Sexual Health – Why All Sexually-Active Adults Should Get Tested For STDs and STIs

Sexually transmitted diseases don’t discriminate. If you’re sexually active, you’re at risk. If you have ever had sex with someone who has ever had sex with someone who has not been tested, chances for contracting a sexually transmitted disease or infection (STD/STI) are great. This is why I encourage all sexually active adults to get tested before you enter a new sexual relationship or when you suspect or discover that your spouse or partner has been unfaithful.

Some may think exposure was so long ago that surely there would be symptoms by now. Some assume their partner always has been faithful. Many think that if they had an STD or STI they would know. But what if they don’t?

Statistics reveal that the spread of STDs and STIs is at an epidemic proportion. It’s impacting teenagers, adults over 50 who start dating and having sex again after losing their life partner, and all age groups in between. Most STDs and STIs have no visible symptoms or signs so many people spread the disease without even knowing it.

What you don’t know could hurt you (and others)

Nobody wants to spread diseases or infections. Yet, many people are hesitant to get tested when they’ve been exposed to STDs or STIs. They think that what they don’t know won’t hurt them, but they’re wrong. Not only does not knowing delay treatment, chances are, infected people will share their diseases and infections with new partners.

Infections such as Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis can be treated easily with antibiotics. Some of the more chronic and acute diseases such as genital herpes, hepatitis A,B, and C and HIV can be better managed with knowledge. Not knowing may not only hurt you, it could kill you or someone you love.

The only way to find out if you have an STD is to just get tested. One way to stop the spread of STDs is to spread the word, not the disease. Tell partners if you’ve exposed them to an infection. Tell friends to just get tested.

Comprehensive STD Test vs. Recent Exposure Test – which is the right one for you?

Choosing the right STD test is simply a matter of having a good idea of when you were exposed. Your body produces antibodies after 28 days of exposure. Testing with an HIV 1/2 Antibody test is useless before 28 days and can lead to a false sense of security. If you believe you’ve been exposed to HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea and genital herpes within the last 28 days, you may want to choose a recent exposure STD test.

If you want to detect longer term exposure from an infected partner in your past, then choose the comprehensive STD test for longer term exposure.

How and where do you get tested?

You can ask your medical doctor to do blood tests which detect short term or long term exposure to STDs and STIs. Or you can order your tests online, administer them in the privacy of your own home, send them to a recommended lab for analysis and receive your test results at home, often within a few days of taking the tests.

Your sexual health is a great predictor of your healthy longevity. So I encourage all sexually active adults to get comprehensive STD blood tests either from your personal Doctor or from online testing labs that are highly recommended, like

Personalabs.com = quick, affordable, and discreet health testing, drug testing, and sexually transmitted disease testing.