Despite living in the 21st Century and adopting a liberal and modern way of living, there is still a lot of stigma surrounding sexually transmitted diseases. Going to visit a GUM clinic is not something some people wish to advertise, as they feel it can often mean others perceiving them as having a particular lifestyle which may be very far from the truth. This is, of course, not the case, and people who regularly go for check-ups are in fact acting in a very responsible way and should see it as something to be proud of rather than ashamed of.
Visiting a private clinic is the most favored approach as it offers anonymity to the patients and provides confidence that all tests will be dealt with in a professional manner. At samedaydoctor we ensure that all our clinics are highly confidential and all our doctors are experts in their field. Standard procedures such as a Chlamydia test are common practice and are done so regularly that they are a very routine procedure and should not be feared in any way.
There are many reasons to have regular checks at the GUM clinic. A change of partner is a sensible and courteous reason, and more and more people are adopting this attitude and doing this as a part of their long-term commitment to each other. Even those in relationships still commonly undergo checks as with many infections it can take months for any infected cells to be identified, so one check which is clear may be different a month later, even if your sexual partner has not changed.
Most of us do not need to be told that if left undetected, a sexually transmitted disease can have devastating consequences, therefore by approaching the situation sensibly and objectively you can provide peace of mind to both yourself and your partner.