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STD is a disease that passes from one person to another during intercourse. According to World Health Organization (WHO), every year, 376 million people suffer from a new STD infection.
Every day one million people acquire a new sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are four dominant STIs chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis. Apart from these, HIV is the most discussed sexually transmitted disease. In 2019, there were 38 million active cases of HIV globally.
Venereal diseases produce serious, irreversible ailments such as infertility. STDs like HIV-AIDS and syphilis can be deadly also. You can check this site if you are interested in learning about the hiv cure. The majority of people suffering from STIs are in the age range of 15- 24 years. Often ignorance and lack of knowledge can lead to serious health issues in youngsters.
In this article, we have covered the most searched questions about STDs.
What is STD testing?
The medical procedure involved in the diagnostic of STD is called STD testing.
Numerous infections are transmitted sexually. Thus, the test you should get depends upon your sexual habits. The prevalent STDs involve chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis, HIV, and hepatitis B.
It is crucial to ask your physician yourself for an STI test. Many doctors do not conduct STD tests at regular health check-ups.
Usually, doctors plan STD tests according to your sexual history. It can be blood tests, urine tests, swabs, or physical exams. However, most STDs can be diagnosed with the help of blood and urine samples.
For blood and urine samples, the most often used techniques are ELISA and RPR. However, ELISA kits are more reliable for diseases like syphilis and chlamydia.
Why is getting tested for STDs significant?
STIs have an intense influence on physical and conceptive health worldwide. But most sexually transmitted diseases produce few to no symptoms.
If left untreated, these can lead to blindness, infertility, organ damage, and cancer. Thus, anyone who is sexually active should get tested for STDs.
People often feel shy about discussing their sexual health, but there is nothing to hide or feel humiliated about it. If you perceive any particular kind of infection or symptoms, immediately concern your doctor.
Apart from awareness, most of the STIs are treatable if approached on time. So, never step back from asking for STD testing. After all, it is about your health.
Sexually transmitted diseases do not produce any symptoms. Thus, you can never be sure if your partner is sexually healthy or not. Therefore, getting tested for STD becomes even more crucial.
Is std testing confidential?
Yes! STD testing is completely confidential. Apart from STDs, all other medical reports are also private, and no one can have access to them without your permission.
If you are 13 or more, you do not need to involve your parents in STD testing. The reason could be anything insurance or awkwardness to talk about this to your parents.
For STI testing, you can visit any nearest community health center or hospital. Many schools also run clinics during school hours.
How soon should I get tested for an STD?
After unprotected sex, it can take up to three months for HIV to show up, and it is a matter of one or two weeks in case of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis.
Thus, it is necessary to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases at regular intervals. According to CDC, all women of age 25 and more, or sexually active teenage girls, should get a test for gonorrhea and chlamydia once a year.
However, it is not only limited to females only. Each sexually active individual should get tested for STIs every year. In addition to unprotected sex, there are instances when your protection barrier ruptures. In these situations, every folk must take an STD test.
It is crucial to get involved in safer sexual practices. Yet, you can catch a sexual disease. Therefore, married couples should take care of their reproductive health.
Here is the list of situations in which you must get STD tests:
- You copulate with multiple partners.
- You are intimidated by a person having multiple sex partners.
- You had unprotected sex.
- You do injection drugs and share needles.
Conclusion:
The number of people suffering from sexually transmitted diseases is increasing perpetually. Most of the people suffering from STDs are youngsters.
Those who practice un-natural sex are more prone to STIs. STD testing is not a part of your regular health check-up. You have to ask your doctor yourself to get these tests.
If someone is 13 or more, they can get an STD test without parental supervision. According to CDC, every sexually active person should get tested for the sexually transmitted disease once per year.
