- Not everyone gets tested for STDs on a regular basis. However, anyone who has had unprotected sex is at risk of having an STD. That is why it is so important for all sexually active males and females to get tested. Early detection and treatment of STDs can prevent additional health problems from occurring (such as cancer or infertility), and possibly even save your life.
- There are different types of sexually transmitted diseases and some are more severe than others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the major types of STDs include chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, syphilis, genital herpes, HPV (human papillomavirus), trichomoniasis and pubic lice. Many of these STDs are curable within one or two weeks, although HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, genital herpes and HPV are not. However, treatment options are available for all STDs.
- If you are infected with a sexually transmitted disease, you may or may not exhibit symptoms of the infection. Athough symptoms vary depending on the type of STD you have, most share similar symptoms. The most common symptoms of STDs include a burning sensation when urinating; an unusual discharge from the penis, vagina or anus; genital sores or blisters; itching, soreness or bleeding in the genital regions; abdominal pain and fever (in women). However, you need not have all of these symptoms present to have an STD.
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There are a variety of places that offer STD testing, such as private doctor offices, public health centers, hospitals and Planned Parenthood centers. STD testing is confidential, and some health facilities even offer free services to individuals with little or no income and those without health insurance. These options make it easy for anyone to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases.
STD testing may include any of the following procedures: a health evaluation; physical examination; pelvic examination; urine or blood test; and a sample of discharge or cells from the vagina, penis anus, cervix, urethra or mouth. Your healthcare provider may also take a sample from a genital sore or blister to send to a lab for testing.
Your healthcare provider determines which STD test(s) to give you based on your symptoms and overall health status. Once your doctor completes the testing procedures, he sends the collected samples to an appropriate laboratory. It can be nerve-wracking, but it may take several days to receive your test results back from the lab. - Some people may believe that when they receive their annual physical examination or pap smear (women), they are automatically tested for STDs. However, your healthcare provider will only test you for STDs upon your request and with your permission. Your healthcare provider may also recommend STD testing if you have any of the common symptoms associated with sexually transmitted diseases. Even if you have complete blood work done in your doctor's office for something else, it will not iinclude STD testing unless you specify that you want to be tested for STDs; and you must also specify which diseases you want to be tested for.
