Even today, many women find it difficult to talk to their own GP about sexual health problems feeling embarrassed or shy about their symptoms or worried that their questions might be perceived as silly.
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Working with babylon, I've been able to help many women overcome their anxieties in speaking to a GP. Online appointments have a very different feel to them compared to face-to-face consultations and could help many women deal with their concerns more quickly and easily than ever before. Firstly, you can speak to a GP from the comfort of your own home, at a time of your choosing - an important step to make you feel really at ease. Secondly, you have the option to speak to a fully qualified and experienced GP via video consultation or a telephone call with the added benefit of never having met them and having the choice to never speak to them again if you don't want to. Thirdly, you'll receive the advice and treatment that you require including self-administered vaginal swabs for chlamydia and gonorrhoea and self-testing blood tests for HIV and syphilis if needed.
Since babylon launched, we have helped thousands of women with their sexual health problems. The most common issues effecting women that can lead to embarrassment or anxiety, preventing some in dealing with their issues in the first place include:
- Vaginal Discharge - It is healthy and normal to have vaginal discharge but if the amount of discharge increases, changes in appearance or begins to smell then this can be a sign of a sexually transmitted infection or an overgrowth of normal bacteria or yeast organisms. The problem is usually easily treatable
- Vaginal Itching - This can be a very unpleasant and embarrassing symptom and many women suffer in silence because they are too shy to talk to their doctor about it. Itching of the vulva, vagina and around the bottom can be caused by a fungal infections such as thrush or by skin problems. These can be quickly and successfully treated with the right medication but can become very uncomfortable if the diagnosis and treatment is delayed
- Vaginal Odour - A fishy or unpleasant smell from the vagina can be caused by a number of different conditions including overgrowth of normal vaginal bacteria, thrush or a sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia. This problem can impact a woman's self-esteem and confidence, especially during sex
- Vulval Lumps, Spots or Blisters - There are a wide range of conditions that can cause lumps, spots or sores around the genital areas including conditions such as boils, cysts and sexually transmitted infections such as genital warts or herpes. It is very important for women to feel they can ask for help about this type of problem as early diagnosis and treatment can often make a real difference
- BIeeding during or after Sex - This is a problem that can be caused by many different conditions including a sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia, problems with the cervix or a small vaginal skin tear or injury. It is very important that any bleeding is investigated as it can be the only sign of chlamydia which if left untreated can lead to inflammation in the pelvis and affect the woman's fertility. It can also sometimes be a sign of cervical cancer although this is usually first detected by the regular smear tests that are offered every three years by the NHS for women over the age of 25 years and that we strongly encourage all women to attend.
- Pain during Sex - This can either superficial pain that occurs in or just outside the vagina or pain that is felt deep inside the pelvis. Superficial pain can be caused by conditions such as thrush or chlamydia or by vaginal dryness, which can occur due to anxiety, stress, a lack of arousal or the hormonal changes that occur during the menopause. Deep pain is usually caused by problems in the pelvis such as pelvic inflammatory disease, fibroids, endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome. Regardless of the type of pain or the cause, pain during sex can be very distressing for women and have a significant impact on their happiness, self-esteem and also on their relationship with their partner. There are excellent treatments available for most of these conditions
- Pregnancy - This is one of the main topics that women seek advice about and common questions include: "My period is late, could I be pregnant?" " How do I get pregnant?" "What are the early symptoms of pregnancy?" and " I'm pregnant but I don't want to be, what should I do?"
- Contraception - These days there are a wide variety of excellent contraception methods ranging from different types of oral contraceptive pill to implants, skin patches and coils. It is very important for women to have access to all the information they need in order to make the right choice for them
- Irregular Periods - Many women experience an irregular menstrual cycle at some point in their lives - having periods early, late or lasting longer than normal. There are many reasons that this can happen including stress, weight loss, pregnancy, hormonal changes or an underlying medical or gynaecological condition such as a problem with the thyroid or ovaries
- Low Libido - There are many different reasons why women experience a low libido or sex-drive. These range from psychological reasons such as low mood, anxiety or stress to physical problems such as an underactive thyroid, weight gain or medication side effects. Low libido can significantly affect relationships and lead to low self-esteem and a loss of confidence. This is a problem that many women find difficult talking about and so are unlikely to seek help which is sad because there are many different treatments that can help including counselling, medication and a range of different cognitive therapies
If you have any concerns about your sexual health you can also try Babylon's 'Ask' service as a first port of call. Experienced GPs and nurses are available to answer any general health-related questions.
Dr Morven Telling is a babylon GP based in Bristol with over eight years of experience as a general practitioner. To find out more about the babylon service visit www.babylonhealth.com and try the app for yourself for free for 30 days
tagged in Pregnancy