Are you scared or ashamed of a recent change?Are you trying to understand your sexual health?STD tests are quick, easy, and common.Knowing how to get tested for STDs will give you peace of mind and help you get the treatment you need as quickly as possible.
Step 1: You should make an appointment with your doctor.
One of the best places to get STD treatment is your regular doctor.Your doctor should be willing to help you get the tests you need.Doctors are not allowed to tease or judge you.Most doctors will agree to treat you if you are 13 years old or older.This is dependent on which state you live in.This can be hard to discuss with others.You don't need to explain a single thing on the phone.You can tell the receptionist that you want a physical exam if she asks.You can explain your situation once you are in the privacy of the examination room.If you are worried about your parents having an angry reaction, you can give them the same excuse.
Step 2: You can talk to your doctor about your concerns.
Don't be afraid to discuss the reasons for your visit with your doctor.It is your doctor's job to get you your test results as quickly as possible.If you have an STD, your doctor can help you get rid of it.Your doctor is your friend, so there's no question you shouldn't ask.Other people can help you, and doctors will be happy to direct you to them.She or he should be willing to connect you with agencies that provide condoms and birth control for free or cheap.
Step 3: You can also visit a sexual health clinic.
Do you worry about paying for a doctor's visit or keeping it a secret from your parents?You could visit a public sexual health clinic.In the U.S., the most famous of these is.Most of these clinics offer STD testing for cheap or free, as well as birth control and condoms.Do you know where a sexual health clinic is?Try to use inspot.org.This site can be used to locate clinics in your area.You can send anonymous online requests for information about testing on Inspot.org.
Step 4: You can go to a school clinic.
Many high schools and colleges have their own health clinics for students.In most cases, these clinics will be confidential and will offer both STD testing and birth control services.The cost of your treatment may be covered by your tuition.Ask the front desk staff for more information.Some religious schools may not offer all sexual health services.
Step 5: You can call the national STD hotline.
Do you want to know how to get an STD test?The Centers for Disease Control has a STD hotline.English and Spanish help is available.To find STD testing clinics near you, listen to the audio prompts.You can give your responses by using your phone's buttons.The button combination to get testing locations in English is: for English, for "all other inquiries", and again for STDs.
Step 6: Privacy information should be double checked at the location you visit.
Most of the suggestions can be kept confidential.You won't have to tell your family that you were tested.To agree on a plan that works for you, speak to the staff at your testing location.Will you call me at home or send me a letter to confirm the results of the test?Will you send the bill to me?Will you send other mail?Will the test show up on the insurance bill?
Step 7: There is the chance of an at- home test.
Home tests for STDs have become more and more popular in recent years.You have to collect a urine sample or part of your body for these tests.The sample is sent to a lab for analysis after being sent in the mail.You can find these tests at your pharmacy.There is evidence that home tests give more false positives than clinics.If you do a home test that shows you have an STD, you should get in touch with a doctor or health clinic.There is a chance that they are incorrect.
Step 8: If you notice a difference in your genitals, get tested.
There are many reasons for a person to have an STD test.When there is a change in the way your genitals look or feel is the most urgent.Anything out of the ordinary with your genitals could be an STD.There are many alternate explanations.The incubation period for each STD is different.The amount of time you should wait before getting tested is referred to as the incubation period.Depending on the STD, the incubation period is 1 day to 3 months.These symptoms all have non- STD causes as well, so they all warrant an STD test.Some young women confuse pain from a yeast infection with an STD.
Step 9: If you're unsure of a partner's sexual history, get tested.
When you have sex with someone, you're doing it with the people he or she's slept with before.It's a good idea to have your partner tested before you have sex if he or she has been sexually active.It is possible to have an STD without being aware of it.If you haven't had an STD test in a while, you should get tested before having sex with your partner.
Step 10: Do you know when to get tested for STDs?
Different testing schedules for STDs are recommended by medical professionals.If you are a sexually active female under 25 and have two common STDs, you need to be tested once a year.You are a female over the age of 25 who is at risk for STDs.If you don't know your new partner's sexual history, you're having sex with multiple partners.You are a man who has sex.You have the disease.You were forced to have sex or perform sexual acts against your will.
Step 11: Know when to get tested for STDs.
Other tests only require testing when certain conditions are met.If you have tested positive for a different STD, then testing is only recommended for these three diseases.Since your last test, you have had at least one partner.You use drugs with needles.You are a man who has sex.You want to have a baby soon.You were forced to have sex or perform sexual acts against your will.
Step 12: There are no tests for STDs.
Not all STDs have a test that's 100% effective.Some tests are available, but they may not be perfect.There may be false negatives and positives.A doctor may need to look at your symptoms in person in these cases.One of the most common STDs lacks a definitive test.A tissue scraper from the genitals can be used to diagnose the disease, but neither test works perfectly.There is no test for men.It is necessary to visually examine sores to make a diagnosis.The Pap test is recommended for women between the ages of 21 and 65.
Step 13: You should give yourself time to deal with your emotions.
Getting a positive result from an STD test can be emotional.You might feel embarrassed, frustrated, sad, angry, or ashamed.You might not know what to do next.It's having these thoughts.You should give yourself time to process your feelings.It's not bad to have an STD.You are already better off than when you took the test.You can start getting treatment now that you know about it.If you get a positive STD diagnosis, you are not alone.Some STDs are very common.In the U.S., most sexually active men and women will get at least one case of the human immunodeficiency virus.
Step 14: Share the results with your partner.
If you test positive for an STD, you have a responsibility to tell anyone you've had sex with, even if you didn't get the disease.This can be awkward but it's necessary.You can give these people the chance to get tested by telling them.They can start treatment if they have the disease.Notification of past partners can be life-saving if you test positive for a serious STD.
Step 15: Start with a doctor's recommended treatment plan.
Discuss the results of your STD test with your doctor.When you get your test results, you can do this.Instructions to schedule an appointment will come with a positive test.The quicker you receive treatment, the better your recovery will be.Some STDs can be cured with medicines that can make the disease go away.Gonorrhea can be cured with antibiotics.STDs caused by Viruses don't have cures.You must wait for your body to fight off the virus on its own.Treatment can make the symptoms go away and make it much harder to spread the virus.
Step 16: You should prevent the spread of your STD if you have one.
It's your responsibility to tell your sexual partners if you have an STD.Some types of protection can help prevent the spread of the disease.Condoms are the most widely used means of protecting against STDs.A male or female condom can greatly reduce the risk of STDs.This is only possible if it completely covers the area.It's important for both partners to make an informed decision before having sex because condoms are not 100% effective.You can find more information in our condom article.