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Getting Tested for STDs and Why It Is Needed
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28 Apr 2019 |

Getting Tested for STDs and Why It Is Needed

Have you ever given it a thought to how often you should go for STD tests in London? Well, if you haven’t then you really should start considering it. How frequently you are to go for STD test in London depends on your sexual behaviour. Doctors usually have their own opinions on who should be tested for a particular STD, but it is really up to you because you know yourself better, and you know the sexual activities you are into.

It is important to note that official recommendations are made based on research statistics on infection rates and sexual activities.

But many health experts are of the opinion that the best way to reduce the menace of STD is for individuals to educate themselves and then take the tests based on their level of concern, sexual history, and current sexual engagement.

Guidelines for STD testing

Below are some basic guidelines on STD you need to know:

If you’re sexually active: All sexually active adults and pregnant women should be tested for HIV. They should also be tested for gonorrhoea and chlamydia, and this can be done easily using urine samples.

Anyone can request for these tests but some doctors at the STI Clinic in London recommend regular testing for both infections for individuals that are at high risk of these

If you’re under 24: A 2006 CDC surveillance report states that young people between the ages of 15 to 24 years make up 25% of the sexually active population and they also make up close to 50% of new STDs cases in that year.

Young people who are sexually active need to get tested at least once a year for STDs such as HIV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis. However, those who have frequent sexual intercourse should go for tests at least once every few months while those in a monogamous relationship can be tested once every two years for chlamydia test because it is common and highly destructive. That’s the only STD that do not show symptoms when present in the body and that can lead to a lot of damage.

You can demand a chlamydia test when you go for private STD testing in London. Most doctors don’t test heterosexual men for STDs unless they have symptoms; they are only tested for HIV.

The reason for this is because women are the highest victims of chlamydia and HPV, and in the past, STD tests involved painful swabbing.

However, chlamydia can affect men and have a negative impact on their fertility. But now, these tests can be carried out easily on men because painless urine tests for gonorrhoea and chlamydia have been developed.

You can ask for urine tests when you go for STD test in London, and you can also be asked to be tested on syphilis as well, but this test is usually done depending on your sexual activity, your level of concern, and the rate of the infection in your community.

If you are gay: You will be tested for HIV and syphilis if you are a man who has sex with other men because these infections are higher in this category of people and there is a high risk of you spreading it to other men.

You can go for screening twice a year, but if you have many partners, the number of yearly screenings has to be more. You can also demand gonorrhoea and chlamydia tests when you go for STD test in London because these infections are highly prevalent in gay men.

You can request for a urine test instead of going through the discomforting swabbing of your uterus.

If you are a woman: Women of any sexual preferences should be tested for HIV in addition to the annual Pap smears. This will ensure that there are no abnormalities in the cervix, which can be potentially cancerous, and it is caused by human papillomavirus.

Women under the age of 26 should get the HPV vaccination — annual chlamydia tests can also be carried out. You should get frequent screenings if you have multiple sex partners.

A full pelvic examination is not required for a chlamydia test now since it can be detected via urine test. You can also request for a gonorrhoea test when running the chlamydia test. This is good if you are concerned that you have been exposed to these infections.

Contact us today for your private STD testing in London — you can call us on 02071830649 to book an appointment. We offer high-quality STI testing and treatment services. When you want to run an STD test in London, come to us.

We provide 100% confidentiality, and you would get your result on the same day. We also offer expert advice to our patients and educate them on how best to prevent these infections.

We also treat STDs, and all our services are fast, private, and affordable. We also open in the evenings and on weekends. So, you can contact us anytime it’s convenient for you.