Shocking figures show children as young as 13 are being treated for STIs

Our nation’s schoolchildren may need much better and effective sex education, following the findings of a new study that show 1,000s of children as young as 13 are contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

According to the Daily Star Sunday a new Public Health England study has shown that in particularly, new cases of teenage chlamydia are on the rise, with 178,845 cases in youngsters under the age of 19 and 2,938 discovered in teenagers aged 13 or 14, in the last 5 years alone.

The alarming figures also show how over 2 teenagers under the legal age of consent (16-years-old) are getting STIs such as genital herpes each day.

Moreover, an estimated 18,085 people under the age of 18 have contracted gonorrhoea during the previous 5 years, in addition to 20,842 cases of herpes, whilst syphilis, which can be fatal, was contracted 442 times.

The statistics are almost certain to concern parents and doctors, and force the government to put extra effort into boosting the country’s sex education classes.

Dr Michael Brady, medical director at the Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “We still have much to do to address the nation’s poor sexual health and the rates of STIs in those most at risk.

“Young people are disproportionately affected by STIs. One of the reasons for this is that we still don’t provide every young person with comprehensive and appropriate Sex and Relationships Education (SRE).

“A reduction in STIs must be a public health priority and as a fundamental part of this, the Government needs to ensure every young person has access to effective SRE that gives them the knowledge and skills to enjoy healthy and safe sex lives.”

Jules Hillier, head of the sexual health charity Brook, commented: “Too many young people aren’t getting the information they need about sex and relationships from their schools, while sexual health clinics are under threat due to cuts.

“We need to invest in education and services for young people to help them stay safe and healthy.”
It isn’t just the younger generation where STIs are on the rise though…Cases of STIs are going up across all age groups. From 2010 to 2014, the number of people being diagnosed with gonorrhoea has more than doubled, leaping from 16,843 to 34,958.

Meanwhile, syphilis cases have shot up from 2,647 in 2010 to 4,317in 2014 and herpes has increased from 29,698 to 31,777 in the same time period.

Surprisingly perhaps, chlamydia cases have dropped from 207,797 in 2012 to 206,774 by 2014.
Public Health England say that over the past 10 years the number of cases of STIs such as gonorrhoea, syphilis, genital warts and genital herpes have gone up – notably amongst males.
In England, young heterosexual people aged 16 to 24 account for:

• 63% of chlamydia cases.
• 55% of gonorrhoea cases.
• 52% of genital warts cases.
• 42% of herpes cases.

Thousands of Brits could have mycoplasma infection STI

Just when you thought you probably knew about all the different sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in circulation, a new one turns up and is now striking fear amongst health experts that there could be thousands of people living with the disease in the UK – and unaware of it.

Well, despite being commonly reported as a “new” type of infection…Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) – as the STI is being referred as – was first discovered back in the 1980s.

The infection stems from a bacterium located within the urinary and genital tracts of humans. Affecting around 1% of people aged 16 to 44 years old, it does not produce many symptoms – practically none for those already infected – but research has shown it can be passed through unprotected sexual intercourse.

Researchers assessed data extracted from the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, and determined that unsurprisingly, those with a higher number of sexual partners, people failing to use condoms, those living in deprived areas and people in the 25 to 44 age range are most at risk.

Findings reported in the International Journal of Epidemiology demonstrated that 1% of 16 to 44-year-olds in Britain who have had sex are living with MG. The report involved a cross-sectional study analysing the link between sexual activity and MG.

Researchers looked at the urine samples of 4500 people (both men and women) between 16 and 44 years old that had stated previously having sex at some point, in addition to the samples of about 200 people who reported never having had sex.

No cases of the mycoplasma infection were discovered in the people who had never had sex, whilst the infection was found in approximately 1% of the sexually active participants.

The mycoplasma infection was prevalent in 1.2% of men and 1.3% of women. The prevalence peaked at 2.1% in men aged between 25 and 34, while in women, the peak prevalence occurred in 16 to 19 year olds (2.4%) and then decreased with age.

MG seems to more prevalent in those that have had over 4 sexual partners in the preceding 12 months, whilst MG-positive men were found to be likely to have reported a previously diagnosed gonorrhoea, syphilis, or non-specific urethritis, while women reported previous cases of trichomoniasis. Researchers also noted that incidence of MG was higher in those living in the most deprived areas and black men.

The majority of those who came back positive for MG did not report having any noticeable symptoms but a high proportion of women with symptoms, said they were bleeding after sex. Other known symptoms were genital discharge, testicular and pelvic pain, with scientists believing that more long-term ramifications could include pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and female infertility.

Nigel Field, consultant clinical epidemiologist at Public Health England (PHE), and one of the researchers behind the new study, said it had found further evidence that MG is an STI.
“MG is a bacterium that was present in around 1% of the general population aged 16 to 44 years, who had reported at least one sexual partner,” he said.

“The study adds to the accumulating evidence-base that MG causes infection in some men and women, and the study found that women with MG were more likely to report bleeding after sexual activity.

“However, over 90% of men and more than half of women with MG had no symptoms. It may be that MG does not cause illness in all individuals in whom the infection is detected.

“Laboratory testing for MG is not yet widely available in the UK.”

He added that there would need to be more research into the “clinical consequences of MG infection” prior to any work being carried out on screening or preventative methods for the infection.

“PHE has recently established national surveillance to monitor diagnoses of MG from any clinics undertaking testing and will continue to gather public health data on MG to inform policy on infection control,” he said.

“As for all STIs, prevention measures promoting increased condom use and a reduction in sexual risk behaviours are likely to play an important role in efforts to control MG.”

Mycoplasma genitalium is just one of numerous STIs in circulation and until treatment is developed, Medical Specialists® Pharmacy provide treatments for many of the more common STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and genital herpes.

In addition, Medical Specialists® can provide almost 100% accurate pregnancy tests to be used in the privacy and comfort of your own home, a wide variety of condoms to suit different preferences, emergency hormonal contraception (morning after pill), other contraceptive pills, and even a chlamydia test you can take at home and post off for a quick analysis and result, saving you the time and embarrassment of having to personally attend a clinic for a check-up.

Risky Holiday Sex Habits Uncovered by Medical Specialists® Pharmacy Survey

Despite the fact that British weather is generally OK around June to August, this is still the peek time for holidaymakers to venture abroad and bask in the glorious sunshine in popular destinations such as Ibiza, Majorca, Benidorm and many more.

Relaxing on the beach sipping sangria or beer and forgetting about worries at home can feel like heaven, but it can risk making people feel a little too relaxed. This carefree spirit that often goes hand-in-hand with holidays abroad can lead to a slightly reckless attitude in regards to safe sex and sexual health – especially when alcohol is involved.

Booze can lead to a complete loss of inhibitions and then engaging in risky sexual liaisons with strangers…something perhaps people might have thought twice about back at home. Getting too drunk and ‘caught up in the moment’ is a worrying trend and this poor attitude is being shown by thousands – especially those in their late teens and early 20s – and is something Medical Specialists® Pharmacy wanted to learn more about.

These attitudes were explored in the journal Tourism Management, and then discussed on 23rd July in the Daily Mail Online.

Therefore, Medical Specialists® thought this would be the perfect time to discuss more findings on the subject matter, coming from a survey carried out at the beginning of the month to mark the start of summer.

With an extensive sexual health product range like that spans from the Clamelle chlamydia testing kit, to antibiotics for chlamydia and gonorrhoea and female contraceptive pills, Medical Specialists® are strong advocates for the improving of sexual health and sexual health services…even giving away 1,000s of free condoms over the last few years during Sexual Health Week and for World AIDS Day.

Therefore, with summer beginning at the start of July, Medical Specialists® decided to quiz patients about their attitudes to sex – in particularly looking at behaviours when overseas during a summer holiday. In total, 2,235 single people aged between 18 and 30 decided to take part in the survey, which provided some interesting, and perhaps worrying findings.

Although more than 60% said they always carried condoms whilst on holiday, nearly 40% admitted to only occasionally packing condoms, or never bothering to at all. The survey found that 22% were too embarrassed to talk about contraception when having sex with a new partner.

A staggering 78% said they had previously had sex with a fellow holidaymaker, with 40% of the respondents claiming they had even slept with a local. At the extreme end of the scale, 4% of those surveyed said that had more than 10 sexual partners on their last holiday.

Shockingly, more than a third (34%) confessed they had cheated on a partner whilst on holiday, but just 5% of those had been found out by their partner.

Questions were also asked about any possible sexually transmitted infections (STIs) people may have brought back from holiday along with their luggage, tans and hangovers. A statistic that Medical Specialists® finds alarming, nearly half (47%) said they had never been tested for a sexually transmitted infection.

Moreover, 20% of those surveyed said they had been diagnosed with an STI after returning from a holiday overseas, with chlamydia (46%) being by far the most commonly diagnosed infection, followed by genital warts(22%) and genital herpes rounding off the top three at 19%.

It is vital to remember that within certain countries compared to the UK, STIs can be extremely common and obviously this places people at an even greater risk. In addition, with the most common STI (chlamydia), around seven in 10 women and half of men infected with chlamydia don’t show up with any signs or symptoms.

However, symptoms of STIs can include:

• Unusual discharge from your penis, vagina or anus.
• Itching, blisters, sores or lumps on or around the genitals.
• Pain or tenderness in the testicles.
• Pain or a burning feeling when passing urine.
• Darker urine.
• For women, bleeding between periods and/or after sex.

For those that have engaged in unprotected sex (and not just whilst on holiday) or believe they may have contracted an STI, it is vital to see a GP or visit a sexual health clinic to get tested as soon as possible. If the infection isn’t treated, this could lead to more serious health problems such as infertility.

Alternatively, Medically Specialists® Pharmacy offer the Clamelle chlamydia test kit for just £24.85 which can be used in the privacy and comfort of your own home to prevent an embarrassing visit to the GP or GUM clinic and there is no need to take any time off work

Backlash against NHS scheme offering free condoms to 13-year-olds

The NHS have been heavily criticised for offering a new scheme that offers free condoms, lubricant and sexual health advice to children as young as just 13.

The new ‘C-Card’ scheme is available to anyone aged between 13 and 24 years of age that meet certain criteria, and is being piloted by Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust in an effort to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies in addition to the number of youngsters catching sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia and genital herpes.

Those in possession of a C-Card can discuss sexual health issues at clinics, pickup free condoms and advice on using them and even obtain some lubricant.

The card use is limited however, with those aged 16 or over, able to use it up to six occasions, and youngsters between the ages of 13 and 15 are only permitted to use the card three times before it has to be renewed, which should raise the flag regarding teens engaging in repeated under-age sex.

Anyone with the C-Card can go to 30 venues in West Sussex, including in Shoreham, Steyning, Hassocks, Hurstpierpoint and Midhurst. Should the venture prove to be a success, it will then be rolled out nationwide.

However, the Family Education Trust campaign group have been vocal in criticising the new program, with a spokeswoman saying: “The role of parents and carers is vital in protecting young people as they are privy to emotional wellbeing, friendship groups and unusual behaviours. They are therefore uniquely positioned to intervene and safeguard.

“The C-Card scheme denies parents the opportunity to advise and protect their children against the physical and emotional consequences of sex.”

There are also fears that because the scheme is offering condoms to teens as young as 13, it is partly encouraging them to ignore the legal age of consent (16) and break it.

Campaign For Real Education group chairman Chris McGovern said: “Sexual Health West Sussex is aiding, abetting and promoting the breaking of the law on consent and should be subjected to criminal prosecution.”

Furthermore, The Mirror’s Carole Malone was particularly scathing in her judgement of the C-Card scheme, blasting: “Am I the only one who’s incensed that NHS condoms for 13-year-olds are being advertised on a hip looking website called areyougettingit.com?…What does this say about our society and how it regards sex when a state run health service is throwing condoms at kids…”

Carole doesn’t stop there though in her anger at the scheme: “It says we’ve given up trying to teach kids how to deal with the legal, moral and psychological issues of underage sex because it’s too hard. Instead the State is just making the assumption that they’re all at it like rabbits so let’s just try to minimise the damage.”

Cutting teenage pregnancy in the UK is clearly an issue the government will have to consider curbing sooner rather than later, with Britain having the highest teenage pregnancy rate across Western Europe – the latest available statistics show that over 1,500 young people in West Sussex were diagnosed with chlamydia in a single year.

Teenager with HIV blasts school sex education

A HIV-positive teenager has hit out at sex education in schools, claiming he learned nothing about the disease whilst at high school and if he had, he might have been more equipped to understand the main risks involved with contracting it.

Luke Alexander, 19, appeared on ITV’s This Morning programme, speaking to Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, called for more awareness about HIV – one year on after being given the devastating diagnosis.

Mr Alexander feels so strongly about the subject he has written an open letter to health secretary Michael Gove, arguing that it should be made compulsory in schools for lessons to be conducted on the virus. The letter was posted online as a petition on the Change.org website, where he claimed that the ‘vast majority of young people today have little or no common knowledge’, of the virus.

He says: “When they diagnosed me last year, my first reaction was “Oh my God, I’m going to die”. I knew it existed but I didn’t know a lot about treatment.”

Mr Alexander added he came out as gay at the tender age of 13 and then was sexually active from the age of 15. After losing his job at 18, his life spiralled out of control as he became dependant on alcohol and drugs, admitting he ‘went off the rails’ during this point.

He became more careless in his sex life yet says he can ‘count on one hand’ the times he has had sex without using a condom – showing it only takes just one occasion of unsafe sex for any sexually transmitted infection to pass from one person to the next.

However, Mr Alexander has criticised the lack of focus on HIV at school and explained the sex education lessons he received mainly focused on the risk of becoming pregnant and contracting chlamydia. He added there should have been more explanation about the importance of wearing condoms to safeguard against the disease as well as other STIs such as genital herpes and gonorrhoea.
“We did talk about condoms,” he said. “But it was more in the context of getting pregnant and bacterial infections. We never really went into anything else. I have always known it was necessary (to use a condom) but it wasn’t stressed (in the context of HIV).”

During a trip to Manchester in April 2013, Mr Alexander began to show the symptoms of the disease. He says: “All of a sudden I came down with a horrific fever, it was very instant, I had sweats and could not sleep. The next thing I knew I was off my food and very, very fatigued. It was awful.”

Then a month later whilst attending a Birmingham Gay Pride event, he was offered a free sexual test, which he duly accepted and thought nothing of it. However, he started to worry when a phone call informed him there was ‘cause for concern’, leading to an agonising five day wait, when the diagnosis was given – he was HIV positive.

Mr Alexander said he did not ‘get the information I felt I needed at the time’ during his high school years.

“Being gay, HIV is up there on the list of things affecting men across the world. We heard a lot about chlamydia and pregnancy but nothing in much depth, the teachers were embarrassed to talk about it. I felt they were speaking about it because they had to, because the government were telling them to. But it left no impression.”

Dr Ranj Singh, who accompanied Mr Alexander on This Morning, commented that stats released by the National Aids Trust last month showed a ‘shockingly low’ level of knowledge about HIV in young gay men – and even worse in older men. Dr Sing added that around 100,000 people in the UK have the virus, but as many as 20,000 are unaware they have it.

A Department of Education spokesman commented: “Pupils must learn about sexually transmitted infections such as HIV/AIDS as part of sex and relationship education.”

Busting 5 of the common myths about sexually transmitted infections

We at Medical Specialists Pharmacy are strong advocates for the promotion of good sexual health and awareness. In fact, in 2010 we teamed up with Skins Condoms to raise awareness for World AIDS day by giving away free condoms for a whole week to any men who obtained erectile dysfunction medication. We also did the same the following year, this time joining forces with Mates Condoms.

You may have heard whisperings or jokes about the subject matter, but what is a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and who can get them? The answer is anyone can. They are diseases passed from one person to another from the result of unprotected sex, i.e. the failure to use a condom. In particularly, it is the under-25s who most commonly succumb to STIs but the stark truth is that anybody who is sexually active is at risk of them, without the necessary precautions.

The most common STI in the UK remains as chlamydia, closely followed by genital warts. It is believed that approximately seven in 10 infected women and half of infected men will not show any clear symptoms of having chlamydia, and the clear message remains that you should always practice safe sex and attend regular health checks if you are concerned.

Some of the problems for the increasing number of cases of STIs in Britain could be attributed to the lack of understanding about the dangerous health risks involved in unprotected sex, especially when with multiple partners. We believe more needs to be done at school-level to properly educate children about the risks involved. For some parents though, it is a sensitive subject and one that many shy away from. Currently in England and Wales, sex education is not a compulsory learning subject and parents can forbid their children from being involved in such lessons. In evidence that supports Medical Specialists’ belief that the government needs to improve on this area urgently, a 2008 study from YouGov for Channel 4, found that around three in ten teenagers complained of requiring more sex and relationship education.

To help educate people on STIs, we will analyse some of the most common preconceptions about STIs and the truth about them:

. You cannot get an STI from oral sex

MYTH! Perhaps worryingly, during oral sex both you and the other person engaging in the sexual activity are both at risk from catching the other person’s infection, if either of you have one. A common problem in this regard is if your partner has a cold sore (oral herpes) and then performs oral sex on you, you are at high risk of herpes in your genital area (genital herpes).

. You can get an STI from a toilet seat

MYTH! STIs are generally not passed on through coming into contact with a toilet seat, and the organisms do not survive for very long outside of the body. However, pubic lice can survive away from the body for roughly 24 hours, so sitting on a contaminated toilet seat puts you at a slight risk of that, but it is still quite unlikely.

. If there are no symptoms, there is no STI

MYTH! You might be alarmed to learn that a great number of STIs are ‘silent’ and have no obvious symptoms at all. On other occasions they are relatively mild to the point whereby more urgent problems requiring attention could be mistaken for something less serious. For instance, there are still a lot of people who wrongly think they are suffering from a bladder infection, when it is actually gonorrhoea they have.

. You cannot contract an STI if your partner is a virgin

MYTH! The aforementioned claim depends entirely on what the person’s definition of virgin is. If this means they have engaged in absolutely no sexual activity at all, then yes the statement is valid. However, maybe a person hasn’t had vaginal sex but they still may have had oral sex, and thus putting themselves at risk of getting an STI. The best thing to do is speak to your partner beforehand. It is worth remembering also that infections such as herpes can be passed from skin-to-skin contact and no penetration has to occur.

. Oral contraceptive pills protect against STIs

MYTH! The purpose of oral contraception pills are in the name; Contraception. Their primary purpose is to stop the woman from becoming pregnant. However, they are still many young girls in the UK who hold onto the belief that these pills can miraculously help to stop them from contracting an STI. Unfortunately, they are sorely mistaken. Condoms remain as being the most effective tool for a barrier against picking up infection.

High intake of alcohol mixed with energy drinks can lead to unsafe sex

Energy drinks such as Monster or Red Bull have long been a staple in the diet of many young people, especially students. Either as a quick ‘pick-me-up’, or used as a mixer with spirits such as Vodka, it seems their demand is as high as ever.

However, a new study to emerge from the University of Buffalo, has seemingly found that the increase in casual and risky sex (i.e. without the use of a condom or other contraception), could possibly be connected to the high consumption of caffeinated energy drinks that are being mixed with alcohol.

Study author Kathleen E. Miller was inspired to conduct some research after noting the rather blasé ‘hook-up’ culture on numerous college sites across America, with many students indulging in casual sex with multiple partners. Also she had witnessed a 16-year family friend break out in sudden shakes and jitters due to an excessive Red Bull consumption.

For her study, Miller enlisted 648 subjects from introductory-level courses at at unnamed public university. The age span of participants ranged from 18 to 40 years of age, but 60% of the 648 people were under the age of 21, and 47.5% of the total subjects were comprised of women.
The study’s results have been published in the print edition of Journal of Caffeine Research. Some of the key findings were that 29.3% said they had consumed energy drinks in the previous month, and at the most latest sexual encounter, 45.1% reported it was ‘casual’, 24.8% admitted to being drunk and 43.6% revealed they had not bothered to use a condom.

This irresponsible attitude amongst drinkers is a dangerous trend that shows no sign of improving. They will be putting themselves at risk of catching a sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as Chlamydia, which is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, with 186,753 people in England testing positive for this during 2010. Up to 70% of people do not experience any symptoms of infection and it can cause infertility in both men and women. The only way of checking if you have a chlamydia infection is to take a chlamydia test such as the Clamelle test kit, available from just £24.85 at Medical Specialists Pharmacy.

Genital herpes is another common STI, highly prevalent in people aged between 20 to 24 years. In 2008, it was reported that roughly 29,000 people attended a sexual health clinic in the UK with a first clinical attack of genital herpes. An effective medication for this is Valtrex, which is an antiviral drug that contains valaciclovir. It slows the growth and spread of the herpes virus so that the body can fight off the infection.

Miller commented on the results from her study, saying, “Mixing energy drinks with alcohol can lead to unintentional over drinking, because the caffeine makes it harder to assess your own level of intoxication. AmEDs (energy drinks) have stronger priming effects than alcohol alone. In other words, they increase the craving for another drink, so that you end up drinking more overall.”

She further added that while mixing AmEDs and alcohol will not necessarily lead to casual sexual encounters, it does increase the chances of them occurring. But there was some good news to counter the bad. Miller continued, “Regardless of their AmED use, participants in the study were more likely to use a condom during sex with a casual partner than during sex with a steady partner, consistent with previous research.”

Dr Pixie McKenna gives her advice on ten common health problems

The 41-year old Irish medical expert Dr Pixie McKenna, has seen just about every kind of strange bodily problem and ailment during her four years on Embarrassing Illnesses and its sister series, Embarrassing Bodies. The focus of the programs is primarily to speak to people with a wide range of issues that they are uncomfortable discussing with their own GP.

This week Dr McKenna spoke out and explained ten of the most regular problems she gets quizzed about, and her advice on how to try and best tackle them. Here we give a run down on the ten common health issues:

1)      Flatulence

Also known as ‘passing wind’ or ‘farting’. Sometimes linked to a number of stomach and bowel conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, excessive flatulence can be distressful for the sufferer. Some people find medications such as Mebeverine can be effective in treating their symptoms.

Dr Pixie says: “Keep a food diary and correlate your ‘windy episodes’ with your food intake. Foods with sulphides, like eggs, are a big issue for people. You should also try to eat slowly. You can trap a lot of air when you eat and that creates a lot of gas. If your flatulence is really bad, see a doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions.”

2)      Bad breath

This is also known as ‘halitosis’ and it is thought that persistent bad breath affects up to 50% of us. Dentists can usually give good advice on better oral health and may refer you for further tests if the problem persists.

Dr Pixie says: “Everyone should brush their teeth for two minutes a day and floss. Food can get jammed in between your teeth and you need to remove it. If you smell the floss afterwards, it stinks! Also, invest in an electric toothbrush. It’s like using a Dyson versus a broom to clean your mouth.”

3)      Painful sex

Often thought that this just affects women, surprisingly the problem can affect both sexes.  For women, when the pain is located in the vagina, this is most commonly due to sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea or genital herpes. Pains deep in the pelvis could be because of pelvic inflammatory disease, irritable bowel syndrome or endometriosis (when womb lining grows outside the womb). Men’s problems are typically due to tight foreskins, inflammation of the prostate gland, or because of sexually transmitted infection.

Dr Pixie says: “There can be other gynaecological reasons for painful sex – it could be down to a fibroid or cervical polyp. Or there could be a ­psychological element. But by not actively exploring your symptoms further you could be missing a significant diagnosis. The other easily treatable common condition is chlamydia, which has no symptoms.”

4)      Snoring

It is estimated that 40% of people in England snore, so the problem is very common. Health professionals usually grade a person’s snoring problems on a scale of 1 to 3. Grade 1 is where snoring is not regular and breathing is unaffected. Grade 2 snoring is usually occasions of more than three days a week with mild breathing difficulties. Grade 3 sufferers are usually diagnosed with ‘obstructive sleep apnoea’, where the airways become partly or completely blocked for about 10 seconds.

Dr Pixie says: “Snoring can be caused by having very large tonsils or a floppy larynx. When you lie down, the muscles that keep your airways open relax and become limp, causing the airways to narrow and vibrate more. Sleep apnoea can be brought on by weight gain but a CPAP machine, a little device you wear at night, which makes the airwaves stay open, can help.”

Nasal blockage or swelling of the nasal passage can lead to snoring, as the person often opens their mouth to try and breathe better, which leads to snoring. Regular use of a nasal spray such as Nasonex and the taking of an anti-histamine tablet such as Loratadine can relieve these symptoms.

5)      Stretch marks

Stretch marks are common and either sex can get them, but are more frequently seen in nearly all women (9/10) during pregnancy. The abdomen, thighs and buttocks and thighs are the areas usually affected.

Dr Pixie says: “Laser treatment is not available on the NHS but your GP can refer you to the Red Cross, which provides a skin camouflage make-up service. They match your skin tone, and your GP can then prescribe that cream on an NHS prescription. Then, when you go on holiday and you want to cover the stretch marks on your body, you have something to camouflage them with.”

6)      Erectile dysfunction

Also known as male impotence, this is a very common problem amongst men and is thought that four in 10 men over the age of 40 years old suffer from it. Erectile dysfunction (ED) can sometimes have a detrimental impact on a man’s self-esteem and cause stress to his health and the relationship with his partner. Erectile Dysfunction therapy is very effective and the three medications available to treat ED are Viagra, Cialis and Levitra.

Dr Pixie says: “Any man suffering from erectile dysfunction should see their GP and have a blood pressure check and their blood tested for things like diabetes and high cholesterol. If you are on medication, like anti-depressants or blood pressure medication, that may be causing the problem. See a counsellor if stress is the reason.”

7)      Acne

Acne is especially common in teenagers and young adults. Estimates say 80% of people between the ages of 11 and 30 will be affected by acne. Sometimes acne can continue into adult life. About 5% of women and 1% of men over the age of 25 suffer from acne. In severe cases, medication such as Dianette has been shown to help combat the problem.

Dr Pixie says: “Women should go to their GP for antibiotics or the contraceptive pill, or they can see a gynaecologist. Men can also get antibiotics and for adults who have rosacea (a skin condition that causes facial redness and spots), this can be cleared with antibiotic treatment.”

8)      Obesity

To be classified as being ‘obese’, you must have a body mass index of 30 or more. As more people as generally less physically active than years gone by, and we are over indulging on fast foods, the problem has become massive. In 2008 (the last year with available figures), it was found that nearly quarter of adults (over 16 years of age) in England were obese.

Dr Pixie says: “The majority of those overweight are that way because of a combination of lifestyle and lack of exercise. They often say they are too busy to go running or to go to the gym. But I say to them, “If Barack Obama can always find time to go jogging then you certainly can.” We watch 22 hours of television a week on average so there is no excuse.”

9)      Bunions

A bunion is a deformity of the base joint of the big toe, usually appearing as a lump. They can be incredibly painful, and effect a person’s walking. The skin over the lump can become red, blistered or infected. Wearing appropriate shoes and taking painkillers may lessen the symptoms to some degree, but surgery is usually required to correct the problem.

Dr Pixie says: “If you don’t treat bunions as you get older, you can get arthritis in them and run the risk of becoming immobile. So try not to get them in the first place. If they get bad, surgical removal is the only alternative but a podiatrist would be the best person to ask about your options. They would look at your gait, how you walk, advise you on what shoes to wear and also give you a special device to put in your footwear, which takes the pressure off the bunion.”

10)   Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is the unintentional passing of urine. It is believed to affect more than 50 million people in developed nations. It is particularly a big problem amongst women over the age of 40, with some believing it to be even more common than hay fever. It affects men too though, with products now available such as Tena for Men, which can provide a discreet method of protection with a variety of absorption levels.

Dr Pixie says: “I would definitely go and see your GP. Usually, incontinence is a physical problem and not normally neurological. But you do need to check that it’s not MS or something more serious. I would suggest bringing along a diary to your GP to show how many times a day you pee and how many accidents you have because it is far easier for them to see how it is impacting on daily life. They might suggest pelvic floor muscle training, bladder training or reducing your caffeine intake.”

Medical Specialists always recommend that you talk to your GP about any health problems or issues. It is always advisable to have regular check-ups with your GP and know how to check certain parts of your body yourself. Medical Specialists realise that not everybody is happy taking to their GP about every problem, and that is why we offer a discreet and confidential online consultation service with our Doctors for certain embarrassing conditions like Erectile Dysfunction, Premature Ejaculation, Obesity, Stomach and Bowel (IBS etc), bladder problems (incontinence), Acne, Asthma and many more problems.

You can be assured of a private and confidential online consultation with one of our Doctors and if suitable, they will write you a prescription which is passed to our in-house Pharmacists, and dispensed and sent to you at your home, your place of work, or where ever you choose, discreetly within 24 hours.

Relationship cheats and teens living in poor regions are more likely to get an STI

Figures have been released in the last week that illustrates the severity of sexually transmitted infections and how more work needs to be done to rectify the issue. A study has been published by The University of Michigan that indicates that serial cheats are more likely to contract a STI in comparison to those who are involved in an open relationship.  Some of the reasons suggested for this include those who cheat on their partner are probably likely to be drunk when doing so and not likely to bother with contraception. In addition, people in open relationships are probably sober when sleeping with somebody else and more aware of what they are doing.

The researchers in the study created an online questionnaire to quiz people about monogamy and if anybody involved in an open relationship actually practiced safe sex. They received over 1,500 replies and 801 people said they have had sex with somebody besides their partner. Of the 801 people, 493 said that this was because of an agreed open relationship. Interestingly, cheats were shown to have used condoms for vaginal and anal sex roughly 27% and 35% less respectively than those in open relationships. Alcohol and drug usage was shown at 64% more in the former group too, which may play some part in their deceptive actions.

Dr Terri Conley is a researcher who was involved in the study, and commented on its findings, “Our research suggests that people who are unfaithful to their monogamous romantic partners pose a greater risk for STIs than those who actively negotiate non-monogamy in their relationship. Monogamy can be an effective method for preventing the spread of STIs, but only if couples test negative for STIs at the start of the relationship and remain faithful while they are together. If people do not find monogamy appealing or feasible, they clearly need to think about the risk this poses to their partner and consider whether an open relationship would suit their needs better, and better protect their relationship partners.’

Of course this study was purely targeted at adults, and Medical Specialists Pharmacy have reported previously how many adults are now careless in regards to their sexual health. However, it now seems the younger generation are falling victim to STIs too, especially those in the poorest areas in England. Figures have been released following an NHS survey last year discovered that 27% of girls were having sex before legally old enough to do so. Latest statistics show over 30,000 teens aged between 13 to 17, were diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection in 2011. These included things such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia and genital warts. Of this total, 5,973 live in poor areas and 2,116 were from wealthier places of the country. It was found that 78% of the 30,000 were girls.

This trend of more STIs prevalent in deprived areas appears to have been developing since 2009. Over the last three years, the number of cases per 100,000 teens aged 13 to 17 has jumped up from 881 to 903, and the figures in comparison for teenagers in wealthier areas has merely increased from 310 to 312 in the same time period.

Overall it seems that people of all ages are not taking enough steps to protect their health, and are displaying a truly alarming approach to sex and their risk of catching an infection. At Medical Specialists Pharmacy we cannot stress enough the massive importance of looking after yourself in this aspect and you should act now to prevent yourself catching an STI, or if you have diagnosed with something, receive the treatment you need to manage your symptoms. If you want to make sure you are OK, there are numerous sexual health clinics you can go to and they can usually provide you with results within one week. We have recently added many more products to our website and now offer a chlamydia Clamelle test kit, which you take in the privacy of your own home and post directly to the laboratory for analysis. You can get your result sent to you in the post and this service is a confidential and convenient way to test and treat for chlamydia.

The most common occurrence of catching an infection stems from the male not wearing a condom, which in the 21^st century is careless as we and many other organisations constantly report on the dangers of this. Genital herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis are just some of the many diseases that you are at risk of catching. Some can pose serious health problems if left untreated and can even leave you infertile. We offer a massive range of treatments for various sexually transmitted infections so do not delay in seeking help from us.

High numbers of over 40s are being diagnosed with STIs

An increasingly worrying lax attitude in the over 40s to 60s and even beyond, has been blamed for the rising number of STIs in this age group. Although the rates of infection are still highest in adults aged between 18 to 30, STI cases are becoming a lot more prevalent within older people. Now, as we enter the summer months, Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust are trying to urge those who are travelling abroad for their holidays, to show some degree of caution and look after themselves. Jim McVicker, Clinical Director for Liverpool Community Health Sexual Health Services, spoke out on the issue, “At the end of each summer, we see a significant increase in the number of people attending our sexual health clinics with concerns about STIs following a holiday abroad – so we want to encourage everyone to relax and enjoy themselves on holiday, but also to be sensible and stay safe.”

There are a number of factors being blamed for the surprising surge in STIs in the over 40s. For example, many people in this age group will probably have been in long term relationships for a number of years, where issues such as contraception and going for regular sexual health checks, will not have been a major worry. Also as more and more people are finding themselves divorced and single, they may suddenly start to enjoy their new single status and may have multiple sexual partners. McKiver further commented, “Being the wrong side of 40 myself, I can identify with the problems that the older generation may have.” Effective erectile dysfunction treatment such as Viagra, was the focus of a study regarding STIs in the older generation in a story that Medical Specialists Pharmacy first reported about almost two years ago, however this medication is purely to help men suffering with impotence to achieve an erection, and cannot be blamed for the STI rise.

Only two weeks ago we further analysed the attitudes of sexually active adults, and there were some shocking results. In this particular online study, one third of the women questioned stated that they get ‘swept away in the moment’ and forget about using condoms, 18% of single women said they are often too drunk to use contraception and 8% said they ‘just don’t like using condoms’. Some of the familiar STI symptoms to be aware of include abnormal discharge, bleeding after sex or between periods and pain or discomfort when urinating. Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, with 186,753 people in England testing positive for this during 2010. Up to 70 per cent of people do not experience any symptoms of infection and it can cause infertility in both men and women. The only way of checking if you have a chlamydia infection is to take a chlamydia test such as the Clamelle test kit, available from just £24.85 at Medical Specialists Pharmacy.

Genital herpes is another common STI, especially seen in people aged between 20 to 24 years. In 2008, it was reported that roughly 29,000 people attended a sexual health clinic in the UK with a first clinical attack of genital herpes. An effective medication for this is Valtrex, which is an antiviral drug that contains valaciclovir. It slows the growth and spread of the herpes virus so that the body can fight off the infection. It is a prescription medication licensed to treat several conditions related to infections with the herpes virus. We have recently lowered the price of Valtrex, and you can now obtain this medication from as little as £3.50 per tablet. The consistent and correct use of male latex condoms can reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections. Popular condoms include the Durex and Skins brand of condoms, which are both available at the Medical Specialists Pharmacy Chemist Shop.

Careless behaviour leads to rise in STIs

Fears are growing regarding the increasing number of adults engaging in unprotected sex and contracting a sexually transmitted disease. The concerns come after the ‘DrFox’ website conducted a survey involving roughly 2,000 women between the ages of 18 to 40. The survey asked them detailed questions regarding their sex lives and their attitudes to sex. The results were alarming to say the least. Seven out of ten single women claimed that they regularly engaged in unsafe sex, with one third admitting that they simple ‘get swept away in the moment’ and forget to use a condom.

In addition, 18% of single women said they are sometimes too drunk to use contraception and 8% simply said they do not like using them. One in five said that they had trust in their partner not to give them an STI. Dr Tony Steele is co-founder of the website that carried out the poll and commented on the findings, “Unsafe sex on holiday is a major concern, particularly where women plan ahead to have sex with new partners without using condoms. Women meet men on holiday who are complete strangers. They may know almost nothing about the men they meet, and having sex without contraception is a sure-fire way to increase the chances of contracting a sexually transmitted infection.”

Even in the slightly older age group, women over 30 said they were still embarrassed to discuss the topic of contraception with prospective new sexual partners. Interestingly, the women aged between 30 to 40 were found to be the age group most likely to have contracted an STI. In the same age group, one in five said they had unprotected sex in the previous three months and they were more likely to have had the morning-after pill.

This study comes at the same time that new statistics have been published, showing the high numbers of STIs in males under 25 years of age, due to unsafe sex amongst both heterosexual and gay men. The Health Protection Agency said there has been a significant rise in the number of infections, with genital herpes rising to 31,154 cases compared to 29,794 last year. Moreover, syphilis now stands at 2,915 cases in comparison to 2,650 last year and gonorrhoea saw the largest increase in new cases, with the figure rising from 16,835 to a staggering 20,965. Although chlamydia cases appeared to decrease by 4%, this was attributed to fewer young adults actually being screened for it. The HPA have also stressed just how important it is that men always use a condom, either with casual or new sexual partners.

At Medical Specialists Pharmacy we offer a wide range of condoms such as the highly popular Durex Performax Intense. This particular condom benefits both partners. It contains a lubricant – benzocaine 5%, which will prolong his climax, whilst the outside of the condom is ribbed and dotted to heighten her orgasm. On top of this we have a huge range of different condoms in our ever-growing chemist shop such as Durex Play Vibrations, Skins Ultra-Thin and many more, all at fantastic prices. For women, we offer the contraceptive pill Dianette from as little as £9.99 per month, which is capable of preventing you from falling pregnant by working in three ways: by preventing an egg being released from your ovaries; by making the fluid (mucus) in your cervix thicker, which makes it more difficult for sperm to enter the womb; and by preventing the lining of your womb thickening enough for an egg to grow in it. Not only is Dianette a contraceptive, it can also be taken by women for combating acne, hirsutism and for the treatment of female hair loss.

Man jailed for 14 months for giving girlfriend genital herpes

David Gold 29 who works for the Highways Agency has admitted causing grievous bodily harm by giving the sexually transmitted infection (STI) to his then partner, Cara Lee, 23.

But sexual health experts and charities have called the decision to imprison him ‘outrageous’. It is the first time anyone has been convicted for passing on a STI.

Mr Golding had kept his infection a secret from Ms Lee when the couple were together in 2009, and later denied it when confronted by his partner, Northampton crown court heard. After finding out she had been infected with Herpes, Ms Lee moved out and reported him to police in March 2010.

Judge Michael Fowler told Golding, from Daventry: ‘Because it was in a relationship, it was particularly mean and one which amounted to a betrayal – a betrayal in a relationship in which you professed love.

‘The injury you caused by this infection is at least or more serious than an injury leaving a scar because it carries continued recurrence, extreme discomfort and consequences for relationships she will have in the future.’

David Everett, defending, said his client was ‘extremely stupid but he did not do this in a premeditated way.’
Sexual health experts said herpes was not serious enough to amount to grievous bodily harm under the Offences Against the Person Act.

‘Being sent to prison for 14 months for passing on herpes simplex is like being sent down for ten years for a parking offence,’ said Dr Colm O’Mahoney, sexual health consultant at the Countess of Chester Hospital. 
‘This is outrageous. Will children now be prosecuted for “giving” their friends chickenpox? ‘Most people who have genital herpes don’t know it because, even if they do get recurrences, it is such a trivial genital infection that they don’t notice it.’

He said genital herpes has the same implications as a facial cold sore. In Britain, about 6million people have genital herpes and up to 40million may have picked up herpes simplex (a cold sore) on the face.

However if Mr Golding had acted earlier admitted the problem and sought out treatment for his genital herpes such as Valtrex, his jail sentence could have been avoided.

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.