Sexual health is a state of physical,
mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality. It requires a positive
and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the
possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of
coercion, discrimination and violence. And If you have a disability and you
have special requirements, or if English is not your first language, you should
make arrangements in advance.
If you are unable to get to your GP or
to a clinic, it may be possible for someone to visit you at home.
Who offers sexual health services and
advice?
• Contraception
clinics (also known as family planning clinics)
• Sexual
health clinics
• Sexually
transmitted infection (STI) testing clinics
• Genitourinary
medicine (GUM) clinics
• Pharmacies
• Sexual
assault referral centres
• Young
people's services
Not all service providers offer the
full range of better sexual health services, and it’s always best to check what’s on
offer in advance.
You can find sexual health services
online. Simply enter a postcode into the find services search on this site.
Each provider listed provides information about the services available, opening
times and contact details.
FIND
SEXUAL HEALTH SERVICES
How it works
If you visit a sexual health service
for the first time, you are usually asked to fill in a form with your name and
contact details. With the exception of the GP, you do not have to give your
real name or tell staff who your GP is if you do not want to. You can visit any
sexual health clinic, it doesn’t have to be one in your local area.
As part of your consultation you may be
asked some personal questions, such as your medical and sexual history, what
methods of contraception you use and other questions about your sex life and
sexual partners. If you need to be tested for sexually transmitted infections
(STIs), you may need to provide a blood or urine sample.
All information regarding your visit
will be treated confidentially. This means that your personal details and any
information about the tests or treatments you have received will not be shared
with anyone outside the sexual health service without your permission. This
includes your GP.
If you are under 16 years of age, your
details will still be treated confidentially and no-one in your household will
be contacted without your permission. However, staff may encourage you to talk
to your parents, guardian or another trusted adult.
Other services may need to be contacted
if healthcare professionals believe that you or another person is at risk of
harm, such as physical or sexual abuse. However, if this is the case, it will
be discussed with you during your visit.
If you have been sexually assaulted you
may be offered a more specialist service. They can also help you report the
assault to the police, if you choose to.
It’s fine to take a friend with you for
support. If you need to have an examination, you should be offered a chaperone.
This means that someone else can be with you when you have the examination.
The Top 11 Health Benefits of Sex
Regular sex cannot be underestimated as
a factor for reducing stress, bolstering self-esteem and fostering feelings of
intimacy and bonding between partners.
But the real point of this article is
the fact that a healthy sex life can provide for a longer, healthier and, most
would agree, more enjoyable life. Among the many health benefits of sex are:
1.
Improved Immunity
People who have sex frequently (one or
two times a week) have significantly higher levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA). Your IgA immune system is your body's first line of defense.
Its job is to fight off invading
organisms at their entry points, reducing or even eliminating the need for
activation of your body's immune system. This may explain why people who have
sex frequently also take fewer sick days.
2.
Heart to Health
Men who made love regularly (at least
twice a week) were 45 percent less likely to develop heart disease than those
who did so once a month or less, according to one study.
Sexual activity not only provides many
of the same benefits to your heart as exercise but also keeps levels of
estrogen and testosterone in balance, which is important for heart health.
3. Lower Blood Pressure
Sexual activity, and specifically
intercourse, is linked to better stress response and lower blood pressure.
4. It's a Form of Exercise
Sex helps to boost your heart rate,
burn calories and strengthen muscles, just like exercise. In fact, research
recently revealed that sex burns about 4 calories a minute for men and 3 for
women, making it (at times) a 'significant' form of exercise. It can even help
you to maintain your flexibility and balance.
5. Pain Relief
Sexual activity releases pain-reducing
hormones and has been found to help reduce or block back and leg pain, as well
as pain from menstrual cramps, arthritis and headaches. One study even found
that sexual activity can lead to partial or complete relief of headache in some
migraine and cluster-headache patients.
6. May Help Reduce Risk of Prostate
Cancer
Research has shown that men who
ejaculate at least 21 times a month (during sex or masturbation) have a lower
risk of prostate cancer. This link needs to be explored further, however, as
there may have been additional factors involved in the association.
7. Improve Sleep
After sex, the relaxation-inducing
hormone prolactin is released, which may help you to nod off more quickly. The
"love hormone" oxytocin, released during orgasm, also promotes sleep.
8. Stress Relief
Sex triggers your body to release its
natural feel-good chemicals, helping to ease stress and boost pleasure, calm
and self-esteem. Research also shows that those who have sexual intercourse
responded better when subjected to stressful situations like speaking in
public.
9. Boost Your Libido
The more often you have sex, the more
likely you are to want to keep doing it. There's a mental connection there but
also a physical one, particularly for women. More frequent sex helps to increase
vaginal lubrication, blood flow and elasticity, which in turn make sexual
activity more enjoyable.
10. Improved Bladder Control in Women
Intercourse helps to strengthen your
pelvic floor muscles, which contract during orgasm. This can help women to improve
their bladder control and avoid incontinence. You can boost this benefit even
more by practicing Kegel exercises during sex (a Kegel squeeze is performed by
drawing your lower pelvic muscles up and holding them up high and tight, as if
you're trying to stop a flow of urine).
Goals of Sexual Health Education
The overall goal of health education is
to foster the growth of knowledge, attitudes, skills and lifelong behaviours
that will enable the individual to assume responsibility for healthy living and
personal well being. This can treat impotent as well.
In order to achieve this goal it is
expected that Health Education programs strive toward:
Ø Building self-confidence in
individuals;
Ø Developing positive relationships with
others;
Ø Providing a safe environment in which
students feel free to discuss related topics;
Ø Promoting individual responsibility for
well-being;
Ø Actively involving the student in the
learning process;
Ø Teaching life skills that will enable
individuals to make responsible choices and to deal more effectively with the challenges
they may encounter throughout their lives.
Comprehensive Sexual Health Education
Effective sexual health education needs
to emphasize the shared responsibility of parents, peers, places of worship,
schools, health care systems, governments, the media and a variety of other
institutions and agencies. The principle of comprehensiveness emphasizes that
programs are:
Full Information (All subject areas
pertinent to sexual health are addressed in a way that is both culturally
appropriate and reflects different social situations with the intent of
reaching the widest possible audience.)
• Integrated
(Learning in formal settings, such as schools, community health care centres,
and social service agencies is complemented and reinforced by education acquired
in informal settings through parents, families, friends, the media and other
sources.)
• Coordinated
(The various sources of sexual health education work collaboratively with each
other and with related health, clinical and social services to enhance the
impact of the education.)
• Evidence
Based (Planning occurs in collaboration with intended audiences, is based on
research, and is evaluated on program objectives and participant feedback,
updated regularly, and reinforced by an environment conducive to sexual
health.).
