BHRUT Sexual Health walk-in clinic
General walk-in opening times at Barking Community Hospital: Monday 09.00 to 11.30 Tuesday 12.00 to 14.30 Wednesday 13.00 to 16.00 Thursday 09.00 to 11.30 Friday 09.00 to 11.30 If we...
Resources > Healthy Body
STI testing & treatment
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), are caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites which may pass from person to person in blood, semen, vaginal and other body fluids. This page talks about common symptoms and treatment.
STIs are mostly caused by unprotected sex (which means vaginal, oral or anal sex without using a condom). However, STIs can also be passed by sharing infected needles, blood transfusions and from mother to infant through pregnancy or childbirth.
The only way to protect yourself from STIs is using condoms.
STI symptoms
Most STIs don’t have any symptoms. However, the most common symptoms you may see if you have an STI are:
- Unusual discharge from vagina, penis or anus
- Pain when passing urine
- Genital ulcer
- Unusual vaginal bleeding
- A rash, itchy genitals or anus
- Lower abdominal pain
- Blisters and sores around your genitals or anus
- Warts around your genitals or anus
- Warts around your mouth or throat
Common STIs
Find out about the most common STIs by visiting the NHS website:
The only way you can know if you have a sexually transmitted infection or not is by having a test.
How often should you get tested?
If you’re sexually active it’s recommended to get tested for STIs every 3-6 months. If you’re in a long-term relationship it’s recommended to get tested once a year.
It’s important to note that there is a period of time between contracting an STI and it showing up on a test. These are often referred to as ‘window periods’. This means that if you do a test too soon, the infection may be present in your body but will not show on the test.
The window periods are different for different STIs:
- Chlamydia – 2 weeks
- Gonorrhoea – 2 weeks
- HIV – 45 days for a lab test, 12 weeks for a rapid test
- Syphilis – 12 weeks
- Hepatitis B – 12 weeks
If you are still within a window period but are experiencing symptoms, please visit your local sexual health clinic for testing.
Where can you get tested?
- At home (if you have no symptoms)
- At your local sexual health clinic
- At some local pharmacies
- At outreach events
In an emergency, call 111.
At your local sexual health clinic
To book an appointment online for Barking Hospital, visit their website.
You can also phone up 020 8970 5724 Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 16:00.
You can walk-in to Barking Community Hospital at the following times:
- Monday 09.00 to 11.30
- Tuesday 12.00 to 14.30
- Wednesday 13.00 to 16.00
- Thursday 09.00 to 11.30
- Friday 09.00 to 11.30
Home testing
SHL.UK is a discreet sexual health service for Londoners.
Our STI testing service is for people who have mild or no STI symptoms, and would like to get themselves checked.
You can also request free regular and emergency contraception (effective up to 5 days after unprotected sex) by completing a simple, secure online consultation.
You can also now get home tests for hepatitis C through the NHS.
Related Services
Related services
Positive East health and wellbeing services for people with HIV
Positive East have lots of support services for people living with HIV.
Positive East HIV & STI Testing
Free, confidential HIV and STI tests (including chlamydia, gonorrhoea, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and syphilis).
