Introduction
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs),
the bugs that used to be known as venereal
disease, or VD, are very common and can
affect you whether you're straight, gay or
bisexual. And you don't need to have sex
with lots of people to be at risk of
catching an STI – just one brief
encounter with an STI may be enough.
Infections can be transmitted in several
ways:
* through vaginal sex
* through oral sex
* through anal sex
* through skin-to-skin contact
Not every infection is passed in all these
ways – HIV (the virus that causes AIDS)
cannot be passed through skin-to-skin
contact, for example.
Some of the more common symptoms to look
out for include:
* a yellow discharge from your penis
* inflammation of your testicles
* irritation of your penis
* pain when urinating
If you have any of these problems, or any
other suspicious symptoms, your best bet
is to get them checked by a doctor at a
specialist genito-urinary (GUM) clinic.
GUM clinics provide a totally confidential
service.
The best ways to avoid an STI are:
* To be celibate (not considered a
desirable option by most people).
* To practice safer sex (this means
always using a condom for penetrative
sex).
* To get regular check-ups at a GUM
clinic. This is important because not all
STIs produce symptoms.
It's important to remember that most STIs
can be easily treated.
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