Name: Sexual health testing
Creator: Dr Karen Martin
Published: 2023-03-01T11:36:35.781Z

Lichen sclerosus is a skin condition in which you might notice the area feels tight or itchy. It may be painful when passing urine, having sex, or – for men – getting an erection. If it's around the anus, you may find it sore when passing a stool.

Skin can become fragile and bleed if rubbed or scratched and then feel very sore if it breaks down. It may form blood blisters or thickened areas with constant scratching. At first, there may be nothing to see on the skin. Later in the process, you may notice shiny white patches where it feels sore or itchy.

Gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. This can easily pass from person to person via unprotected vaginal, anal, and oral sex or sharing of sex toys. Condoms help to prevent catching gonorrhea.  

This may cause no noticeable symptoms, or it can cause a yellow/green, watery, or pus-like discharge from the penis, vagina, or rectum. It may cause pain on peeing; for women, pain during sex, bleeding after sex, or bleeding between periods, and for men, pain in the testicles. It can cause joint inflammation (reactive arthritis) and eye symptoms (conjunctivitis) and, if left untreated, can cause infertility.  

Given the high stakes and the fact that you may have no symptoms, it’s important to get tested regularly. This is especially important if you are 16 to 25, as this is the highest-risk age group. Get an STI test at the change of any partner (use condoms until you both get the all-clear) and at least once a year.

You may have been put at risk of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) if you have had unprotected sex, the condom broke, split, or slipped off during sex, or you have been told a partner has an STI.

STIs include [gonorrhea](https://www.healthwords.ai/us/article/gonorrhea!2b163175-dc6a-47ca-8b52-cfdc09ca2899), [chlamydia](https://www.healthwords.ai/us/article/chlamydia!ca3c9e3a-c299-417c-ba55-7f68d8824616), HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B. You may have no symptoms from some of these, or symptoms may take weeks or months to show.

It's best to get this checked out, and the best place is to attend a sexual health clinic. Look online for services near you, and know that it's all confidential.

If a partner has said they have an STI, you need to get treated immediately and avoid sex until treated, otherwise you can pass it back and forth between each other. Again, this is best done at a sexual health clinic.

[Unprotected sex](https://www.healthwords.ai/us/article/unprotected-sex!d1c54f0f-a5c4-4929-a6c7-dd057985d44e) also leaves women at risk of pregnancy. You can buy a pregnancy test, and it can take up to 3 weeks after unprotected sex for any pregnancy test to turn positive.

Dr Kandi - Sexual health testing

You are never far from sexual health services in the US. Dedicated clinics are there for phone consultations or visits, online services can mail out testing kits for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and your doctor is also a source of advice, testing, and prescriptions. 

Needs can vary widely, but most people request access to STI tests such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis, emergency contraception, and regular contraception. Clinics may offer hepatitis B vaccination if you are at risk or emergency HIV treatment if you think you’ve been exposed. They can also advise on safe sex, high-risk behavior, sexual assault or rape, and anonymous contact tracing for a sexual partner or partners if you have tested positive for an STI.

A low sperm count doesn't cause any symptoms; it's usually found in fertility investigations when a couple finds it difficult to conceive naturally.

A semen analysis reveals a low sperm count, which is classed as fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen. It's found in one in three couples who are struggling to conceive. Depending on any other results from fertility tests, it may guide potential fertility treatments.

Libido (sex drive): What is it & what affects it?

Libido refers to your sex drive. Normal levels of libido and sex drive are different for each person, there is no standard that anyone should be compared to. Loss of libido is a type of sexual dysfunction and means a drop in your normal sex drive (not just lower than another person's).

It is a common thing for people to experience. It can be due to many different things, such as fatigue, [stress](https://www.healthwords.ai/us/article/stress!b1b907f1-6bd9-4b83-a41c-7d28b583e498), symptoms of mental health conditions like [depression](https://www.healthwords.ai/us/article/depression!26bd2fdb-787a-4dd6-815e-abdc51a35cae), difficult personal circumstances, relationship difficulties, physical health conditions, or side effects of certain medications.

Testosterone is a male sex hormone made in the testicles. Testosterone plays a key role in male sexual development, from puberty to fertility. Some men can experience low testosterone levels, which can lead to a number of symptoms that may be bothersome. Over time, testosterone hormones do generally decline with age.

You may have been informed that a sexual partner or ex-partner has gotten a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and you may have been put at risk, so you require treatment. This can come as a shock, whether you hear it directly from your partner, an ex-partner texts you, or you receive an anonymous text from a sexual health clinic.  

But it’s better to know about this than be kept in the dark. STIs may or may not cause symptoms, but they can put you at risk of longer-term problems such as ongoing pain or infertility, and reliable treatments are available. Even if you have no symptoms, getting treatment will protect you and your future partners. 

Chlamydia is a very common sexually transmitted infection (STI). It is a bacterium that can spread in semen or vaginal fluid and infect the vagina, uterus (womb), urethra (tube for the passage of urine, plus semen in men), the penis, rectum and, less commonly, the throat and eyes.

It may cause no symptoms at all but if it does, signs to look out for are a vaginal, penile or rectal discharge. This is usually watery and white or cloudy, and there may also be pain or stinging when peeing. In the longer term, men may get pain in the testicles and women develop pain in the pelvis, especially when having sex, and bleeding after sex or between periods. Ultimately it can cause infertility if left untreated. It may also cause joint inflammation (reactive arthritis) and irritated red eyes (conjunctivitis).

Given the high stakes and the fact that you may have no symptoms at all, it’s important to get tested regularly. This is especially important if you are aged 16 to 25, as this is the highest risk age group. If you're a woman, sexually active and under 25, it's recommended that you have a chlamydia test once a year, and when you have sex with new or casual partners. If you're a man, sexually active and under 25 it's recommended that you have a chlamydia test once a year if you’re not using condoms with new or casual partners. Get an STI test at the change of any partner (use condoms until you both get the all-clear) and if you’re changing partners regularly or have multiple partners, get tested every three months.

Unprotected sex, often referred to as intercourse without adequate contraception, can lead to unintended consequences such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections ([STIs](https://www.healthwords.ai/us/article/sti-at-risk!3eb15c26-d0fe-4346-9ea7-94bf939ca2d0)). This article delves into the potential risks of unprotected sex, explores emergency contraception options like levonorgestrel, EllaOne, and the copper IUD, and highlights the importance of informed decision-making for sexual health.

Dr Karen Martin

Pharmacist and Head of US Content

Dr Kandi explains how often we should be getting a sexual health screening.

Sexual health testing

Doctor’s advice

Related topics

Lichen sclerosus

Gonorrhea

STI – at risk

Finding sexual health services

Low sperm count

Libido (sex drive): What is it & what affects it?

Signs of low testosterone

STI contact

Chlamydia

Unprotected Sex