subject: Essex sexual health clinics aiming to stop STIs [print this page] Essex sexual health clinics aiming to stop STIs
Sexual health clinics in Essex are there to help. They are not there to prejudice or judge but simply to do their job of trying to reduce the number of people contracting Chlamydia in Colchester and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Sexual health clinics are sometimes known as genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics. They are usually located at a hospital or as part of another Essex health centre, and provide a range of sexual health services including contraception and contraception advice, emergency contraception and emergency contraception advice, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as Chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea and genital warts, and testing and counseling for HIV and AIDS.
So why is there a stigma attached to them which is preventing other people from using them? Chlamydia in Colchester, Clacton and Harwich is most common in teenagers and young people who are sexually active and if left untreated can increase the risk of problems in pregnancy and can be passed on to future partners.
For some people it is a confidence issue. They don't want to be seen by friends and don't want to admit they have had a sexual health test. But by going for a test and being checked up, it doesn't automatically mean you have a disease. It actually means you are taking strong responsibility over your sexual health and the health of your future partners.
Because Chlamydia has no symptoms it's not a case of getting tested because you think you have it. You should be getting tested, once a year, no matter what. The consequences can prove life changing if the disease is left untreated.
Statistics from the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) in England show that you are more at risk of becoming infected with Chlamydia if you are under 25, have a new sexual partner, or have had more than one sexual partner in the past year and have not used condoms.
Sexual health clinics in Essex are making it even easier to help people get tested. Their outreach teams are going out to areas populated by teenagers, such as nightclubs, cinemas and restaurants, offering a free and confidential test.
Understanding the risks involved is part of growing up and becoming an adult. The procedure carried out by sexual health clinics is very simple and remember, they have your best interests at heart.
Chlamydia tests in Colchester, Clacton and Harwich for women would involve taking a swab from the cervix, a urine sample or swab from the lower vagina and send it away to be tested in a laboratory. Men would have to do nothing more than to provide a urine sample, which is then sent for testing.
It's recommended you get tested if you have had unprotected sex with a new partner or you or your partner have unprotected sex with other people.
But to avoid the risk of contracting sexual diseases always remember to use a condom and check the sexual history of your partner before being intimate for the first time. Don't forget, your future health and fertility could depend on it.
