Anyone of a sexually active age should be aware that they need to be careful when it comes to sexual interactions. Use protection whenever you have a sexual encounter and get STD testing done on a regular basis. Your best weapon is information. Here is what you need to know about going in for screening.
Anyone of a sexually active age should be aware that they need to be careful when it comes to sexual interactions. Use protection whenever you have a sexual encounter and get STD testing done on a regular basis. Anyone on the dating scene should be aware of the dangers involved in being in a sexually active relationship, even on a monogamous basis. While condoms are the best defense against disease, they aren’t foolproof, even if used correctly (which they often aren’t). Your best weapon is information. Here is what you need to know about going in for screening.
First, you should know that there is no set standard when it comes to a clinic’s STD testing protocol. They aren’t going to test for every disease in the book. In fact, there are certain diseases for which there exists no practical test that will work for every person that walks in the door. This means you have to take the bull by the horns and ask for certain tests, if it is what you want. Being frank with your doctor about the signs and symptoms you have experienced will help narrow the field to a manageable few, and may give you better results.
As stated, there is no uniform standard across the country when it comes to STD testing. Having said that, there are some minimums you should insist upon, even in the absence of any symptoms. If you’re a woman, the minimum you should get is a Pap test. The doctor will take cells from the cervix and test those cells for any signs of cancer. How is this related to sexually transmitted diseases, you may ask? Well, HPV infection is one of the more common diseases, and it can lead directly to cervical cancer in many women. You may also want to get checked out for Chlamydia, which is common among sexually active women in their early 20s.
As a man, things are a bit different. Information from the government changes on an infrequent basis, which means some of the information you are likely to get could be somewhat outdated. As a rule, however, the CDC has no firm recommendations regarding routine STD testing in the absence of symptoms. This is for heterosexual men. If your sex life includes partnerships with other men, the CDC recommends annual testing for HIV, chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea. Regardless of your gender or your sexual proclivities, you should always go in for screening if you experience symptoms common to any sexually transmitted disease.
