Are you thinking all is good down there, but you’re not totally sure because you’ve never actually had a checkup … and don’t really want to?
Is something burning, is there weird discharge or a rash down there, and you’re a little nervous? It could be nothing. Maybe it’ll go away by itself.
Right?
There are times when we might play the ‘wait and see’ game, but fellas, your sexual partners don’t want you to wait and see when it comes to sexual health and sexually transmissible infections (STIs).
It’s okay to be shy, but it's still an STI
STIs are infections that can be passed on during vaginal, anal and oral sex. They occur when viruses, bacteria or parasites pass from one person to another during sex or intimate skin-on-skin contact. Some STIs affect an isolated area only, like the genitals, while others can spread and cause damage in other parts of the body.
There is no shame in getting an STI—they are common—1 in 6 people will get an STI in their lifetime. They can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, and gender, and whether you’ve had sex once, or many times. People of any age having sex can get an STI, but they are most common in people aged 34 and under.
You might feel fine but how do you really know?
FACT: most STIs have no signs or symptoms. This means you can’t necessarily tell if you or the person you’re having sex with has an STI just by looking.
For men, if an STI does cause symptoms they might include:
- discharge from the penis
- discomfort, irritation or pain when urinating
- swollen and sore testes
- outbreaks of small, painful blisters, rashes, or cracked skin.
Curious about what an STI symptom looks like? You can see images of real STIs through the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre’s STI Atlas here—but be warned, this site contains graphic images of genitals.
Guys, we’d like you to get tested regularly, so you can know for sure if you have an STI that needs treatment. Treating an STI early means that you reduce the risk of any long-term health effects, or unknowingly passing on an infection to sexual partners.
It’s a flex to practise safe sex
We get it; using a condom (or a dental dam) every time you have sex can feel like a mood killer. But you know what would be a bigger mood killer? Not being able to have sex for weeks because you’re being treated for an STI.
Keep the sex spontaneous by being prepared. Order FREE condoms, or purchase them at your local supermarket or pharmacy so you can be wrapped and ready when things get heated. Worried the condom won’t fit? Why not get a few different sizes and types and test them out?
If you and your sexual partner make the mutual decision not to use condoms, get a sexual health check and make sure you’re both given the all-clear first. Getting tested for STIs is a normal part of a healthy sex life and STI tests are quick, often free, and confidential.
Why practise safe sex and get tested? As many STIs show no symptoms, anyone can unknowingly pass on an STI that may lay dormant for years. Syphilis, if passed to women, can affect her, and, if she ever gets pregnant, her unborn baby too many years later (congenital syphilis).
Make sure you’ve been tested
By now, it should be clear that STIs aren’t just about lumps, which is why regular sexual health checks are essential in protecting your overall health; every partner or every year is recommended.
Even if you don’t think you have an STI, if you are having sex, then you are at risk of getting or passing on an STI. When was your last STI check-up?
To get tested find a GP or local health clinic here.
If you don't feel comfortable talking to a doctor/health professional, or going to a health service you can order a free urine test online for chlamydia and gonorrhoea through the 13 HEALTH Webtest program.