Did you know that you can be carrying a sexually transmitted infection and not even know it?  Most people are off to the doctor’s office quick smart if they get symptoms like discharge or pain with peeing, but what if there aren’t any signs that you’ve picked something up?

It’s very easy to catch gonorrhoea, chlamydia or syphilis from casual encounters.  These bugs can live in the throat, urethra and rectum, so they are easy to catch through oral sex or any other unprotected sex.  They may not cause any symptoms at all, which means you can then pass them on without even realizing it. 

You can catch HIV without getting any symptoms too.  Some people get a seroconversion illness, which is a bit like having a nasty flu, but in fact, more often than not there is no illness at all.

It’s easy to be tested for all these infections - usually you have a blood test, a urine test, a throat swab and a rectal swab, and these can all be done through your GP or local sexual health clinic. 

If you have frequent sexual encounters, even if you do use protection, it’s a good idea to test every 3 months.  Remember that if you haven’t tested, then you just don’t know.

For more info check out www.thedramadownunder.info/