A service provided by the BC Centre for Disease Control
In the years since SmartSexResource launched, we have developed a library of questions asked by you, and answered by our expert sexual health nurses.
Our answered questions library cover a broad range of sexual health topics and common questions we hear at our clinics.
Hi
It sounds like this is really playing on your mind. Like you have said STI can be stressful since most of the time they show no symptoms so the only way to know is by going for an STI test.
Common STI like chlamydia may not show symptoms, but can be treated with antibiotics. Also going for an STI test and having good results can be a great relief.
It’s normal to feel scared going to the clinic for your first visit. When you visit a clinic in BC Canada all the information is kept strictly confidential. This means no information from the visit will be given to your parents.
I would recommend visiting one of the youth clinics or options for sexual health clinics that are around BC. Have a look at our clinic finder which has a list of clinics in your area.
When you visit a clinic a number of different tests will be offered to you. If a woman is having no symptoms most STI tests can be checked with a urine and blood samples with no need for a physical exam.
Also let us know if you need help finding a clinic in your area. Some people also like to chat with the nurse on our chat line about any specific concerns.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.
Hi
Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) symptoms happen when there is an overgrowth of normal organisms in the vagina. The usual symptoms are a change in the normal odor or amount of vaginal fluid.
It is not usually considered sexually transmitted, but studies indicate that when two women are having sex, and one has BV, then there is a higher chance that her partner will also have BV. This suggests that sexual exchange of vaginal fluids is a possible way for BV to be passed between women.
We recommend that female partners of women who have BV get assessed or tested and treated if needed.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.
Hi
HIV is not passed with erotic massage, masturbation and receiving oral sex.
When you get oral sex it is possible to get gonorrhea and Chlamydia, but if you use a condom properly then you should be protected.
Syphilis, HPV and herpes are passed through skin-to-skin contact so can be passed with oral sex. Condoms help, but they don’t cover all skin areas.
You might find it helpful to check out our “Know Your Chances” charts. They give lots of info about different ways of having sex and the chances of getting an STI.
Please leave a comment to let us know if that answered your questions or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment or let us know if this was helpful.
Hi
It is possible that you could become pregnant when you have unprotected sex. However, if you did get pregnant, you would not start to feel symptoms the same day you had sex. Usually it takes 2 or more weeks after you become pregnant to feel symptoms.
Do you know about Emergency Contraception?
Emergency Contraception, sometimes called the ‘morning after pill’, is best taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, but it can be taken up to five days later.
In BC, you can get this from your doctor, a walk-in clinic, youth clinics and Options for Sexual Health clinics. ECP is usually free in youth clinics if you are under age 24. You can also get emergency contraception without a prescription in many pharmacies in BC.
Also, most youth clinics have free condoms and testing for sexually transmitted infections. Check out our clinic finder if you need help finding a clinic.
Please leave a comment to let us know if that answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.
Hi
Most often, there is no need to wash inside your vagina because the vagina is a self cleaning part of your body. All women will have some vaginal fluids which are called normal vaginal discharge. This fluid is the body’s way of keeping a healthy balance in the vagina. Soaps and douching can upset this balance and even create problems.
Normal vaginal fluids can be clear, white, yellowish, thin and stretchy or thick. They tend to change over a menstrual cycle and at different times in your life. There may be an increase at puberty, during sex or when you are ovulating (releasing an egg from the ovary). There is usually less fluid after menopause or right before or after your menstrual period.
STIs can sometimes create changes in the vaginal fluid such as itchiness, odor or a change in colour or amount. If you notice a change from what is normal for you, then it is a good idea to get checked out. Click here for more information about symptoms of STIs.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information. You can also chat with a nurse when we are online.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.
You cannot get HIV from sharing a cigarette because HIV is not passed by saliva. This is why it is not passed through kissing or sharing eating utensils either.
If there is old or dried blood on the cigarette, you will not get HIV because HIV does not live for long outside the body.
If there is a fresh blood and you had an open area (like a sore or cut) on your mouth, it is possible that you could get HIV. However, we do not see HIV being passed this way.
HIV is passed by blood, semen (including pre-cum), rectal fluids, vaginal fluids and breast milk. HIV can only be passed when the virus in one of these fluids gets into the body of an HIV-negative person. This can happen sexually during condomless vaginal/internal genital and anal/rectal sex. HIV is unlikely to be passed through oral sex or rimming. HIV can also be passed through sharing needles or other drug equipment. To learn more about how HIV and STIs are transmitted, see our ‘Know your chances’ page.
Hi
Here are the risks related to bbbj:
• Chlamydia, gonorrhea, HPV, herpes and syphilis are easily passed between both the giver and receiver with a bbbj
• There are no documented cases of HIV being passed to the person receiving a bbbj, so it is not considered a risk for HIV
• HIV is not commonly passed to the person giving a bbbj
Condoms lower the chances of passing most STIs.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful
Hi
It is good to hear that you are feeling better.
If your partners have any questions you can certainly direct them our way. People have the option of asking a private or public question, or chat with a nurse. If your partners would prefer to talk on the phone or in person, we can help them find the best place given their concerns.
We are not aware of a dating site, but there are social and support groups in the Vancouver area for people with herpes and HPV. They describe themselves this way:
“While we are not a dating site, in the context of our social activities people do meet others that they may wish to date.”
Right now, there are no drugs or vaccines your partner can to take to prevent herpes, but there is a vaccine for some types of HPV. It is a good idea to talk to a healthcare provider to make the best decision about the HPV vaccine. ImmunizeBC is a good resource and you can also chat with a nurse who specializes in this area.
Antiviral medications, taken every day, can lower chance of passing on herpes. It called daily suppressive therapy. If you use the medication, along with avoiding sex during an outbreak and always using condoms, the chance of passing on the virus is much lower.
For counsellors you can check out:
The BC Psychological Association
The BC Association of Clinical Counsellors
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.
The frenulum is the stretchy band of skin on the underside of the penis that connects the shaft to the head of the penis and the foreskin (if you are uncircumcised). This area is very sensitive and can deliver a lot of pleasure.
Sometimes the frenulum is tight and can tear during sex or masturbation. In most cases, the tear will get better without treatment. Be sure to keep the area clean and dry.
If the tear does not heal, you see signs of infection (redness, pain or pus) or the tear keeps happening, see your health care provider.
To prevent tearing, you may want to take it slow and use lubricant with masturbation and sex. Using condoms is a good idea to protect the area until it is healed, as whenever you have any tears or sores on your genital skin, you are more likely to get STIs and HIV.
Hi
In Canada, the INSTI Rapid HIV test is the only test licensed for use in healthcare settings and is the only one used in Vancouver clinics.
I don’t know how reliable the orasure or geodesic meditech tests are, or if they were studied when Health Canada approved the INSTI test.
Check out our clinic finder if you want to get tested in a clinic and need help finding one
Health Nurse