Sleep Better at Night - Take an STD Test!

Are you sexually active? Do you have varied partners whom you are intimate with? Do you worry when you get home at night or in the morning if you have contracted or if you have infected someone with a sexually transmitted disease? If the answers to these questions are yes, then you might want to be in the market to take an STD test, just to be on the safe side. STD test is a medical testing to identify if one has a sexually transmitted disease. However, there is no one standard test to identify all kinds of STDs so it is important for one to know which kind of STD test will help you determine what kind of sexually transmitted disease you might or might not have. There are quite a few reasons to get yourself checked for STD, the most obvious one is to check if you indeed have something to worry about or not. Another reason to get an STD test is to screen you for symptoms that might lead to an STD. After getting yourself tested, you might also want to recommend an STD test to your long term partner in case that you are planning to have a baby. For expecting mothers, an STD test is also recommended to prevent the disease from affecting your baby. STD test is also used for those who might want to donate blood; no one would want blood from someone with STD! Going to your doctor, more specifically your gynecologist is your best bet for getting the most appropriate STD test for you. The reason for this is that your own doctor will know your history, thus you will be more comfortable talking to your doctor about the symptoms that you have been experiencing or what specific disease you are worrying about. However, if you are knowledgeable about STDs, and you know what disease that you would like to be tested for, it would be best to ask your doctor outright, because chances are, your doctor will just test you for a routine STD test. Your doctor should recommend for you to get STD tests for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Cervical Cancer and HIV, which are diseases that should be routinely checked for. However, if you are expecting a child, the STDs that you should be checked for are HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis B, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Bacterial Vaginosis. These tests are usually conducted during the woman's first prenatal check-up, and then during the third trimester as a very good precaution that she has not contracted anything in between visits. However, if you know that you have been exposed to a specific kind of STD which is not usually recommended for testing by doctors, these diseases are not routinely tested for: Syphilis, Tricomoniasis, Genital Herpes, Hepatitis B, Chancroid, and Bacterial Vaginosis. It would be best to get tested as soon as possible. You will be able to sleep better at night knowing that you have undergone an STD test and have tested negative for any disease. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2064327

Know the Facts - STD Statistics

An STD or a sexually transmitted disease is something that someone does not want to hear that he or she has. Getting an STD just means that you have just been hit with the consequence of an action that was executed irresponsibly. There are two things to do now. Research and look up the facts related to the disease, and get you treated by a medical professional. Reading this is a great first step because it means that you are getting yourself educated in the oftentimes confusing and usually misunderstood world of STDs. In this reading, you will also see some STD statistics that will remind you that you are not alone in this. This is the most predictable statistic of all: young adults are the common victims of STD. Why? This is probably because they are not informed properly of the risks and the ways that they can protect themselves from the danger and illnesses that might be had by having unprotected and irresponsible sexual activities. Among young adults, there are roughly 333 million occurrences of STDs in the whole world. To make this clearer, this statistic relates to the curable occurrences of STD in young ones only. Another statistics related to the young ones is that in every four new occurrences of sexually transmitted diseases, one is usually contracted by a teenager. Perception is also important in statistics, which is why even public perception is taken into consideration, especially of teenagers who are usual victims of STDs. It was gathered that fifty-six percent of teens ages 12 to 17 years perceive that STDs are already a huge undertaking for people their age. However, that statistic perception is still sadly quite a low number for teenage awareness of sexually transmitted diseases. In the United States alone, the alarming is that the STD statistics is growing larger. Out of five people, one of them will have an STD. A highly publicized STD is HIV. Having HIV, even if it has not yet developed into AIDS, is already a big deal and can already produce quite a scare in some communities. Sadly, another statistic that is in relation to this and teenagers is that, out of every ten teenagers, one of them probably knows someone who has HIV. STDs vary. Some can be cured easily, some take a long time to cure. However, there are diseases that cannot be cured at all. Bacterial STDs, are, obviously, caused by bacteria, and are treatable. However, there are those diseases that are caused by viruses, called viral STDs that could not be treated at all. The four Hs, viral STDs, cannot be cured. There are those that cause genital warts called HIV and HPV. Another STD that cannot be cured is herpes. And lastly, the only STD that has a preventive vaccine, is hepatitis B. Yes, these may not be curable, but there are available treatments that allow for these diseases to be lessened and eased. Being part of the STD statistics is something that must be dealt with immediately. While the STD statistic is growing larger by the minute, there is also a growing number of institutions that are working against it. Be tested for STD and ensure that you are not part of the statistic. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2064313

STD Home Testing Kits for Men and Women

STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) are not the type of disease to ignore. Many show no obvious symptoms externally although, symptoms can rear through internal illnesses and symptoms indicating you have contracted an STD. If this is the case, testing must be done immediately to ensure that the disease is under control and you are on the correct medication regimen. Some STDs cannot be cured while others cannot be cured but can be controlled. And still others can be cured all together through different types of medication. If you suspect that you have an STD, you may battle over whether or not to get tested. The embarrassment and the judging of your character that comes with having an STD can be stressful and may lead to other issues such as mental health illnesses and body image issues. To avoid the embarrassment, an individual can now test for STDs in the privacy of their own homes without the stigma or judgments that come with being diagnosed with an STD. Standard STD testing can be tricky as the portion of the STD that is detected when tested can only be found through these tests as most STDs do not promote obvious signs. Without reasonable cause, many doctors will not conduct STD testing unless you are pregnant, the doctor has reason to believe that symptoms you are experience could be a possible STD, or if you pursue STD testing with reason to believe that you contracted one of these illnesses from a sexual partner. Many are embarrassed if he or she is pursuing themselves and may feel reluctant to get the test done. Home STD testing kits are ideal for situations such as this. They can detect the mutation in the disease easily and you will immediately have results to get the necessary medication to treat the disease. There are many STD home tests that are exactly precise providing 100% accuracy and are very easy to use. Most of these tests require a urine sample in a clean, plastic cup provided in the test kit. Once you have collected your urine sample, you send it off to a lab to be analyzed. Once the testing lab has finished examining the sample you provided them, you will have the option of obtaining those results online or through a quick, simple phone call in as early as two to three days. STD tests done at a doctor's office many not come back for up to a week causing panic and worry. The tests used in doctor's offices are very similar to home STD testing kits and your results are available much sooner. This method is complete private and you will be the only person allowed to access the results. Depending on the outcome of the test, the research lab that delivered the results will contact your doctor or your local pharmacy to have the right medication prescribed for you. The over the counter STD home testing kits usually include a sterile urine collection cup, directions on how to take the test properly, an appeal form, how to transport your sample, and a prepaid envelope for sending your test sample in. Testing Methodology The way these tests work is you provide a urine sample in the sterile urine collection cup or tube. Once you have collected your sample, you re-attach the top of the cup or tub on and place it in the transport container. Next, you would fill out the appeal form with all information being filled in by you; one thing to keep in mind is that this information sheet must be filled out in full and should be filled out with all correct information. Once you have done this, you place the transport container and the appeal form in the prepaid envelope and end it off to the research lab. The only person who will ever know is you. It is completely confidential and free of charge to you (except for the purchasing of the kit itself). Results will never have to be revealed to those you do not wish them to be revealed to. When the research lab receives your urine sample, lab technicians will begin testing the specimen. When filling out the necessary forms, you will have the option of choosing a single or full STD screening. The difference between the two is that the single test will only test for one specific form of STDs. A full STD screening tests for every possible STD there is. Once the results are ready, you will be able to access them on the Internet. Average turnaround time for results to become available can be between two days and one week. How to Find Out Your Results Once the results of your specimen are found, you will receive a message telling you that you will be able to access the results online and how to access them. At this time, you will sign in using a username and password and will immediately see the results of your test. What should I do if I test positive for an STD? Since the wait is worse enough in finding out the results of your STD testing, finding that the test came back positive may be crushing. It is imperative that you take those results and begin your appropriate course of treatment to either get rid of or control the STD. The manufacturer of the STD home testing kit will provide you with resources on how to deal with a positive result as well as what your next steps are. While most STDs can be found through a simple urine test, most home STD testing kits cannot distinguish between several different types of STDs such as gonorrhea and Chlamydia. Genital warts are diagnosed through a physical examination which is done by a doctor. STD home testing kits do not detect HIV and Hepatitis; if you feel that you have either of these STDs, you must get a blood test from a doctor in order to find out those results. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7738104

The Most Common Q and A for Women Avoiding or Living With STDs

STDs are quite very secretive that they have infected and passed through millions without getting detected. To win the battle against these silent nemeses, you must empower yourself with some very basic information. 1. How frequent must you be tested for STDs? If you are sexually active (be it oral, anal or vaginal) and you have multiple partners or frequently have a new one, then you require an STD test once a year. The recommended yearly test is not enough, if you frequently observe unusual genital discharges, painful urination, itchy private parts and genital warts. You must immediately get tested whenever you observe any of the mentioned signs. 2. Which STD test must you undergo? If you are sexually active and still feel that you're STD-free, then you may try an STD test kit for Chlamydia or HIV test kit. If you recently experienced urination, then you are advised to check for syphilis and gonorrhea. If you rarely use a condom or if you experienced sharing needles, then you require an HIV test. Because STD tests may be considered expensive, always look at the symptoms and your medical history before performing an STD home test or visiting the nearest testing center. 3. Can you ask your sex partner about his or her health status? Although this may appear impossible for many, the answer is yes. You have every right to know your partner's current sexual health problems, because they may also become yours. Just be careful with the wording of your query. Although in theory you can have your partner(s) checked with an STD home test, such is just barely feasible in real life and the best thing you can do is to ask your partner. 4. Is latex condoms foolproof in protecting against all STDs? Condoms greatly cut down the probability of acquiring AIDS and many other STDs but they can't be trusted to protect against some STDs especially those that require skin contact for transmission. Examples of such STDs are herpes and syphilis. Taking post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and undergoing regular STD test must be done in conjunction with faithful condom usage if you intend to never contract possibly life-altering STDs. 5. Do all STDs manifest symptoms right away? A significant number of STDs lack any observable manifestation most of the duration of their infection. This type of STDs only becomes obvious when victims have already been severely compromised. Some common STDs that cannot be quickly diagnosed without advanced methods of testing or laboratory analysis include Chlamydia infection, syphilis, gonorrhea and AIDS. A number of these silent diseases can be detected with just an STD home test. 6. Does having an STD raise the chances of getting another? Further engaging in sexual activities when you are already infected, seriously places you at high risks of contracting another STD. Several STDs, such as AIDS, compromise your body's defenses for example in the oral and genital areas. This weakened immunity grants new STD-causing bacteria or viruses much easier access to your already battered body. 7. Can I have sex with my partner and fail to pass my genital herpes? There is no guarantee that herpes can't be transmitted even if you are practicing safe sex because the herpes virus may reside in areas outside the protective layer of a condom. You can however augment the protection granted by condoms by taking antiviral drugs. Reducing the quantity of viral particles reduces the possibility of successful transmission. For certain non-transmission, you are strongly encouraged to abstain from sex until the herpes outbreak has completely ended. By the time the sores completely disappear, you are advised to use an STD test kit for herpes. 8. Which hepatitis types are STDs and how can transmission be minimized? Hepatitis A, B and C can all be transmitted through sex. Transmission can be drastically reduced by vaccination and condom utilization. Vaccines are available for combating Hepatitis A and B. Hepatitis C has no vaccine, but condoms can definitely stop disease transmission. If you doubt that you may have Hepatitis B, you can verify or demolish your doubt by using the appropriate STD test kit. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7474393

Who Is More Susceptible to Acquiring an STD?

Sexually transmitted diseases, or more commonly known as STDs, are posing a potential danger to human society. STDs have affected millions of people all across the globe. An STD can be fatal- like HIV AIDS or it can disrupt the social and the personal life of the affected person. Early detection of certain STDs can lead to timely treatment and hence the cure. But because of the stigma attached to the STDs, people most often shy away from getting themselves tested. Almost 340 million adults have been infected by STDs other than HIV AIDS since 1999. But do STDs affect everyone equally? Or are there certain people who are more susceptible to STDs than others? Apparently yes. According to the statistics, there are a few factors pertaining to the life style of the person or their geographical location that make them more prone to be infected by a certain STD. However, many of these factors are camouflaged by certain myths, making them even more dangerous. We may first look at the geographical spread of STDs. The avert.org/std-statistics.htm gives the data for the year 1999 for the estimated prevalence and annual incidence of curable STDs by region. North America recorded 14 million cases out of a 156 million in adult population. For Western Europe it was 17 million cases from the population of 203 million. For North Africa & Middle East it was 10 million cases out of 165 million. Eastern Europe & Central Europe recorded 22 million cases out of 205 million. Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 69 million cases from the 269 million populations. The maximum numbers of cases have been reported from South & Southeast Asia - 151 million cases from the population of 955 million. East Asia & Pacific recorded 18 million cases from the 815 million populations. Thus we know how globally the STDs are positioned. There are several other factors that make some people more easily prone to be infected by an STD than the others, the most important of these being people who indulge in unprotected sex. Using a barrier protection like a condom considerably reduces the chances of contracting an infection. Also, people who have more than one frequent sexual partner are obviously at the highest risk of being infected by an STD. Even the ones who indulge in "serial monogamy" - having one sexual partner at a time, but several in succession, are prone to being contracted by STDs. Other than these, people under the age of 25 or on the early age of sexual onset are an easy target for an STD. Alcohol too can lead a person to an STD, not directly but indirectly as under the influence of alcohol one may not be the best judge as to have sex with whom or the usage of condom can be forgotten or easily avoided if one is intoxicated. Trading sex for money or drugs is another leading cause of STDs. Most of places recording the highest prevalence of STDs are among prostitutes. Also, if you live in a community with a high prevalence of STDs, you are more likely to be exposed to an STD any time you have sex. Furthermore, statistics explain that women are more prone to be infected by an STD than men as their anatomy is more prone to infection in general. Thus we now know how a few people are more susceptible to acquiring an STD than others. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6950857

Why Get STD Testing?

Sexually transmitted infections, also known as STIs, and sexually transmitted infections or STDs are highly contagious afflictions which are contracted through sexual or close personal contact. Anyone, regardless of race, nationality, age, or gender, can become affected so long as they engage in sexual relations. In today's age, more and more young people are becoming infected with STDs, and the alarming rate of infection is steadily on the rise. Seeing as how they top the list of possible contractors of the disease, educating oneself and knowing all that you can to prevent infection is a must. STD is more than just a debilitating social stigma. It affects one's health, relationships, as well as peace of mind. Some STDs, when left untreated or undiagnosed, can lead to complications such as infertility, and in some cases even death. The most common cause of infection is due to misinformation. People erroneously believe that one can only contract STDs through sexual contact. This is not entirely true. There a some types of STDs which can be passed by simple skin-to-skin contact, especially if one comes into contact with the infected area. Another unfounded notion is that one cannot contract STD if one engages solely in oral or anal sex. This couldn't be further from the truth. STD viruses can easily invade a person's body through small cuts, wounds, or through the mucous membranes such as those in the mouth or anus. It is hard to tell whether one has STD or not, since the symptoms are hard to diagnose. An infected person may not show any symptoms of STD, and may be unaware of being infected for some time. Thus, it is easy to pass the disease from person to person unwittingly, in the belief that one is STD-free. Though there are certain methods of preventing infection, such as condoms, they are not 100% guaranteed, since there are types of STDs which infect via skin contact alone, such as herpes and genital warts. Since the symptoms of STD do not often manifest themselves, it is important to seek the advice and help of a reliable healthcare practitioner or to go to STD testing centers if you experience some of the probable symptoms or if you simply think you were exposed to someone who has STD. There is a wide variety of treatment available for some types of STDs though they require long-term care and maintenance. It does not mean though, that if you come out positive for STD, the only end result is death. It's not going to be the end of the world. Most STDs are curable, and STD testing centers often prescribe the needed medication to help quell or cure the disease. Letting your partner know about your disease can also provide help, given that they are understanding and supportive enough. It must be stressed that being infected with STD, though not always lethal, can pose a hazard since it might compromise one's health. With many forms of STDs, they are almost always asymptomatic, which makes it hard for someone to tell whether they are infected or not. But even if one does not display any symptoms or tell-tale signs of infection, one can still unknowingly infect others. It is therefore important to receive frequent STD testing in STD clinics. If one is worried about privacy, there are clinics which offer confidential STD testing. With the number of STDs in the world, and the slow but sure rise of the number of infected individuals, being safe is no easy feat. However, the wisest choice you can make is to educate yourself as much as you can about the types of diseases, their symptoms, preventive tips, and the best possible course of treatment for them. It's alright to fear getting an STD. Who wouldn't? Arranging an appointment for confidential STD testing can help you know if you are infected or not, and what best course of action to take if you happen to be so. STD testing --- STD infection is not something to be ignored. Educate yourself. Be safe! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5274531

Know More About STD and Its 25 Different Types

A total of 25 different types of STD have been listed and grouped under STD. It is their nature to be easily transmitted sexually. Aside from sexual transmission, when the wound is open, these diseases can also be transmitted through exchanging of body liquids and infection. Since STD has so many types, in most cases, an infected person is struggling to identify what type of STD is striking him. Among the 25 STDs, six of them are believed to be the most widespread. The six most common STDs are AIDS, syphilis, herpes, Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and genital warts. From the six STDs, Chlamydia is said to be on top as the most prevalent. Every year, there are three million detected cases of Chlamydia and it continues to increase from time to time. In early stages of Chlamydia, it can be treated by antibiotics. But if Chlamydia cannot be treated immediately, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease which is believed to be the reason of infertility. A person with STD will suffer from genital pain, itch, and sores as the early symptoms of the STD. Men with STDs will encounter symptoms such as pain throughout urination, testicular pain and swelling, and penile discharge. Majority of STDs can be cured. But one has to remember that STDs can be the reason for hassles and disabilities in one's life. STD can cause problems that can make life miserable. STDs like gonorrhea, Chlamydia, and syphilis can cause PID or the so-called Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. This disease can be a person's long term and serious problem. It can cause infertility and pelvic pain. There is also a kind of STD that can be the reason for genital warts and can be the cause of cervical cancer. This disease is called Human Papilloma Virus or HPV. Chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea can be treated. Before a person will undergo for a treatment, he must first take an STD test to confirm his suspicion that he has an STD infection. Those who want to undergo any test must always remember that all STD tests are not 100% accurate. When you have the feeling that you have been infected or if you are experiencing STD symptoms, go immediately to an STD clinic and ask for an STD test. It is a sad fact that Hepatitis B, HIV, and Human Papilloma Virus are the kind of STDs that cannot be cured, but these can be treated and managed. Taking an STD test is the best thing a person can do if there are some reproductive system and genital irregularities. The first step is going to the doctor or to any STD clinic and have a blood sample test. After the test and you found out that you are an STD carrier, seek immediately for a medical treatment. Early detection of STD is very important so that an infected person can get appropriate treatment. STDs - this article talks about the types of STD and Their Symptoms. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5164574