How blokes who have unprotected sex just ONCE could ruin their sex life for good
YOU may think it's harmless in the heat of the moment but unprotected sex could RUIN your love life for good.
The moment you decide not to use a condom you are leaving yourself wide open to a nasty sexually transmitted infection (STI).
And one infection in particular can cause some serious problems for blokes when it comes to how things work below the belt.
If left untreated, chlamydia can cause erectile dysfunction.
You're probably thinking, "that's OK, I just won't leave it untreated", who wouldn't go to the doctor for an STI, right?
Well, here's the problem - most people who have chlamydia don't have any symptoms, so you may not know you have it for months and by then the damage is done.
Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in Britain.
It is a bacterial infection spread through unprotected sex.
Around 200,000 people test positive for the curable STI every year.
You may experience pain while weeing, unusual discharge from the vagina, penis or rectum, pain in the abdomen and pain or swelling in the testicles.
But, again, not everyone will experience symptoms.
How can chlamydia cause erectile dysfunction?
Left untreated chlamydia can infect the prostate, causing inflammation which can make it harder to get and keep an erection.
As soon as the infection enters the genital tract it can spread to other organs in the body.
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Once the prostate - a walnut-size gland that sits around the urethra - is infected it can swell and block blood flow to the penis, making it difficult to get an erection.
Chlamydia can also cause pain in your testicles, making sex painful, which in turn can cause psychological impotence as well.
Who can get chlamydia?
Anyone who has unprotected vaginal or anal sex can get chlamydia.
The best way to protect yourself from the health problem is to use condoms during sexual intercourse.
If you're sexually active, it's important to be tested for STIs every year.
This is crucial if you're planning on engaging with different sexual partners.
To diagnose the sexually transmitted infection, medical professionals may carry out a urine or swab test.
MORE ON SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS
Unlike lots of other STIs, chlamydia can be cured.
It can be treated with antibiotics, which may be prescribed in a course of tablets or for single use.
During this period, it's important not to engage in sexual activity.
It may be wise to carry out another medical test after treatment is complete, to check that your body has expelled the infection.
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