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What STDs Should I Get Tested For? Timeline and Ways to Know
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported in 2018 that around 20% of Americans had an STD. That means that, if you are sexually active, one out of five of the people you’ve had sex with probably had an STD. If you’ve been having unprotected sex, you should get tested for STDs as soon as possible.
What STDs should I get tested for?
According to the same CDC report, the most common STDs among Americans include:
- Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)
- Syphilis
- Trichomoniasis
While diseases like genital herpes (HSV-2) are non-fatal, HIV and some other diseases on the list can compromise long-term health. Check to find out if you are STD-free by contacting Rapid STD Testing for a 10 panel STD test today.
The Importance of STD testing
Many sexually transmitted infections (STIs) don’t show obvious symptoms until it’s too late. Don’t let that be your situation. By getting tested as often as possible, you can catch sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in their early stages and stop them from getting out of hand.
For instance, if you contract HIV and get tested while the disease is in its infancy, you can get treated and prevent the ailment from becoming full-blown AIDS. Other STDs may lead to these health complications if you don’t know your status and get treatment on time:
- Infertility
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Liver disease or liver failure
- Cervical cancer
- Heart and blood vessel damage
- Miscarriages or passing the STD to your baby during birth
Knowing your status on time will also help you take measures to prevent infecting other people.
How often should you get tested for STD?
At Rapid STD Testing, we recommend getting an STD test every time you have unprotected casual sex. Also, the CDC recommends that you get tested every three to six months if you have multiple or anonymous partners.
Getting tested every time you have unprotected sex will not stop you from catching a disease. However, it will let you know when you have an STD so that you can get help before the disease causes lasting damage to your health. Also, if you know you have an STD, you can avoid making mistakes that might lead to your loved ones catching the illness.
How do I know where to get tested?
Fortunately, you don’t have to look too far to find where to get tested for STDs. Our Rapid STD Test service allows you to order an at-home STD test and get your results online. It’s hassle-free and inexpensive, meaning you have no reason not to check your STD status today.
Guidelines on What STD Tests You Should Get
Be sure to get tested immediately if you notice symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection. The type of STI testing you should get will depend on your symptoms. For example, if you are experiencing any of the following, get tested for chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea:
- Burning sensations during urination
- Abnormal discharge from your genitals
- Anal or vaginal bleeding
Better yet, cover all your bases by getting tested for every possible STD.
What STD tests should you get if you have no symptoms but have had unprotected sex with multiple partners? Get tested for these STDs:
1. Gonorrhea
According to the CDC, around 1.6 million new gonorrhea cases occurred in the U.S. in a recent year (2018). More than half of those cases were among people between 15 and 24 years old. Gonorrhea is an STD that infects mucous membranes in the reproductive tract. It can affect a man’s urethra and the uterus, cervix, urethra, and fallopian tubes in women.
Gonorrhea symptoms include:
- White, yellow, or green penile discharge
- Testicular or scrotal pain
- Vaginal discharge
- Vaginal bleeding between periods
- Anal itching
- Painful bowel movements
Untreated gonorrhea can lead to male or female infertility. Most testing facilities check for gonorrhea by taking a urine test or penile or vaginal swab and assessing the sample in a lab.
2. Chlamydia
According to the CDC, all sexually active women under 25 years old should undergo chlamydia and gonorrhea testing at least once a year. In the U.S., chlamydia is the most common bacterial STI, and in 2018, there were nearly 1.8 million cases.
Chlamydia is most common among women between the ages of 20 and 24 years old. Its symptoms include:
- Burning sensation during urination
- Abnormal vaginal or penile discharge
- Sores around the genitals
- Swollen or painful testicles
- Vaginal bleeding between periods
If you have multiple sex partners or a sex partner who has multiple sex partners, or similar risk factors, you should get a chlamydia test every year.
3. HIV
If you have multiple sex partners and do not practice safe sex, you should get tested for HIV at least every three to six months. At Rapid STD Testing, we also recommend getting tested for HIV if you:
- Test positive for any STI
- Use intravenous drugs recreationally
- Are with child or plan on getting pregnant
- Recently had unprotected intercourse against your will
The CDC advises that everyone between 13 and 64 years old undergo an HIV test at least once as part of routine health care. Note that HIV testing requires a blood test.
4. Syphilis
Syphilis is an STD that can cause serious health complications if you do not receive proper treatment quickly. According to Statista, syphilis in the U.S. is most common in men between 25 and 29 years old. In 2019, there were 129,813 new syphilis cases.
If you notice syphilis symptoms like painless genital sores, mouth ulcers, body rashes, or fever, you should get a syphilis test as soon as possible. You should also get tested if you recently had oral, anal, or vaginal sex with someone who has recently received a syphilis diagnosis.
5. HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
Some types of HPV can cause cervical cancer, while others cause genital warts. Around 79 million Americans have HPV, and about 14 million people get infected each year. Many people don’t even know they have HPV, and the virus disappears on its own after a couple of years.
Male HPV testing usually involves a visual inspection or genital warts biopsy. Female HPV testing may involve a pap test. We recommend that women between 21 and 65 get tested every three years.
6. Herpes
Herpes is a viral infection, and most people who contract it never experience symptoms. Those that experience symptoms could develop cold sores around their mouth if they contracted herpes simplex virus type 1. Developing genital sores usually indicates a herpes simplex virus type 2 infection. Get tested if you experience either or both symptoms.
According to Planned Parenthood, one out of six Americans has genital herpes. WebMD states that approximately one out of five women has genital herpes, while around one out of nine men has the virus.
7. Hepatitis
The CDC recommends that every pregnant woman get a hepatitis B and C test during the early stages of pregnancy. If the test is positive, your doctor can take measures to prevent the infection from affecting the baby’s health. The CDC also advises that everyone born between 1945 and 1965 get a hepatitis C test.
While hepatitis A, B, and C are different, they have overlapping symptoms, such as fatigue, nausea, jaundice, lethargy, and fever.
STD Testing Options
Every STD requires a different type of test. For example, HIV testing requires a blood test, while chlamydia and gonorrhea require urine tests. At Rapid STD Testing, we offer convenient screening options, such as:
1. Laboratory Screening
You can visit one of our FDA-approved testing facilities for your STD test. Since we have over 2,500 facilities spread across the U.S., you should have no trouble finding one that’s close.
We keep STD tests as painless as possible by using minimally invasive tactics to get the samples we need. Before collecting samples, we will ask some questions about your sexual health. Since we will use your answers to determine the appropriate tests to administer, it’s essential to provide us with honest answers.
If your test comes back positive, we have specialists that can guide you towards the best treatment for your STD. Don’t forget that the sooner you get tested, the sooner you can get treatment and prevent the STD from causing irreversible damage to your health—or spreading it to others.
We follow Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) guidelines regarding medical privacy. That means your health information is safe with us, and only you and your doctor can access your health and medical history.
2. At-Home STD Testing
If you can’t make time to visit an STD testing facility, our at-home STD testing services have you covered. We offer test panels for all the common types of STDs. You can test for multiple STDs by ordering for one of these test panel packages:
- Rapid STD Basic Panel: It tests for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
- Rapid STD Test Panel: It tests herpes, HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea.
- Rapid STD Test Panel Plus: You can use it for herpes, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV RNA early detection.
Alternatively, if you have a specific STD that you’d like to test for, we recommend getting our Individual Test kit. We have individual test kits for ten different STDs.
Our test kits are user-friendly, and we test samples in FDA-approved, CLIA-certified labs to ensure accurate results. After receiving your samples, we can provide you with the results within one to three days.
Our at-home STD testing service and online result delivery are 100% discreet. If your test comes back positive, our medical experts can guide you towards the best STD treatment.
Getting an STD Test Has Never Been Easier
Now that you have answers to what STDs you should get tested for, are you ready to get an STD test? If so, contact Rapid STD Testing for same-day STD testing at one of our nearby testing centers. Alternatively, order online for an at-home STD test panel.