All about STD Testing

 If they are not treated on time, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) can cause serious health issues, including infertility, cancer, organ damage, and even blindness. Yet STDs are quite a common occurrence. In the US alone, about 20 million new cases of STD are reported every year.

Unfortunately, a lot of people do not get prompt treatment for Sexually Transmitted Diseases. This is because many STDs do not have any apparent symptoms, making them difficult for people to notice.

Besides, social stigma around STDs discourages a lot of people from getting tested. But STD testing is the only way a person can know if they have a sexually transmitted infection. Therefore, it is important for you to talk to your  care provider to learn if you should get tested for any STD.

Besides, social stigma around STDs discourages a lot of people from getting tested. But STD testing is the only way a person can know if they have a sexually transmitted infection.

Who Should Be Tested for STDs

If you are sexually active, getting tested for STDs is a good idea. It is particularly important to be tested for STDs if:

You are about to get into a new sexual relationship

You and your partner want to start having unprotected sex

Your partner has multiple sexual partners or has cheated on you

You have several sexual partners

You have any signs or symptoms that suggest that you could be having an STD

However, if you are in a mutually monogamous intimate relationship and you and your partner tested negative for all STDs before getting into the relationship, then regular STD testing may not be necessary for you.

But in most cases, people do not get STD tests before getting together, and it is not always possible to tell if the other partner has been 100 percent faithful. If this is the case with your relationship, it is possible that one or both of you have been having an undiagnosed STD for years. Therefore, the safest decision is to get tested.

What STDs should You Be Tested For

There are several known sexually transmitted diseases. You can talk to your doctor to learn which ones you should get tested for. Based on your sexual history and your risk factors, your doctor may advise you to get tested for one or several of the following:

Gonorrhea

Chlamydia

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Hepatitis B

Syphilis

Trichomoniasis

Do not assume that your doctor will test you for STIs at your annual gynecologic checkups; it is important for you to ask your doctor to carry out the tests. By getting regular tests, you will be in a better position to get treated on time before your situation gets out of hand.

The Takeaway

Overall, it is apparent that the importance of STD tests to the overall women's health cannot be overemphasized. They ensure that any STI that you could have contracted recently is treated early when the infection is still localized and before it can lead to further complications. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

September 2008 Issue of Family Fun

 I always wanted to write. To be a travel journalist, live like a resident, see it as a tourist. It hasn't worked out that way so far... Someday... In the meantime, check out page 80 in the September issue of Family Fun Magazine. In the box on the lower left-hand side of the page is my idea! I love Family Fun Magazine. We have subscribed to it since my second child was born, some fifteen years ago. It's changed some, and some not. It has excellent articles and they are all geared towards being a family...I love that! My favorite section is the cooking articles. I love to try new recipes and FF gears theirs so I can actually cook a great recipe with simplicity so the kiddos can do most of the work! Again, page 80...check it out!
Read more

Best Friends: A Reunion After 14 Years

 It had been a long, long time. Unbelievably, time did NOT standstill. People came and went in our lives. It had been fourteen years since I last saw the person who forever will be known as "MY BEST FRIEND." There's no need to hide anything. I was nervous. Those five tenants who rented my uterus for nine months at a time were less than friendly to my body. Not that it should matter, he saw my best and worst side for two years, and now should be no different. Saturday time DID standstill. It seemed to drag on and on. I was introduced to his son. It was like looking through a time machine...he had the same hands, fingers, and fingernails as his dad and his bottom lip matched his. They had the same neck and the shape of their eyes. Wow! Genes are pretty amazing ! I stood against the chain link fence, #72 embedded in my line of vision. He was at the starting line and I was ready to watch him race . It would be the first time I'd seen him race--something he loved. This was
Read more

Sometimes Waiting Isn't the Worst Thing

We were giddy and today we learned Sometimes Waiting Isn't the Worst Thing. My grandma called this morning around 11am. She had some errands to run and then she'd be by to visit. She comes over once a week. I usually do her hair and we drink coffee and enjoy being women . My two smaller children were so excited. They refused to nap exclaiming they were waiting for " Charlotte the Great "! By Noon, they were wired from their sleepiness and in need of a nap. So, I promised when Charlotte the Great came, I'd wake them up. By 1pm I was restless. Where was she? My stomach was upset, I contributed this to the six pieces of Hershey's Bliss I'd devoured while waiting. And still...I waited. I really had no place to go, but by 1:30 pm I was feeling like I was late. Like I needed to be somewhere. I think I was just bored and looking forward to "girl time" had me anxious. Then it happened. About 1:57 pm the phone rang. My Grandma on the o
Read more