02 May 2019 |

How Doctors Diagnose and Test for Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) as the name implies are spread through sexual intercourse with an infected person. STDs are spread through sexual contact with fluids like vaginal secretions, semen, blood etc. There are common STDs that affect mostly young men and women out there, and they include chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes, HPV and worse HIV. Sometimes, these infections manifest symptoms in the body. Other times, there are no outward symptoms, which makes it hard to know when one is infected.

STDs can be very dangerous, often fatal if left untreated. In severe cases, it could lead to infertility or other serious diseases. This is why you should go for an STD test once you have had unprotected sex. It is quite easy and all you need to do is visit your nearest std clinic and get tested.

Conducting Self-Checks

STDS can and should only be tested for by doctors. If perhaps, you have been involved in any form of unprotected sexual activity, do not hesitate to get tested.

It is important that your doctor is aware of any sexual act you might have been involved, so they will know what to test for. Sadly, some people do not show outward symptoms, and as such, will not know if they have STD or not.

Tests And Labs

Before being screened for STD, a physical examination will be conducted by the doctor. This physical examination includes fluid samples, blood and urine samples and cheek swabs. Cell cultures can also be taken from the throat, anus, vagina, penis or cervix.

Bear in mind that to get an STD test, you will have to be specific with your doctor. It would not be right to assume that you have been tested for something unless you have been told so by the doctor. At STI Clinic, we make it easy for our clients to be specific about STDs that they would like to be tested for. Contact us today.

Asking For An Std Test

Yes, it can be very uncomfortable to visit an STD clinic and ask for an STD test. But you need to understand that it is crucial you do so, and therefore you will need to be honest and straight forward. It is already known that there is no standard comprehensive STD screening - due to this, you will have to tell your doctor specifically, what you need.

Below are some STDs you can test for in an STD clinic.

Viral Stds

These are STDs that are caused by viruses. They include;

Hepatitis

Testing for hepatitis involves blood tests. There are about 3 types of hepatitis — hepatitis A, B and C. All are caused by viruses and show similar symptoms.  The results are usually ready in about a day or more. However there is a test that its result is rapidly available in just 20 minutes. This result must be confirmed with a blood test. There are vaccines available for hepatitis A and B, and they are highly recommended.

HIV

Most of the times, tests for HIV include blood tests. Although there can also be instances or clinics where a swab of oral fluid will be taken. HIV test is recommended for everyone, at least once, and for those who engage in more sexual activities, they should be tested more often.

There are a good number of places where one can get tested for HPV, and the results will be ready in under a week. One such clinics is STI Clinic London. It conducts various STD screenings in London, HIV included. If the test results of the STDs come positive, we can also help out with STD treatment.

HPV

Testing for HPV is a lot easier in women than in men. For women, they can be tested for HPV during their regular pap smear test. For men, it is not easy to detect unless they have had anal sex. Sometimes, an oral swab may be offered to test for throat infections with HPV.

The results for this test are usually ready in a couple of days. If the results come out positive, you will have to go for STD treatment in order to prevent future problems.

Herpes

Herpes screening is usually by a blood test. This is for those who are not showing any symptoms. However, if you do have symptoms, a swab of the sores or physical examination w]ll be used for your diagnosis. This is to avoid the possibility of a false positive test, which is a common risk associated with the testing of herpes, using blood test in the absence of symptoms. The result for this test is usually ready in about 1-3 days.

Fungal And Bacterial Stds

Syphilis

Syphilis is one of the common STDs of people today. To get tested for syphilis, your blood sample will be required. Syphilis is mostly recommended for pregnant women and other people who might be at higher risk of contracting syphilis like homosexual males, prison inmates and patients who have another STD.

Unless symptoms begin to manifest, people are not usually tested for syphilis, unless they ask for it. This is because of the risk of false positives. After testing, the results are usually available in under a week. If you wish to test for syphilis, visit STI Clinic London near you for tests.

Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia

These are the two most common STDs to test for. They are also the easiest when it comes to testing. For women, screening for these STDs can be done automatically in some hospitals and clinics. However, the best thing to do, once you have multiple sexual partners would be to get screened for these STDs.

There are numerous clinics that conduct STD screening in London, and you can walk into any of them. Even better, you can come to us at for tests. Testing for these STDs does not involve blood tests; instead, they can be tested for by either urine test or swab test. The results are available in a few days if tested through urine test, but if a swab test is carried out, the results can take up to a week.

Trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis

Although not as common as chlamydia and gonorrhoea, these two are part of the common STDs affecting young people today. To test for these STDs, a vaginal swab is taken from the woman and can be tested immediately, with the result being available almost immediately as well. Also, the vaginal swab or urine sample can be sent to a lab, and results showing up in a day to a week.

Caution

STD tests are common, however, you must be specific in what you want to be tested for. Some doctors will be willing to test you for STDs, especially if you are open and upfront about your reasons for wanting to be tested, however some others might not. If such situations arise, you can visit any STD clinic in London.

If by chance, you test positive to any STD, there is no need to panic, as you can get an STD treatment in London. You will also have to notify your partners so they too can get tested and possibly treated.

If you are worried about confidentiality and privacy, then you should consult us at the STI clinic in London. We will provide you with anonymous STD test.

STI clinic London is an STD clinic that conducts STD screening in London. If you have been involved in any unprotected sexual activity, or you wish to conduct an STD test in confidence, then search strings like “STI screening near me” will help you to contact us at STI clinic London. You can contact us on 02071830649, or visit our clinic for appointments. You will not be disappointed.