Northside Clinic offers a supportive and inclusive environment for the gay and bisexual community. We place a strong emphasis on issues affecting gay and bisexual men’s health. Some of the areas of speciality include:
- Sexual Health
- Shigellosis / Shigella
SEXUAL HEALTH
Sexual practices between men are diverse. Some men like lots of sex, others don’t. Some men like certain types of sex, others don’t. Some men spend lots of time looking for and participating in sex, others don’t.
There are a variety of sexual practices that men can participate in.
Non-genital sexual contact involves holding, massage, and kissing. Licking and sucking may or may not involve the genitals. Mutual masturbation involves guys wanking each other. Most men enjoy oral sex. Some men also enjoy anal sexual contact including oral stimulation (rimming) or anal penetration with fingers, penis or sex toys. Anal sex can be messy and most guys prefer to douche before “bottoming” to clean out the rectum of faecal matter.
Other men enjoy more non-traditional sexual acts like water sports (sexual acts involving pissing), scat (sexual acts involving shitting), and fisting (inserting the hand and forearm into the rectum). BDSM refers to bondage & discipline, dominance & submission, and sadism & masochism. Some men enjoy group sex, ranging for three-somes, to large scale orgies or sex parties.
Gay and bisexual men seek out sex in various places. The Internet and Phone Apps have made it easier to hook up for sex at any time of the day and in many locations. Locations range from a private home to saunas and sex clubs (Sex On Premises Venues, or SOPVs), or outdoor “beats”, usually parks, beaches or public toilets.
Communicating with your sexual partner about your preferred sexual practices and desire for safe sex is very important to understand each other and give and receive the most pleasure, and for creating a safe sexual environment.
SHIGELLOSIS / SHIGELLA
Some STIs are more specific to gay and bisexual men, such as Shigellosis (or Shigella). Shigellosis is a type of gastroenteritis, (or gastro) that is caused by the bacterium Shigella.
Symptoms include diarrhoea (which may contain blood), nausea or vomiting, stomach cramps and fever. Symptoms may occur 1 – 4 days after exposure, and symptoms may last 4 – 7 days.
After recovery, Shigella bacteria may still be present in faeces for several weeks even after symptoms have ceased.
Shigella is spread by the faecal-oral route. In gay and bisexual men, this usually results from rimming (oral stimulation of the anus during sex). It may also be spread by getting infected faeces on your fingers, and then putting your fingers in your mouth e.g. during fingering or fisting.
If you think you have Shigellosis, you should see your Doctor. This will ensure you are given proper treatment with antibiotics, and advice on stopping it spreading. You should avoid sex while you have symptoms and for at least 7 days after your symptoms clear. If you work handling food (e.g. hospitality), you need to have two negative faecal specimens for Shigella before you can return to work.
Shigella can be prevented by using a dental dam for rimming and wearing gloves for fingering or fisting. Wash your hands after fingering or fisting and after handling used condoms or sex toys that may have been in contact with faeces.