New figures show rise in STIs in the over 50s

Dr Sean Cummings a Harley Street clinic that specialises in Sexual Health, has claimed that sexually transmitted infections in the over 50 year olds are now more common than first realised.

He has described the story of a mother of three in her late 50s who visited his clinic after having been a divorcee of 5 years, had been active on the dating scene. She had been involved with a “friend of a friend” and also a gentleman she had met through a dating website. Both relationships were sexually active. Dr Cummings explains more about the situation “She had started experiencing discomfort – discharge, and pain on urinating, which is why she had come to see me. They had never used condoms as, she explained “I never did with my husband. I was on the pill then, and I went through the menopause years ago – I thought there was no reason to”.”

Dr Cummings then ran some tests and had to deliver the unfortunate news to her that she was actually suffering from gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted infection (STI). “She was upset, embarrassed, but also shocked. At her age she didn’t really think she had anything to worry about”. Many of Dr Cummings patients are respectable men and women in their 50s and 60s, recently single for the first time in potentially several years. He also notes that a typical patient is a newly sixty something woman who has returned from holiday where she has had an affair and contracted an STI, or middle aged men who have picked up an infection from an extramarital affair.

In addition, the Health Protection Agency has been warning about the rapidly increase in STIs among the slightly older generation. Latest figures published show that gonorrhoea is up 8% in a single year and 14% since 2001, and genital herpes has risen by 15% in the last year and an incredible 142% in ten years. Chlamydia infections have also increased by 9% in the past year, and by 138% in the past ten years.

If you are suffering from the common STI, herpes, Medical Specialists can help you.  We now offer the antiviral medication “Valtrex”, which can help in reducing the risk of spreading genital herpes. However, you must also use safe sex practices. This includes always wearing a condom made of latex and avoiding sexual contact when you have an outbreak or think you are about to get an outbreak.  Valtrex will not cure herpes, but will lessen the symptoms. It helps to slow the growth and spread of the herpes virus so that the body can fight off the infection.