Sexual Health Advice - Patient Information Leaflets

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) or Diseases

This page you gives some brief information about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and what you are advised to do if you suspect that you have an STI. There are separate pages that deal with each infection in more detail.

What is a sexually transmitted infection (STI)?

A sexual transmitted infection (STI) is an infection that can be passed from person to person when having sex. You can get a sexually transmitted infection by having vaginal sex, anal sex, or oral sex. You do not need to have lots of sexual partners to get a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Both men and women can get and pass on sexually transmitted infections. There are several different types of STI.

What are the main symptoms of sexually transmitted infections?

The ten most common sexual transmitted infections (STIs) in the UK are: anogenital warts, Chlamydia, genital herpes, gonorrhoea, HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, pubic lice, syphilis and trichomonas.

How will I know if I have a sexual transmitted infection infection?

Symptoms of each STI can vary from local symptoms affecting the genitals, to symptoms have affect various other parts of the body.

Not everyone who has an STI will have symptoms. Sometimes symptoms do not appear for months and sometimes symptoms go away but you can still have an infection. It is possible to pass an infection to others even if you don't have symptoms.

If you experience any of the following you should seek advice.

A vaginal discharge

A discharge from the penis

Pain or burning when you pass urine (a common reason for this is a urine infection and not an STI).

A sore, ulcer, rash, or lump around the genitals or anus

Bleeding between periods.

Pain and/or bleeding during sex

Bleeding after sex

Swelling of the glands in your groin

Pain in testicles or lower abdomen.

You may wish to seek advice or be tested for an STI particularly if:

You have had unprotected sex with a new partner recently

You/your sexual partner have had sex with other people without using a condom.

What should I do if I suspect that I have an STI?

Our clinic is a special clinic that helps people who have or may have an STI or certain other problems with their genitals/urinary system.

Staff in our clinic include doctors, nurses and health advisors.

Anyone can attend our clinic regardless of age, ethnic group, general, whether you are gay, lesbian, straight or bisexual. All advice given will be strictly confidential (and you will not be judged because of your sexual behaviour).

You do not need a referral by your General Practitioner.

You can book into the clinic with an alias name i.e. assumed name or a different name to the one that you usually go with. This will protect your identity which we respect.

We have a one fixed price cost for attending the clinic which includes the consultation, all swabs and blood tests and also the appropriate treatment.

What can I expect when I attend the clinic?

Registration

When you arrive at a clinic you will have to register. You will be asked your name, address, date of birth, contact telephone number, and name of your GP. This information is treated confidentially. The clinic will not contact you at home or contact your GP without your permission. Also, any records from GUM clinics will not go on your main medical record without your permission.

However, if you have a concern, you do not have to give any details. You can even give a false name. The important thing is that whatever name you do use, you should use the same name for any follow up appointments to avoid any confusion, particularly when you return for the results of any tests.

Initial assessment

You will be seen initially be a doctor, or nurse, or sexual health adviser. They will need to ask you some questions about your sex life and about any symptoms you may have. This is important to determine what tests (if any) you may require. You might feel embarrassed but do be honest as these questions help the clinic to do the correct tests. If you are not sure why the questions are being asked – just say so.

Examination

The doctor will usually examine you. You can ask for a male or female doctor, but you may have to return at a different time (or even to a different clinic) if a doctor of a particular sex is not available. The examination includes looking carefully at your genitals for signs of discharge, redness, lumps or ulcers. The doctor may also feel your groins (the top of your legs) to check for enlarged or tender lymph nodes (glands). If necessary, the doctor may also do a general examination to check on your general health.

Tests

Depending on the initial assessment and examination, the doctor may advise on some tests and ask for your consent to do the tests. You will not automatically be tested for all infections. All tests are optional and will only be done with your permission.

Tests may include:
1. A urine sample.
2. Taking swabs:

A swab is a small ball of cotton wool on the end of a thin stick. It can be gently rubbed in various placed to obtain a sample of mucus, discharge, or some cells. It only takes a few seconds and it is usually not painful, although it may be slightly uncomfortable.
Depending on what is suspected, a swab can take a sample from: just inside the urethra, inside the vagina, the cervix (neck of the womb), throat and rectum (back passage). Swabs are used to detect Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomonas and genital herpes. A swab sample can also detect thrush, bacterial vaginosis and various other bacteria which may not be sexually transmitted infection.
Swabs can also be taken from sores or blisters to detect genital herpes.

3. Blood tests

A sample of blood from a vein may be taken to test for syphilis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

Diagnosis

Sometimes a doctor will be able to diagnose an STI from the examination. Sometimes you will need to wait for the results of some tests. For some tests it take a few days for the results to come back from the lab. The clinic will arrange with you how you will get the results to maintain your confidentiality.

Advice about sexual partners

If you are diagnosed with an STI then the clinic will encourage you to tell any current or recent sexual partners that you have an infection. You are not obliged to do this. However, it is best that any recent sexual partners should know that they might also be infected. They should be offered testing, and treatment if necessary, to prevent the infection being spread any further. If you feel that it would be too difficult to tell your sexual partner, the clinic can contact people anonymously for you. We use a ‘contact slip' that, with your permission, we send to your partner. The slip explains that they may have been exposed to an STI and that they should go for a check-up. It does not say what the infection is, or have your name on it, so your confidentiality is protected. This is called partner notification.

Treatment

The treatment that you will be offered depends on what STI is found. For example, a short course of antibiotics can usually clear away Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, and trichomonas. A cream or lotion can clear pubic lice and scabies. Topical treatments can usually clear most anogenital warts. Treatments for genital herpes, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV are more involved and complex. You will be given advice about what treatment options you have and given time to ask questions. Also, there are separate leaflets for all of these conditions that gives details about treatment options.

If you are prescribed antibiotics then it is important to finish the full course of tablets, or else the infection may not be fully cleared. If you develop side-effects then seek advice from the clinic or from your GP as to what to do. Do not simply stop taking the medication. For some infections you will be asked to return after a course of treatment to check that the infection has gone.

Do not have sex again until the time advised by the clinic. Depending on the infection, this may be for a certain length of time after treatment is finished or it may be until you are given the ‘all clear' from a repeat test. The aim is to prevent you from passing on the infection to others.

Advice from a sexual health adviser

Most clinics will have a sexual health adviser. You are likely to be seen by the advisor in addition to being seen by a doctor or nurse. A sexual health advisor is specially trained and can:

Tell you more about STIs and how to avoid catching them in future. For example, the risk of infection increases with the number of changes of sexual partner. Wearing a condom during sex helps to prevent against STIs.

Give you tips on how to cope with any current symptoms.

Offer you free condoms which can help to prevent STIs.

Give advice about what to tell your sexual partner or previous partners.

Help you with contacting previous sexual partners who should be tested or treated. For example, you may be given a card with a number on it, plus a printed message advising the person who is given the card to visit the clinic and to bring the card along. This helps to match them with your notes.

Download PDF file pdf document