Top 4 sexual health screening tests

Top 4 Sexual Health Screening Tests

If you engage in sexual activity, especially with several partners, you might wonder how likely it is to contract an STD and when to get tested.

Having a test is crucial. This is so that you can have an STD without being aware of it. There are frequently no symptoms. In fact, due to the fact that an infection can occur without showing any signs of sickness, many professionals prefer the term sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Gonorrhea and chlamydia

Using a urine test or swab, healthcare professionals check people for chlamydia screening and gonorrhea. Swabs are obtained from the cervix in women and the penis in men. After that, the material is examined in a lab. Screening is crucial because, in the absence of symptoms, you might not be aware that you have an infection.

Hepatitis, Syphilis, and HIV

A blood sample or a swab from any genital sores you may have been used by the doctor to test you for syphilis. In a lab, a lab expert examines the sample. Additionally, your healthcare provider draws blood to screen for hepatitis and HIV screening in BexleyHeath.

Genital herpes

Providers generally only recommend testing for genital herpes for people who have symptoms or other risk factors. However, the majority of herpes patients never experience any symptoms and are still capable of infecting others. If you have blisters or early ulcers, your doctor may collect a tissue sample or culture and send it to a lab. However, especially if you have symptoms, a negative test doesn't automatically imply you don't have herpes.

HPV

Cervical cancer can be brought on by specific human papillomavirus (HPV) strains. Genital warts can be brought on by other kinds of HPV. At some time in their lives, a lot of sexually active people contract HPV, yet they never show any symptoms. The virus typically disappears on its own after two years.

For men, routine HPV testing is not advised. Instead, medical professionals can decide to test men who exhibit symptoms like genital warts. The wart is taken out, and a sample is submitted to a lab.

Additionally, HPV has been related to cancers of the mouth, throat, anus, vulva, vagina, and penis. Some kinds of HPV can be prevented by vaccinations for both men and women. But between the ages of 9 and 26, they work best.