Almost everyone waits for holidays to come so that they can run over and unwind with their families. For many, it is a time to let go of the stress with their partners, and for some, it is time to go a little bit crazy. Of course, some people even travel out of their local territories for ‘sex tourism.’ Sex tourism is a journey undertaken solely to get involved with the sex workers in the destination of choice. The common targets are sex workers in economically disadvantaged countries.
So, why did you travel? And how well did you spend the holiday? Did things end up well, or did you slide into the hands of unprotected oral, vaginal, or anal sex with a non-exclusive partner?
Having unprotected sex with a casual or non-exclusive partner sets you up for sexually transmitted diseases. Not to worry, you can know how safe you are by going for a sexual health screening.
Commonly contracted sexually transmitted diseases during travels
There are many STIs in existence, and some are more prevalent in some areas than the others. However, having unprotected sex whether in your home country or others sets you up for bacterial infections (Syphilis, Chlamydia, and Gonorrhoea), viral infections (Hepatitis B/C, Herpes, Genital Warts, HIV, Human Papillomavirus (HPV)) or parasitic infections like Trichomonas.
How can I prevent an STD?
Like with every disease, STDs are best prevented than cured. This, like you know, is possible. The most reliable way of preventing sexually transmitted infections is by abstaining from sex be it oral, vaginal, or anal. However, if you are sexually active or think you can’t abstain from sex, you can lower your chances of the infections by following these guidelines:
- Use condoms for every sexual activity (whether oral, vaginal, or anal). Ensure you use it from the start to the end. Use a new one if the old one breaks, or you want to begin another round.
- Talk to your sexual health team about the available vaccines for diseases like HPV and Hepatitis B.
- Talk to your partner to know if they are free from STD. you two should be able to openly discuss your sexual health histories and lookout for possible hitches
- Avoid taking drugs or alcohol when going out with a non-exclusive partner. They lead to bad decisions, and you could end up doing things that should only be done in an exclusive relationship.
- One of these includes having sex with a person you should not or having it without using a condom.
Symptoms of an STD
There are many symptoms associated with STDs and the ones you may experience depends on the type of STD you contract. However, not every case of STD infections shows signs. A person can have moderate to severe symptoms from disease while another may not even know that there is something wrong with him.
Nevertheless, if you are to experience some symptoms of STD, they may include any of the following:
- Pain during sexual intercourse or while urinating
- Abnormal discharge from the genitals, or anus
- Unexplained sore, rash, or ulcer on the skin of your throat or genitals
- Yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice)
What if I have contracted an STD?
The first thing that happens to people when they suspect an STD is fear. You should first calm yourself and know that everything will be alright if you take the necessary step. Firstly, you need to visit a sexual health clinic and have an honest discussion with the doctor. He will tell you about the tests you may need to run and the type of medication you may need. If you are worried about the outcomes of this kind of records on your medical file, you can visit a private sexual health clinic where everything will be done discreetly.
Having an early diagnosis of an STD can help prevent you from developing severe complications and transferring the STD to other partners.
So, if you suspect the presence of an STD, do the following:
- Avoid having sex with anyone as it will prevent them from contracting the disease from you
- Run to your nurse or doctor as soon as possible
- Let your nurse or doctor know about your sexual histories as some areas have a higher rate of a specific STD than the others. The information will help your doctor decide the most important test for you to take.
- Contact your recent partners if you have a positive result as they may also be infected. This will help them test and get treated on time.
If you looking for private sexual health clinic in London to get confidential sexual health screening and instant testing, then get in touch with Sexual Health Clinic immediately.
