Choosing the Right STD Testing for You

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STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) is getting fairly common. There are different STD testing that can suit your situation depending on your specific risk factor. For those who are sexually active and has a multiple sex partner, you need to keep yourself protected and get tested. This is essential since a person can be infected without knowing about it. In normal circumstances, the person carrying the disease will not show any symptoms.

 

STD Testing That You Will Need

 

You will need to know what type of STD testing you will need. You should also be aware on how often you need to be tested. The frequency and the type of screening process will depend upon your risk factor, sexual behaviour, and age.

 

Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia

 

Your STD testing will depend if you are sexually active and you are below 25 years old, if you are a woman and you are more than 25 years old who has a multiple sex partners, a man having sexual intercourse with man, or if you are having sexual intercourse against your own will. STD screening for Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia can be performed using urine test. The doctor may also swab on the cervix of the women or on your penis.

Hepatitis, Syphilis and HIV Testing

 

Several health authorities are encouraging individuals to get HIV testing. Individuals should include this as a part of their regular care especially if you are an adult who is 13-64 years old. The younger adults need to be tested if they have high-risk factors. Yearly STD testing is recommended for sexually active individuals.

 

Hepatitis screening is advised for those who are born in the year 1945 and/or 1965. The incidence of hepatitis on this age group is higher. Aside from that, this health disorder will show no signs until you are on the advanced stage. If the STD testing shows that you have been exposed to the hepatitis virus, there are vaccines available to suppress the virus.

 

Individuals should request for Hepatitis, syphilis and HIV testing in case they have been tested positive for another STD disease. Individuals who have multiple sex partners and those who use IV drugs should also get tested. Those who are planning to get pregnant or those who are pregnant should also be screened. Doctors will be testing you for syphilis by taking a blood sample.

 

Genital Herpes

 

There is no recommended testing that exists for Genital herpes. This STI can be transmitted even if the person is not showing any signs of the virus. Your doctor may get a sample from you and ask you for your health history during the STD testing. Negative result does not necessarily mean that you are cleared of this condition.

 

There are different types of STD testing that will be offered by the health professional. The suitable type of test will depend upon your risk factor, age, and health condition. Never assume that you will instantly get a screening every time that you will get a PAP test or gynecological exam.

All You Need to Know about HIV PEP

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There are cases of an emergency when you do not if you have been exposed to HIV. Instead of risking an infection, you should proceed with caution and receive HIV PEP treatment. PEP stands for post-exposure prophylaxis, which means that you protect yourself after the incident has occurred. Prophylaxis comes from the Greek word of protection.

 

When Should You Receive HIV PEP?

 

It is important to stress out that only those who are HIV negative may receive the treatment. Otherwise, there is no point in receiving protection against the infection. If you are HIV negative and you do not know if you have been exposed to the virus, it is best to seek medical attention.

 

More specifically, you should get HIV PEP treatment if you have been sexually assaulted or if you have used the same needle as others while injected. Obviously, the same goes for those who have had unprotected sex with an unknown partner. In the last case, you need to be careful as you do not know your partner’s HIV status.

 

You must keep in mind the fact that treatment is only effective when received within 72 hours after infection. Even if you receive treatment after the specific time frame, you will not get any results. In addition, you ought to know that HIV PEP does not substitute your regular preventive measures. For instance, you should still use a condom and avoid using the same needles as others.

What about Health Workers?

 

Although it is quite rare for health workers to get infected, in case of an emergency you are urged to seek treatment. You will be expected to receive HIV PEP once or twice a day for a period of 28 days. As a result, you will be protected against any potential infection.

 

Will You Still Need STD Testing?

 

STD stands for Sexually Transmitted Diseases. As you can imagine, HIV is one of the most severe STDs you should be concerned about. However, it is not the only one. So it goes without even saying that you should proceed with STD testing, if you think you have been infected. STD testing, will also inform you of other diseases, such as HPV and syphilis, Hepatitis A, B and C, Herpes, Chlamydia & Gonorrhea.

 

Although HIV PEP can be a truly helpful tool in your hands, it will not protect you against all STDs. This is the main reason why you still need to be meticulous with STD testing.

Bottom Line

 

HIV PEP is related to treatment that might be received, by whoever is suspicious of an HIV infection. The treatment needs to be received within 72 hours after the possible infection. In any other case, it is not helpful. Receiving the treatment, though, will not protect you against STDs. Finally, protective measures against STDs are your best line of defence for remaining healthy and risk-free.

Five Best Reasons to Go for STD Testing

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As a young person, you deserve a safe, healthy, and enjoyable sex life. However, that’s not always the case. Research confirms that young people between the ages of 15 and 29 have the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea. All the same, STD testing is an important part of primary health care as long as one is sexually active. Sexually transmitted diseases can infect any person across the board. Here are five prime reasons why every sexually active person should go for STD Testing.

Everyone Can Get STDs

 

If you imagined that you could not contact STDs simply because you’re a virgin, then you are misleading yourself. Even as a virgin, you can still get sexually transmitted diseases, which you can only discover if you go for STD Testing. A good number of sexually transmitted diseases can spread through skin-to-skin contact. For instance, a person can get oral herpes through casual affection, even among relatives, and similarly, cold sores can spread through oral sex. With these conditions in mind, it’s advisable for every sexually active person to undergo STD Testing in order to know their status.

 

Your Sexual Partner Maybe Unfaithful

 

Accusations of unfaithfulness are rampant among couples or people in committed relationships. However, how can you prove to your partner that you are faithful, but simply living with a sexually transmitted disease? Well, married couples often trust each other, especially when they are in a sexually monogamous relationship. While that could be true to some extent, it could only work if each partner underwent STD or HIV Testing before they started living together.

 

Like many people, you could be infected with STDs without your knowledge only to realise when symptoms start appearing years later when you’re already in a relationship. Besides, STDs can cause long-term health and reproductive implications. In women, for example, Chlamydia can cause infertility, denying a woman the chance to hold her own baby. By doing STD Testing before you get into a serious relationship, you take a bold step to know your status.

 

HIV Testing Enables You to Play Safe

 

Unprotected sex is one of the major causes of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. By going for HIV PEP screening, you can discover your stand as far as sex life goes and play safe. As always, it’s better safe than sorry; which leads to the next point.

 

Getting Tested Relieves You from Worry

 

If you don’t know your status, you’ll keep guessing, and too much worry will lead to stress, which has adverse effects on your health. If you go for HIV testing, you can discover whether you’re safe or not. If you’re found with HIV upon screening, you can get started on ARVs immediately because most STDs are easily manageable during initial stages.

 

Getting Tested Shows That You Respect Yourself and Your Partner

 

By undergoing STD Testing, you’ll be able to talk openly about the risk of HIV/AIDS and other STDs. Testing enables you to discover whether you have a condition that you should share with your partner and in the end, you’ll be able to make informed decisions about your sexual life.

 

STD Testing is a sure way to help you stay safe and healthy. Eventually, it reduces the rate of STD infection among youth and adults.

Reasons Why You Should Go for STD Testing

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Reasons Why You Should Go for STD Testing

The Centres for Disease Control have been carrying campaigns geared towards encouraging people to get STD testing done. According to CDC, early detection will help in controlling the spread of the diseases and also will help them to monitor the nature of the diseases that affect people. The various STD`s that are common include Syphilis, Gonorrhoea, Herpes, and HIV. Therefore, it is important for people to go for testing so that they are treated whenever they are found to have these diseases, and for those untreatable, it becomes easier to manage the diseases. Let’s explore further why you should be in the forefront to encourage your peers to go for STD testing.

To Avoid Spread of Diseases

Once you get tested for these diseases, you will be helping to control the spread of the diseases. If you are negative, you are encouraged to continue practicing safety, and this is to make sure you will not be infected. If you are found positive, then you will also be put on treatment, and the STD will not be spread to your partner. However, when you have HIV testing, and it turns out you are positive; you will be put under anti-retroviral therapy to make sure you are not suppressed by the viruses. This way, you can continue enjoying life and most importantly live positively. You are taught about safe intercourse, and you will not spread the infection to your partner or other people that you have sex with.

Go for HIV Testing if Involved in Risky Sex Behaviour

Whenever you have sex without protection, it is good to go for STD testing. When the doctor conducts the test, you might be requested to come back after a while just to make sure the results are same. In this case, the doctor should give your HIV PEP immediately. If the person you had sex with is infected, there are high chances that you might get the infections. This is the reason why you are as well encouraged not to have multiple sex partners especially if they are strangers and you don’t know the status of the person. In such cases, you will be advised to use protection. Therefore, you should always encourage your peers to go for HIV testing whenever they are involved in risky sexual behaviour.

After STD Testing You Will Be Offered Counselling That is Helpful

Before testing, you will be undertaken through free counselling so that you understand what to expect and to assure you that the results are confidential between you and the doctor. Therefore there is no need of fearing that the results will go viral and your peers will know. Secondly, after testing the counsellor will further take you through more counselling. This time, if after HIV testing you are found positive, you will be taken through an essential training on how to take care of yourself. Otherwise, you will be encouraged to continue playing safe.

Whenever you attend STD testing, you are encouraged to go for testing again after a while and mostly three months. This is because by then if there are any infections, they will have shown.