STIs increasing among gay men, according to PHE report

New statistics show that sexually transmitted infection rates amongst gay and bisexual men are spiralling across England.

A report published by Public Health England on 23 June gave a startling insight into the nation’s carefree/careless attitudes towards sex it seems, with to quote: “high levels of condomless sex” in general and “rapid” transmission of infections in HIV-positive men.

The report was compiled using the annual data for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and national chlamydia screening programme (NCSP), which has been released for 2014.

Although across all groups in England, the number of sexually transmitted infections actually fell by 0.3% from the previous year, to 439,243 new cases, public health officials are becoming deeply concerned about the rise in STI cases among men who have sex with other men.

“We are particularly concerned about the large rise in diagnoses among gay men. Health promotion and education to increase risk awareness and encourage safer sexual behaviour remain the cornerstones of STI prevention,” commented Dr. Gwenda Hughes of the PHE, in a statement.

“Ensuring easy access to sexual health services and STI screening is a vital component in the control of STIs,” Hughes added, stating that STI control and the reduction in the STI infection should be made the first public health priority in the UK.

The problem of STIs is unsurprisingly rife across young people aged 25 or under and gay men (gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men).

The Figures for last year depict a shocking 46% rise in syphilis infections, 32% increase for gonorrhoea and 26% in chlamydia.

Broken down into various STIs, the PHE report found:

• Syphilis infections increased from 2,375 to 3,477
• Gonorrhoea increased from 13,629 to 18,029
• Chlamydia diagnoses increased from 9,118 to 11,468
• Genital warts increased by 10% from 3,156 to 3,456

There remains a major worry regarding gonorrhoea due to the rise of antibiotic-resistant strains of the infection, making it tricky to treat.

Gay men are usually recommended to go for a HIV and STI test every year, or every three months if they are engaging in sex without a condom or with casual sexual partners.

Moreover, PHE advise that all sexually active under-25-year-olds should have a chlamydia test each year and also when they have a new sexual partner.

Dr Michael Brady, the medical director of the Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “The continued rise in both syphilis and gonorrhoea is a worry and evidence that we still have much to do to address the nation’s poor sexual health and rates of STIs in those most at risk.

“We should make better use of new technologies and approaches – local awareness raising through targeted social media based on the geographical breakdown of the data we are seeing today and an offer online testing – to reach those who are not accessing ‘traditional’ services.”

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.

Tenth of British men admit paying for sex

A new study published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections has given further insight into the sexual habits of British men, finding over one in ten men has previously paid for sex.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the majority of the 11% of men in the study that had admitted paying for sex had done so at notorious sex tourism hotspots for such activity – 60% of those that had paid for the services had done this outside of the UK, particularly in Amsterdam and Bangkok.

“It could be down to opportunistic reasons such as a lads’ weekend away, paid-for sex is available, it’s something they wouldn’t necessarily do at home, but in that situation it happens, but there are other reasons as well,” said Dr Cath Mercer, lead researcher of the study.

“What we do in the UK won’t stop men paying for sex, we may push them abroad even more.”
Dr Mercer added that she believed sexual health clinics should begin to view paying for sex as a red flag for other risky behaviour for spreading infections, such as having multiple sexual partners.
The report described how the act of parting with money for sex can be closely tied to other such “hedonistic and risky behaviours” like binge drinking and drug use.

Those who admitted to heavily drinking on at least one day per week or had took hard drugs within the last year were more probably going to pay for sex, with 6 and 14% (respectively) doing so in the previous five years.

Overall, 3.6% of the 6,108 men surveyed said they had frequented prostitutes at some point within the previous five years and 1.1% in the previous 12 months. Those quizzed varied in age from 17 all the way to 74, and answered questions on the computer in a self-interview.

The self-interviews were part of the “National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles” study that was carried out between 2010 and 2012 by researchers based at UCL, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and NatCen Social Research.

The men most likely to pay for sex appeared to be 25 to 34-year-old single males in managerial or professional positions, or those that have had a high number of partners; 16% with five or more in the past five years said they had paid for sex.

More findings to come from the study include the fact that men who paid for sex had an average total of 31.6 sexual partners during their lifetime (18% of these were paid for), compared to the male average of just 13.6.

Despite adjusting for their high tally, those men that had paid for sex during the previous five years were found to be more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia, HIV, gonorrhoea, or syphilis.

Sexual health charity FPA’s director of health and wellbeing Natika Halil said: “This study shows that men who have paid for sex are disproportionately affected by STIs, and it’s vital we reinforce ‘prevention over cure’ sexual health messages.

“We heard from many men over the years that had paid for sex abroad and returned to Britain in a panic because they didn’t know if they had an STI.

“The best way to avoid this is to keep a supply of condoms with you, and if you do have sex make sure you use them. If you know you have taken a risk, it’s important to get tested as soon as possible.”

Smartphone apps like Grindr linked to increased STI risk

Gay and bisexual men using smartphone apps to seek out potential partners for casual sex are putting themselves at a higher risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to the findings of a new study.

Those accessing and using the apps to meet other men were found to be more likely to later diagnosed with gonorrhoea and Chlamydia compared to men who found potential partners in other ways, such as in nightclubs or online, researchers say.

The study was carried out by the Los Angeles LGBT Center, a non-profit organisation in Los Angeles, California and published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections. It involved an analysis of the STI testing results of 7,184 men between 2011 and 2013, in addition to the answers the provided to a questionnaire about their sex lives and recreational drug use.

It was found that 34% of the men who participated in the study had found sexual partners through in-person social networking only, 30% had met their partners through a mix of both the Internet and in-person social networking, whilst the remaining 36% met partners using a combination of all the three methods.

Contrasted against men who had met their sexual partners online first or in person, those using the social apps were found to be 25% more likely of contracting gonorrhoea and at a 37% higher risk of being infected with chlamydia. The study discovered there did not appear to be any major difference between the groups with regards to syphilis or HIV.

“As technology has benefits, it also has certain risks,” said Matt Beymer, the lead researcher and an epidemiologist at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. “We want to educate gay and bisexual men about the potential risks that they may face with these apps.”

Beymer’s study also found the social app users were usually either white or Asian, well-educated and under the age of 40. The primary focus of the study was not meant to be about drug use, but those using social apps were probably more likely to use recreational drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy.
“Our ultimate goal is not to stigmatize these apps or stigmatize in general,” Beymer says. “We just really want gay and bisexual men to love carefully and love safely.”

Social apps such the hugely popular Grindr and SCRUFF utilise the GPS (global positioning system) technology of smartphones to help users find people nearby who are also using the app. Grindr in particularly has become immensely popular amongst the gay and bisexual community since its launch in 2009, boasting more than 10 million user downloads, Whilst the apps can be used for a variety of purposes, the majority of people use them to seek out potential sexual partners.

Commenting on the study findings, Justin Harbottle, a health promotion specialist at the Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “However good the sex is, it’s not worth contracting a long-term condition. Gay men today have more opportunities to meet for sex than ever before. Part of the problem is that communication on dating apps can be brief, making it easy to cut corners on important discussions like safe sex."

He added that condoms are still the best method of protecting yourself against sexually transmitted infections.

However, Grindr defended their service and spoke to the BBC, saying: “Grindr is highly committed to promoting safe sex within the community and strongly encourages our users to engage in safe sex practices, get tested and know their HIV status.”

Look after your sexual health on Valentine’s Day

The day of romance is upon us, known as Valentine’s Day. A day that has its roots in a variety of legends that has found its way through the ages to the present day where people now show their love to their ‘valentine’ by giving cards, flowers or chocolates with messages of love.

If you are expecting your Valentine’s Day celebrations and the following weekend to lead to passion, especially with an underlying theme of love and desire, it could be worth considering your sexual health not just during this time, but beyond too.

If you are not careful, presents and tokens of love may not be the only thing you receive this Valentine’s Day – failing to practice safe sex with condoms and other contraceptive methods could lead to an unwanted pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

You may not be aware but some people who test positive for certain STIs such as Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and genital herpes may not even show any symptoms at all. Symptoms may not arise for weeks and months, or can temporarily disappear, but you will still be able to transmit the infection to another person.

Unfortunately, some STIs such as HIV, genital warts and genital herpes, will forever be in the body once there, but there are some treatments available that can reduce the symptoms and slow the growth of the virus. The widely used Valtrex for genital herpes is just one example. If you have HIV, there are some drugs that can help to slow or prevent the complications that could occur.

If STIs are left untreated, they can become extremely painful or uncomfortable, and even lead to long-term problems such as infertility.

If you show signs of any of the following symptoms, then you should seek help:

. Unusual vaginal discharge.

. Discharge from the penis.

. Pain and/or bleeding during sexual intercourse.

. Bleeding following sex.

. Bleeding between periods.

. Blisters, itches, lumps or rashes around the genitals or anus.

. Pain in the testicles.

Chlamydia self-testing

Sexually active people should test every year and when they have a new partner. If you think you might have Chlamydia, it’s important to get tested quickly, regardless if you are showing symptoms or not. The Clamelle Chlamydia Test Kit can be used in the comfort of your own home and sent off for a quick result. It is also advisable for each partner to be tested.

Antibiotic Chlamydia treatment

Over 95% of people with chlamydia can be cured providing they take antibiotics correctly. There are two antibiotics commonly prescribed for chlamydia treatment, these being a single dose of the azithromycin or doxycycline taken for one week.

Cover up for Christmas: No condom? Better jog on…

With just under a fortnight to go until the big day, the Christmas party season is now in full swing and for this reason alone is why last week Medical Specialists created a guide on how to survive the work Christmas party .

One thing to bear in mind is that just because it is the festive party season, it is not an invitation to let all your common sense and rational thinking simply fly out the door…Cover up for Christmas!

And by that we don’t just mean wear a woolly hat, gloves and scarf, we mean make sure you have plenty of condoms and other contraception readily available…and use them! Get yourself protected immediately to avoid an unplanned pregnancy or contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI), some of which may never actually fully clear-up.

Just like a beloved pet pooch you might receive at Christmas, an STI might not just be for Christmas…it may be for life, with symptoms of STIs such as genital herpes possible reoccurring at any given time. Genital herpes treatment can reduce the frequency of outbreaks however, and minimise the risk of it spreading to sexual partners (with condom use of course).

According to The Family Planning Association, worried/distressed phone calls made to their sexual health line are usually at their highest rate during January, perhaps unsurprisingly when statistics show more teen girls are falling pregnant in December and January in comparison to the other ten months of the year.

Rebecca Findlay of FPA, spoke last year about the issue, saying: “The helpline tends to go quiet before Christmas as everyone is busy and out partying, but calls then peak in January. Most people call about STIs or unintended pregnancy.”

So what can you do to avoid having to make a panic call to the FPA come January? The first is make sure you are fully stocked up on your contraception of choice, and ladies if this is in the form of a pill you need to take every day such as Marvelon or Yasmin, it is imperative you have enough to cover the Christmas period – especially if you happen to be going away.

If you are going away, we advise you to do the following things to ensure you have packed your contraception:

. Add it to your list of things you need to pack.

. Set a phone reminder.

. Ask somebody to remind you before you go.

. Make a note in your diary.

. Leave a note near the front door that you will see.

“The classic mistake is to go away and forget to take your contraception with you, or to run out of pills on Christmas Eve,” Findlay added.

“To avoid this, check when your pill pack is going to run out. If it will run out while you’re away, get a new one before you go. And if you’re using the contraceptive injection, make sure it’s up to date. Whatever contraception you use, make sure you’re organised and have enough to last.”

Also make sure to stock up on condoms. After all, condoms are the only method of contraception to protect against both pregnancy and STIs. Condoms are vital if you have sex with somebody new; who knows where that passionate kiss under the mistletoe will lead to, and are important to have should your regular contraception run out or fail to work.

We warn this as people generally tend to significantly increase their alcohol intake over the festive period and not many people may be aware of this, but vomiting can actually decrease your pill’s effectiveness. If you have had a bit too much to drink one night and end up being sick, condoms are essential to protect against an unwanted pregnancy.

And what better way to stock up on condoms than to buy Durex condoms. In particularly, 72 Durex performa condoms at the astonishingly low price of just £60! This bundle should last well into the New Year and keep you covered up for Christmas and beyond. The Durex performa condoms even have a special Benzocaine cream inside to help control climax and prolong sexual excitement for longer lasting lovemaking.

Stress of modern life disastrous for Brit’s sex lives

Whether it is money worries due to a crippling recession, or keeping busy on social media such Facebook or Twitter, there seems to always be something to distract us Brits in our day-to-day lives.

So much so that it seems these factors could be behind the revelation that couples in Britain appear to be having sex less now than at any other time during the last two decades. This is according to the findings extracted from a national survey on sex habits.

The figures from the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal) – conducted only once per decade – involved 15,000 participants aged 16 to 44. It would seem that modern life is having an impact on the libido of people from all ages.

To understand the decline, men polled during 2010 to 2012 stated that they had sex on average 4.9 times a month and women were around the same at 4.8. The survey, the third in the series, was carried out between September 2010 and August 2012.

However, the same survey from 1999 to 2001 found that men had sex roughly 6.2 times on average per month, whilst women were again at about the same number; 6.3.

Even further back, during 1990 to 1991 shows that men were having sex 6.4 times on average per month and for women it was 6.1 times. Clearly something has changed in the subsequent years.

Dr Cath Mercer, from University College London, said: “People are worried about their jobs, worried about money. They are not in the mood for sex. But we also think modern technologies are behind the trend too. People have tablets and smartphones and they are taking them into the bedroom, using Twitter and Facebook, answering emails.”

Dr Mercer also deduced from the survey’s findings that couples aged 16 to 44 could even be turning to online pornography as an alternative to sex.

Lead Natsal author Professor Kaye Wellings, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that stress caused by the recession and more people working even when away from the office are likely to be key factors for the decline.

“In a recession we find an association between unemployment and a low number of sexual partners, perhaps due to low self-esteem,” she commented.

Professor Wellings added: “The change in women’s behaviour across the three surveys has been remarkable. In some areas of sexual behaviour we have seen a narrowing of the gender gap, but in others we have seen women overtaking men in the diversity of their behaviour. These trends need to be seen against the backdrop of the profound changes in the position of women in society, the norms governing their lifestyles and media representations of female sexuality.”

The survey, analysed by researchers from University College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, also quizzed older people about their sex lives.

According to the results, 60% of men and 42% of women aged 65 to 74 had had sex in the previous year, albeit not on a regular basis compared to other groups. On average, men aged 65 to 74 were having sex 2.3 times per month and only 1.4 times for women.

There were also some other interesting findings from the survey, for instance:

.  A sixth of UK pregnancies are not planned.

. Half of men reported a recent sexual problem; impotence or a sexually transmitted infection are just some of these ‘problems’. Only a tenth were worried or distressed about their sex lives however.

. Around 15% of men had experienced a lack of interest in sex.

. Women under the age of 44 have an average of sexual 7.7 partners, while for men it is 11.7.

. After the survey in the year 2000, more people accept same-sex relationships but are now less tolerant of a cheating partner.

. Around 3.6% of men admitted to paying for sex in the previous five years, compared to hardly any women.

Contraceptive pills now as popular as condoms among under-15s

Although according to the law they shouldn’t even be having sex to start with, new figures to be published show that the contraceptive pill is now as popular as condoms among under-15s for the first time ever.

The figures are part of a report compiled by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), which demonstrate an interesting variation in contraception trends and preferences around the country.

More teenage girls than ever are now preferring to use oral contraceptives to avoid unwanted pregnancies, although health experts are still trying to hammer home the important message that condom use should still be maintained to safeguard against the vast number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

In March of this, year shocking statistics emerged that showed in the previous three years more than 15,000 under-16s were diagnosed with STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and genital herpes.

At the time, Lisa Powers, policy director at the Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “We are suffering in this country from poor sexual health. This is partly down to the fact that we have had generations of people who have not had sex and relationships education in school. Young people are under more pressure than ever before because they do not just learn about sex in the playground, but also on the internet. Young people are not being taught about the dangers of having sex without a condom.”

The HSCIC report states that in 2012, around 6,600 young girls under the age of 15, or 39% of those who attended NHS contraceptive clinics, said the contraceptive they used was the pill. In comparison, 6,900 (40%) had used condoms.

Usage of oral contraceptives has continued to rise in recent years and have always been popular in older teenage and adult groups. Contraceptive pills such as Dianette and Yasmin are two popular examples, with each also incredibly effective at treating acne and hirsutism.

However, it is only now that first the pill is now comparable to condoms among under-15s.
For instance, figures from in 2011-12 show condoms as a primary contraception method for 46% of teenagers at the clinics, whilst only 36% listed the pill.

Jason Warriner, clinical director at sexual health charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, believes it would make sense to have regular STI screenings for those prescribed contraception.

He said: “The good thing is young teenagers are accessing contraception services, going on the pill or getting something like the implant. But it is vital to make sure when they start on a form of contraception they are offered an STI screening at the same time and are given advice about using condoms in addition to their chosen form of contraception. It is about using condoms to reduce the risk of STIs and HIV. The key message is for people to regularly get tested, when they change partners and ensuring their partners are tested as well. I would like to see every woman who is on the pill offered STI screening each time they receive a repeat prescription, every three to six months. For girls under 15, they fall within the national chlamydia screening programme, but that only tests for one infection. The key message is about prevention, using condoms to prevent getting an infection and building that around your contraceptive needs.”

David Beckham didn’t let asthma hold him back, why should you?

We are now in the 21^st century and we as humans have particularly made drastic forward strides over the previous 100 years in regards to social and technological development. For instance, our ever-increasing knowledge and understanding about ‘embarrassing’, yet genuine medical conditions such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and sexually transmitted infections, has enabled better advice and treatment to be available for patients with these problems.

One health problem that you could be forgiven for assuming is not too ‘embarrassing’ is the lung condition asthma. Affecting an incredible 5.4 million people in the UK alone, it is more prevalent than you may first realise and worryingly it can strike anybody, at any age. Despite the fact that 1 in 12 adults and 1 in 11 children are suffering from asthma, to this day there is still a stigma and feeling of shame/embarrassment that is closely linked to the airway-constricting lung condition.

 By Regular Daddy (Own work)
 [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL],
via Wikimedia Commons

Why is this? One possible reason could be the strong desire to fit in with family members and friends. However this can lead to a lax attitude from sufferers who then do not properly manage their asthma and ignore symptoms of an imminent attack. There could also be the feeling of embarrassment of using their preventer or reliever inhaler in a public arena, after all nobody wants to draw attention to themselves do they? However, consider this – what is more important, one 5 second moment of ‘embarrassment’, or your health and being able to properly breathe? Surely a member of the public being forced to call an ambulance for you would heap a whole lot more attention on you than simply using that important asthma inhaler. Not only this, the chances are that nobody will be even paying attention to you! We live in an age whereby most adults are occupied with the social media and music facilities on their smartphones, and are too busy to pay attention to much else around them.

Alternatively, perhaps the embarrassment factor of asthma can be attributed to a lack of understanding of the problem from those who do not actually have asthma themselves. Medical Specialists advise sufferers to take control of their asthma today. Educate those around you about what it is like to live with the lung condition, share your experiences and how it impacts your life.

Bestowing this knowledge onto family, friends and co-workers will benefit both you and them. They will have more empathy and will be able to even help you in the event of a serious asthma attack. Showing people that you are not ashamed of having asthma and are fully in control of it means you do not need to feel self-conscious about having asthma or needing to use an inhaler in public.

After all, there are an increasing number of celebrities who are speaking out about their experiences with asthma.  More and more celebs are using their position of being a powerful role model to hammer home the clear message that asthma is absolutely nothing to feel humiliated about and that you should definitely not let it stop you enjoying your life. Why should you hide away at home and be miserable when some of your favourite heroes are still doing what they are passionate about and are not letting it hold them back. Here we look at some of the most famous asthma sufferers from the world of entertainment:

• David Beckham

Somewhat surprisingly given his high-profile image, football superstar David Beckham’s asthma was only first revealed to the public during half-time of a LA Galaxy match in November 2009. Beckham was snapped puffing on his preventative inhaler for the first time ever since he burst into Manchester United’s first team in the 1990s. It was later revealed he has suffered from asthma since childhood but never felt the need to publicly speak about it. His agent Simon Oliveira said at the time, “David has suffered with this since he was a young boy. He has never sought to make it public, but if it does inspire any sufferer to think they can achieve great things like many other sportsmen have done then so much the better.”

• Martin Scorsese

Oscar winning veteran film director Martin Scorsese has enjoyed a widely acclaimed career, spanning several decades. He is responsible for many films that are constantly being voted as some of the greatest films of all time including Raging Bull, Goodfellas and The Departed. However, his glittering directorial career may not have come to fruition without asthma. Scorsese suffered from severe asthma whilst a young boy growing up in Queens, New York. The young Scorsese was therefore encouraged by his parents to spend more time in movie theatres instead of the sports field. It was here he developed his fierce passion for film-making, and the rest is history as they say!

• Alice Cooper

Known as ‘Vincent Damon Furnier’ when he is not on stage screaming down his microphone, 64-year-old US heavy metal singer Alice Cooper has never let his asthma hold him back from becoming one of the most idolised rock gods in the world, in a career that has lasted for over four decades and counting.  Cooper first suffered from asthma as a young child when growing up in Detroit, Michigan. To try and help his condition, Alice’s family made the decision to relocate to Phoenix, Arizona. These days, the rocker has his asthma firmly under control and has certainly not allowed the condition to prevent him from ‘rocking out!’

There are many more famous asthmatics than the three mentioned though, and many whom you are probably not aware even have the lung condition. Here are just a few more examples:

. Paul Scholes (Manchester United footballer)
. Frank Lampard (Chelsea FC & England footballer)
. Paula Radcliffe (English long distance runner)
. Rebecca Adlington (Team GB Olympic swimmer)
. Darren Gough (Former England cricketer)
. Charles Dickens (English writer during the Victorian period)
. John F. Kennedy (35^th President of the United States)
. Bill Clinton (42^nd President of the United States)
. Ricki Lake (American chat show host)
. Billy Joel (Singer)

As you can see, there have been many successful athletes, film directors, presidents and novelists who have all followed their heart and fulfilled their dreams. Do not let your asthma force you into living a reclusive day to day life. In fact, previous research has found that people living with a chronic illness such as asthma that have formed an extended social network, tend to be happier and successful in comparison to those who decide to retreat from social events. Reach out to others, do not be embarrassed to use that potentially life-saving inhaler, and most importantly – relax and enjoy life!