Sexual Health and STIs

Healthy sex life

A healthy sex life can mean a variety of things. For us, ‘health’ is about more than the absence of infections and other diseases. You can have a healthy sex life by prioritising the things that give you and your partner(s) pleasure.

The most important thing to remember is that it’s your sex life. Focus on you’re comfortable with, and what works for you. This will probably change over. And that’s true whether you only fancy sex occasionally, are strictly monogamous, or enjoy sex with multiple partners.

Stay informed

Many of us will get a sexually transmitted infection (STI) at some point, even if we have safer sex or sex with only a few people. Everyone who is sexually active, whatever your sexuality or gender, has some risk of acquiring an STI at some point – it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

STIs are infections that are (mostly) picked up during sex. They are caused by:

• Viruses, such as HIV, herpes, hepatitis and warts
• Bacteria, such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea
• Parasites, such as crabs and scabies

You don’t have to have penetrative sex to get an STI. Some can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, such as herpes and syphilis. You can also get an STI from non-sexual contact. For example, you can pick up crabs and scabies from bedding, towels and clothes.

Have a check-up

It has never been easier to get a sexual health check-up. You can either book an appointment at your local sexual health clinic or order a home testing kit to be delivered to your door. We host a weekly community-based sexual health clinic at our office in central Leicester. Our health promotion team can also offer rapid HIV tests or you can pick up an SH:24 testing kit from our office five days a week.

Having regular check-ups means that you’ll have a clear picture of your sexual health, so not only will you be able to put your mind at ease, but you’ll be in a better position to talk to your partners about the types of sex you want, and the possible risks involved. As a base level, all sexually active people should get a check-up once a year even if you’re in a monogamous relationship. If you’re regularly having sex with new sexual partners, you should get a check-up once every three months (even if you’re not experiencing any symptoms or have been informed by a sexual partner about a recent positive result).

When’s the appropriate time to test for an accurate results?

Testing at the appropriate time is key to obtain an accurate result/s based on a particular sexual encounter. This is called an STI window period,

Talk

Communication with your partner or partners is vital. What feels good and gives you pleasure? What do you fantasize about? What turns you off? What kind of safer sex measures would you prefer? What type would your partner rather take?

Sometimes it’s hard to negotiate safer sex with your sexual partner/s; it’s quite easy to assume the risks people want to take. If you mention safe sex, your sexual partner may be relieved that you have taken the initiative as they might have been making assumptions about you too or may have just got carried away. The first step is to start talking about safer sex, and with time you find it easier to negotiate safer sex. If you would like to know more about negotiating safer sex, contact the Trade office.

You can also contact Trade to have a confidential chat about any concerns you may have.