STI

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK and is easily passed on during sex. Most people don’t experience any symptoms so are unaware they are infected. It’s more common in people under the age of 25 than in older people but if you’re sexually active, you can get it at any age. Chlamydia is usually easily treated with antibiotics — but the longer you leave it, the more likely it is to lead to complications.

Chlamydia Symptoms in Men

The signs and symptoms of a chlamydia infection depend on the part of the body infected. Symptoms of chlamydia in men include the following:

Painful urination
Burning and itching around the opening of the penis
Clear or cloudy discharge from the tip of the penis
Pain and swelling around the testicles
Rectal pain or bleeding
Inflamed eye

Chlamydia Symptoms in Women

Although both men and women are diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in equal numbers, they are not affected equally. Women are more likely than men to experience long-term health complications from untreated STIs such as chlamydia, including infertility. What’s more, pregnant women can pass STIs to babies during pregnancy or childbirth.

Symptoms of chlamydia in women include the following:

Abnormal vaginal discharge that may have an odor
Bleeding between periods
Painful periods
Abdominal pain with fever
Pain during sex
Itching or burning in or around the vagina
Painful urination
Rectal pain or discharge
Inflamed eye

Less common symptoms may include sore throat, right upper abdominal pain, or joint pain.

How is the test for chlamydia done?

There are different ways to test for the infection, described below.

If you’re a man, you’ll usually be asked to give a urine sample. Your clinic or GP might ask you not to go to the toilet for an hour or two before your test. Sometimes, your doctor or nurse may also take a sample from the tip of your penis, using a swab (a small round cotton bud).
If you’re a woman, you’ll usually need to have a swab from your vagina tested. You may be given a kit to take the swab yourself or your doctor or nurse may take it as part of an examination.
If you’ve had anal or oral sex, your doctor or nurse will use a swab to take a sample from your back passage or throat.

Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is a common infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), which is the same virus that causes cold sores.

Some people develop symptoms of HSV a few days after coming into contact with the virus. Small, painful blisters or sores usually develop, which may cause itching or tingling or make it painful to urinate.

After you've been infected, the virus remains dormant (inactive) for most of the time. However, certain triggers can re-activate the virus, causing the blisters to develop again, although they're usually smaller and less painful.

It's easier to test for HSV if you have symptoms. Although there's no cure for genital herpes, the symptoms can usually be controlled using antiviral medicines.

Genital Warts

Genital warts are small fleshy growths, bumps or skin changes that appear on or around your genital or anal area.

They're caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV).

The warts are usually painless, but you may notice some itching or redness. Occasionally, they can cause bleeding.

You don't need to have penetrative sex to pass the infection on because HPV is spread by skin-to-skin contact.

Several treatments are available for genital warts, including creams and cryotherapy (freezing the warts).

Gonorrhoea

Gonorrhoea is a bacterial STI easily passed on during sex.

About 50% of women and 10% of men don’t experience any symptoms and are unaware they’re infected.

In women, gonorrhoea can cause pain or a burning sensation when urinating, a vaginal discharge (often watery, yellow or green), pain in the lower abdomen during or after sex, and bleeding during or after sex or between periods, sometimes causing heavy periods.

In men, gonorrhoea can cause pain or a burning sensation when urinating, a white, yellow or green discharge from the tip of the penis, and pain or tenderness in the testicles.

It's also possible to have a gonorrhoea infection in your rectum, throat or eyes.

Gonorrhoea can be easily diagnosed using a urine test, or by taking a swab of the affected area. The infection is easily treated with antibiotics, but can lead to serious long-term health problems if left untreated, including infertility.

Pubic Lice

Pubic lice ('crabs') are easily passed to others through close genital contact. They're usually found in pubic hair but can live in underarm hair, body hair, beards and occasionally eyebrows or eyelashes.

The lice crawl from hair to hair but don't jump or fly from person to person. It may take several weeks for you to notice any symptoms. Most people will experience itching, and you may notice the lice or eggs on the hairs.

Pubic lice can usually be successfully treated with special creams or shampoos available over the counter in most pharmacies or from a GP or GUM clinic. You don't need to shave off your pubic hair or body hair.

Syphilis

Syphilis is a bacterial infection that in the early stages causes a painless but highly infectious sore on your genitals or around the mouth. The sore can last for up to six weeks before disappearing.

Secondary symptoms such as a rash, flu-like illness or patchy hair loss may then develop. These may disappear within a few weeks, after which you will have a symptom-free phase.

The late or tertiary stage of syphilis usually occurs after many years and can cause serious conditions, such as heart problems, paralysis and blindness.

The symptoms of syphilis can be difficult to recognise. A simple blood test can usually be used to diagnose syphilis at any stage. It can be treated with antibiotics, usually penicillin injections. When syphilis is treated properly, the later stages can be prevented.