NBMLHD Sexual Health staff specialist, Dr Sheena Kakar says early diagnosis of an STI can potentially lead to a long and healthy life.
“One in six people are likely to have a STI at some point in their lives and the majority of STIs can have no symptoms, so the best way to protect yourself and your partner is to get tested,” explains Dr Kakar.
Sexual Health and HIV clinics are available at Nepean and Blue Mountains Hospitals.
“Our clinics are free and don’t require a GP referral or Medicare card. Rest assured, it’s also completely confidential and not linked with hospital systems.”
People under 30 who are sexually active are advised to have at least one check-up, but also anyone that has had a partner change or on the brink of starting a new relationship is recommended to get a test if they are feeling discomfort.
“If you do have something, it can then be easily treated by antibiotics,” says Dr Kakar.
If left untreated STIs pose a significant risk to reproductive health and could lead to harmful outcomes. Education about the impact of STIs is essential to reducing their occurrence.
“There are range of problematic STIs that are more common than people realise, for example we see a lot of chlamydia cases in heterosexual relationships, instances of gonorrhoea are increasing and syphilis has had a bad comeback,” warns Dr Kakar.
“If you have discomfort while passing urine or have any unusual discharge from the vagina or penis you should get checked.”
HIV Awareness Week serves as a timely reminder to contact our Clinic at Kingswood (02) 4734 2507 or Blue Mountains (02) 4784 6560 to book an appointment.
Visit Sexual health services in Nepean Blue Mountains for more information.
