symptoms:

• Chlamydia: often has no symptoms at all, but can cause unusual discharge, bleeding after sex or between periods, and a burning feeling when peeing. Read more on our chlamydia page.

• Gonorrhoea: typically causes a yellow or green discharge and pain or burning when peeing, and can also affect the throat, anus or eyes. See our gonorrhoea page.

• Genital herpes: causes small blisters that burst to leave sores around the genitals, along with tingling, burning or pain when peeing. See the NHS on genital herpes.

• Genital warts (HPV): small, usually painless lumps around the genitals or anus that can occasionally itch or bleed. See the NHS on genital warts.

• Syphilis: starts with painless sores on the genitals or anus, sometimes followed later by a rash or flu-like illness. See our syphilis page.

• Trichomoniasis: can cause a yellow-green vaginal discharge that may smell unpleasant, plus pain when peeing. See the NHS on trichomoniasis.

• HIV: some people get a short flu-like illness two to six weeks after infection, though many have no early symptoms at all – see our note on HIV above.

When do STI symptoms appear?

Symptoms can take anywhere from a few days to several months to appear after infection – and some STIs never cause any symptoms at all – so recent unprotected sex is worth getting tested for even if you feel fine. Typical windows include:

• Chlamydia: usually 1 to 3 weeks, though it can be longer
• Gonorrhoea: usually within 2 weeks
• Genital warts: weeks to months
• Genital herpes: usually within a few weeks, though it can be much longer
• Syphilis: at least 3 weeks
• HIV: a short flu-like illness, if it happens at all, 2 to 6 weeks after exposure

Preventing STIs: Condoms and other barrier methods

Condoms remain one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of STIs during vaginal, anal and oral sex, and dental dams offer similar protection during oral sex on the vagina or anus. See our guide to a healthy, happy sex life for more on using them correctly.

Many STIs have no symptoms at all, like HIV. The only way to know for sure is to get tested.

Many STIs have no symptoms, so get tested

Because many STIs, including chlamydia and HIV, often cause no symptoms at all, testing is the only reliable way to know your status. NHS sexual health clinics offer free, confidential testing and treatment, and you don’t need a GP referral to attend one – you can find your nearest clinic here. Our GPs and Advanced Clinical Practitioners can also advise on testing and, where needed, refer you on – see our Sexual Health page for more.

STI treatment and what to do if you test positive

Most common STIs are easily treated, and many are fully curable with a short course of antibiotics. If you test positive:

• Complete the full course of treatment, even if your symptoms clear up early
• Avoid sex, including oral sex, until you and any partners have finished treatment
• Tell any recent sexual partners so they can get tested and treated too

What can be mistaken for an STI?

Not every genital symptom means an STI. Conditions such as thrush, bacterial vaginosis, urinary tract infections (UTIs) and general skin irritation can all cause similar discomfort, itching or discharge, so it’s worth getting any new or unusual symptoms checked rather than assuming the cause.

You should book an appointment with a healthcare professional or go to a sexual health clinic if:

• you have symptoms of an STI
• a sexual partner has symptoms of an STI
• you're worried after having sex without a condom
• you're pregnant with symptoms of an STI

If you are worried about symptoms, you may be experiencing or would like to chat to one of our GPs or Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs) about sexual health and how to stay safe, book an appointment with us today.

Or head to our Sexual Health page for more information on what we treat, as well as information on everything from general advice to contraception and family planning.