Sexual health is an important topic of concern right now, thanks to a plethora of nasty diseases that are doing the rounds. But a lot of people are still in the dark about how to protect themselves. In this post, we’re going to take a look at how you can achieve your best sexual health ever. Check it out below!
Educate Yourself On The Risks
Most people only become concerned with matters of sexual health AFTER they become sick. Often, STIs linger (sexually transmitted infections) for a couple of weeks and then disappear, sometimes with medical treatment, and sometimes without. Other times, though, they can they drag on for weeks or months, or never disappear at all.
For this reason, you need to educate yourself on the risks of unprotected sex, even if you know for sure that neither you nor your partner has other sexual relationships. Diseases have a nasty habit of rearing their ugly heads when you least suspect them, making you feel uncomfortable and wrecking your confidence.
Get Regular Checkups
The vast majority of sexual health practitioners advise that sexually active people get regular checkups to make sure that everything is okay “down there.” Checkups can provide warning if anything changes and provide you with treatment to deal with infections before they go on to cause more damage.
Remember, it’s not just diseases like chlamydia or gonorrhea that you’re trying to avoid. You’re also trying to stay away from UTIs, too, many of which no longer respond to traditional antibiotics. UTIs are urinary tract infections, and can lead to bladder infections and worse. To avoid UTIs, always pee before and after sex!
Find A Type Of Contraception That Works For You
While most people know all about common forms of contraception, like the pill and condoms, there are also a variety of others that provide as good, if not better, protection during intercourse. IUD contraception, for instance, is a semi-permanent device that blocks fertility long-term. Note that the pill and IUDs do NOT protect against STIs! Condoms should always be used to protect against STIs, like herpes, HIV/AIDS, syphilis and so on.
Finding the right solution for you is essential. Of course, it would be optimal if you had something that makes you feel comfortable while also allowing you to continue enjoying intimacy!
No matter what, though, never skip a form of birth control during sex just for the “pleasure” unless you and your partner are prepared to get pregnant/have a baby. Also, don’t let anyone pressure you into not using protection unless BOTH OF YOU make that decision!
Talk To Your Partner About How You Feel
No matter whether your sex life is going well or badly, it’s a good idea to talk to your partner about how you feel about it. Ideally, you don’t want to be a passive participant in the act. You want to play an active role.
Talking about your experiences can help a lot. In your conversation, you can safely discuss what you like and what you don’t, and what you might want to try in the future. Communication is key in all relationships, and that extends to sexual relationships, as well!
Check Your Genitals
Part of any effective sexual health strategy is making sure that you have healthy genitals. You should have a good idea of what they feel/look like under normal conditions, so that you can tell if anything suddenly changes.
Pay particular attention to any lumps, bumps, or sores as these can be a sign of infection. Also, pay attention to odor. If this changes, then you should visit your doctor to get more information on what might be causing the problem. It could be something benign, like a garlic-heavy meal, or something simple like ovulation, but it could also be something more worrying. If you have any cause for concern, seeing a doctor can only be beneficial!
•What are some tips you have for achieving your best sexual health? What has worked for you? Please comment below!
Thank you for reading!
This post was a collaboration.
Cover photo source: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/four-feet-lying-upon-each-other-191902631