Sexual health
Infections, pain, consent, and questions that are hard to ask in person.
About sexual health
Infections, pain, consent, and questions that are hard to ask in person.
1 guides ·54 answers
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Answers — page 3 of 3
- I am 27, unmarried. I cannot insert a tampon or even let the doctor do speculum exam, it pains a lot. Is it vaginismus? Can it be treated before marriage? Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person It could be vaginismus, a condition where the muscles around the vagina tighten involuntarily when something is about to enter, making insertion painful or impossible. It can affect tampon use, examinations and sex, and it can be present before a woman has ever had sex. Other… Published 5 Oct 2026· English
- I keep getting itching and discharge. Why does it keep coming back? Editorially reviewed Recurring symptoms usually mean one of three things: it is thrush and something keeps setting it off, it is bacterial vaginosis and the balance keeps shifting back, or it was never what it was treated as. The two feel similar and are treated completely differently, which is why… Reviewed 26 Sept 2026· English
- How do I choose between all the contraception options? Editorially reviewed The useful questions are not which is best but: how well does it need to work, can you take something daily, do you want your periods to change, do you want it reversible soon, and is there anything in your history that rules something out. The long-acting methods — implant… Reviewed 25 Sept 2026· English
- Sex hurts. Is that just how it is for some people? Editorially reviewed No. Pain during sex is common and it is not something to accept — and it has causes that are identifiable and usually treatable, from dryness and infection to endometriosis, vaginismus, skin conditions and pelvic floor tension. Where it hurts is the most useful thing you can… Reviewed 25 Sept 2026· English
- I want a test but I do not know what to ask for or how to say it. Editorially reviewed You can say exactly this: ‘I would like a sexual health screen.’ You do not have to explain why, name a partner, or justify it. A standard screen usually covers chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV and syphilis; which samples are taken depends on the kinds of sex you have had, and saying… Reviewed 25 Sept 2026· English
- I have discharge and I do not know whether it is normal. Editorially reviewed Some discharge is normal and changes through the cycle — clearer and stretchier around ovulation, thicker afterwards. What is worth checking: a change in smell, colour or amount, itching or soreness, pain passing urine, pain during sex, or bleeding between periods. The two most… Reviewed 25 Sept 2026· English
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Sexual health: testing, symptoms, and what to ask for
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