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- Galgorm: 028 252 56093
- Omagh: 028 828 39678
How To Protect Yourself (And Others) From STDs
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) can refer to a plethora of different infections, all mostly spread by sexual contact. They are caused by viruses, parasites and bacteria and because of this sometimes it can be hard to be completely safe from all of them.
Here are some tips to protect yourself (and others) from STDs.
Of course, the best way to protect yourself is simply not to have sex of any kind. But obviously, this only works for certain people who do not wish to have sex or are waiting for a certain time.
The tips below are all helpful if you are sexually active.
It might not seem sexy, but having an open dialogue about STDs can prevent you from getting them. Ask beforehand if they’ve ever had experiences with STDs. This way you know for sure if they’re safe and maybe prevent you from being exposed to something. A lot of people might say they think they have been safe but do not know for sure, which is how a lot of people are accidentally infected.
Having sex with a lot of different partners can increase the risk of STDs. If they are doing the same as you and sleeping with different people, this could mean you never know what you’re being exposed to. If you do want to continue, ensure you get tested regularly.
One of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of STDs is to use a male latex condom. It has been proven to be highly effective in reducing STD transmission. For those with latex allergies, these synthetic non-latex condoms have a higher breakage rate so must be used with caution.
One of the best ways to protect yourself and others from STDs is through regular testing. Try to get tested every time you have sexual intercourse with a partner, even if you’ve had sex with them in the past and everything was fine. They might have had sex with someone else since you, which could put you at risk of catching an STD from them.
Even if you take precautions to protect yourself from STDs, sometimes they still do occur. If you’re afraid you might have an STD or simply haven’t been tested in a while, get in touch with Duality Health for sexual health services and STD testing.
We can provide rapid testing 7 days a week, with a 20-minute turnaround on the majority of our tests. We can check for HIV 1+2, Hepatitis B +C, Syphilis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Trichomoniasis and Herpes 1+2. As well as testing we offer sexual health advice that can cover topics such as contraception, impotence, safe sex and sexual dysfunction.
Give us a call at 028 308 33666 for our Newry office and 028 252 56093 to reach our Galgorm office and book professional STD testing and sexual health advice.