47% of young adults have unprotected sex with new partners.

Posted by on
your sexual health blog

2,007 young adults were questioned on sexual health and the results provided cause for concern. 47% of 16 – 24-year-olds have admitted they do not use condoms when having sexual intercourse with new partners. This is a very worrying trend, especially considering 59% of chlamydia and gonorrhoea diagnosis are within this age range. The report conducted by YouGov showcased that even when condoms are used amongst young adults it’s to avoid pregnancy, with only 29% of condoms used to avoid infections.

Continue reading →

Can you get HIV through oral sex?

Posted by on

 

hiv-1903372_1280

95% of HIV transmission happens because of intercourse without a condom. Although the chances of contracting HIV via oral sex is small the percentage still exists. Some things that could accelerate the chances of contracting HIV via oral sex are bleeding gums, genital sores and mouth ulcers. If you have had oral sex recently with a potentially HIV positive person it’s really important to get tested.

What are the risks of oral sex

While the chances of getting HIV through oral sex are minimal, it can potentially cause many other issues. Some of these include; gonorrhoea, genital herpes and syphilis, all of whom can cause many infertility issues.  symptoms vary however, they can be treated as long as they are detected early.  

Continue reading →

World HIV Day

Posted by on

heart

Since the first known case of HIV in 1959 in Congo, HIV has swept the whole world and killed over 35 million people. This is almost double the population of the Netherlands, which is highly painful to comprehend. However, there has been some success stories along the way, with a lot of people being cured of HIV.  After looking at these different cases you will find similarities, people’s survival rate of HIV is dependant on the detection speed. In other words, the quicker you get tested the more chance you have of being cured or preventing death via HIV. Britain is not an anomaly to this virus, with 103,700 people reported to have HIV. More concerningly, 18100 are completely unaware they have the condition. Highlighting the importance of the upcoming world HIV testing day to ensure people get tested.         

What we know so far

HIV destroys white blood cells called T-helper and in particular the adaptive immune system. These cells play an essential role in the functionality of our immune system. Once it enters the immune system the HIV replicates itself. 

When your immune system is impacted, you may experience the following symptoms:

  • Diarrhoea
  • Skin issues
  • Sweety nights
  • Recurrent infections

The three main stages of HIV infection are as follows:

Asymptomatic – Patients experience no symptoms

Symptomatic – Experience Fevers  

Late-stage HIV infection

Aids syndrome

You can find more information on HIV symptoms on our advice page  

Continue reading →

Which demographic is most likely to contract STI

Posted by on
public health England

 

 

According to a recent report published by Public Health England in 2016, the number of people who were diagnosed with STDs went down. However, amongst 15-24 year olds the rates are still quite high. It was reported that males in this age group have been diagnosed with an STI two times more than those aged 25-59. Furthermore, women that are aged 15-24 are also diagnosed with STIs seven times more than those aged 25-59.

The majority of sexually transmitted infections amongst young people were chlamydia, making up a huge 62% of all the sexually transmitted infections in the UK.

Continue reading →

Promising Breakthrough Made in Development of HIV Treatment

Posted by on

New antibodies effective at preventing HIV infection in primates

In what has been described by the International AIDS Society as a “promising breakthrough”, scientists have developed a new antibody that may be effective in preventing and treating infection from the HIV virus.

One of the major problems facing the development of an effective HIV treatment is the genetic diversity of the virus. The HIV virus rapidly mutates so that a single patient can become infected with many different strains, each of which responds to different antibodies.

Continue reading →

Archers storyline highlights STI issue

Posted by on

Radio soap raises awareness of STIs

The popular and long-running radio soap, The Archers, has put sexually transmitted infections into the public eye with its latest storyline. Listeners of the show are eagerly awaiting the results of character Phoebe’s STI test following a love affair with a local fruit picker.

Private STI testingAmongst a range of themes running throughout the story was Phoebe’s reluctance to visit her local STI clinic. The character was embarrassed in case she saw someone that she knew and also scared to touch anything in the clinic.

Her thoughts and fears reflect how people feel about visiting NHS clinics across the country and with cuts to public health services STI clinics are unlikely to become any more pleasant. With many clinics also making it difficult to book appointments it also means that visiting can be a long and inconvenient experience.

 

 

Continue reading →

UK Think Tank criticises “Reckless” cuts to STI testing

Posted by on

Your Sexual Health offers convenient alternative to NHS testing

With many STIs on the rise in the UK, it’s no wonder that a public health think tank has deemed cuts to sexual health services “reckless”. The King’s Fund expressed their concern over what cuts in frontline testing might cost the NHS in the long run and Your Sexual Health tend to agree.

doctor-563428_1280“Cuts to frontline testing will inevitably lead to the need for more costly STI treatment down the line,” said Dr Rashid Bani, lead doctor at Your Sexual Health. “The NHS is already bending over backwards in trying to accommodate the many people that require testing and these cuts will not help in the slightest.”

The latest cuts come amidst an increase in syphilis cases in the UK, with records from Public Health England showing 5,920 diagnoses in 2016, up from 3001 in 2012. On top of this, the World Health Organization has recently warned of a gonorrhoea super bug that is immune to anti-biotic treatment.

Testing in a more comfortable environment

With NHS cuts to testing in cities up and down the UK many patients are leaving their STIs undiagnosed causing them to spread. Amongst the reasons for not visiting clinics are embarrassment of seeing someone that they might know and with clinic waiting times growing longer that worry will only get worse.

Luckily, there is another way. Your Sexual Health offer a completely confidential testing service in a manner that is completely convenient to you. Our private STI tests can be carried out at one of our many clinics across the UK or at an address convenient to you.

“With cuts to NHS funding, patients may struggle to find the tests that they need at a convenient time and place for them,” said Dr Bani. “Our private STI tests allow patients to gain the peace of mind that they need in a completely confidential manner.”

Find out more about the range of private STI tests on offer from Your Sexual Health and book yours today.

Could Latest Dating App Help Stop The Spread Of STDs?

Posted by on

NeatClub concept could help singles on the dating scene stay safe

The invention of Tinder has left many of its users exposed to STDs, but it looks like there’s an app on the way to combat the issue. It’s only in the concept phase, but NeatClub will be able to pull in a user’s STD testing history and display it to their prospective sexual partners.

STI Home TestsThe apps name is derived from the way in which it functions. If a person is STD free they will show as a “neat” glass of whisky. If they have any mixture of STDs their glass will have different props in it, such as an olive for chlamydia or a slice of lemon for HIV.

Users will have to be tested every four months in order for their results to show and remain valid. If a user has treatment for an STD they will be able to update their profile when they are given the all clear.

It’s not certain at this stage how the app will be able to verify medical information or whether it will be rolled out in the UK. That said, Your Sexual Health’s Dr Rashid Bani believes the app is a great way to ensure those on the dating scene don’t catch sexually transmitted infections.

“There are a number of questions about how the app will work, but the concept is great as it will reduce the risk of STDs spreading and increase testing rates,” Dr Bani said. “Nonetheless, anyone who has multiple sexual partners should always wear protection to ensure they don’t catch STDs.”

There’s no timeline on when the app will be created, but it should change the way that people share their sexual health information for the better. In the meantime it’s important that you are tested regularly for STDs if you’ve had multiple sexual partners since your last test.

Private STD Testing from Your Sexual Health

Your Sexual Health offer a range of privates STD tests that are available anywhere in the UK. We operate in clinics or from our home visits or postal service to offer accurate laboratory tested results in a confidential and convenient manner.

You can see our full range of private STD tests and book your appointment on site today.