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Top three reasons to consider testing yourself for an STI
new STI cases in 2018
of the new STI cases were
among youth aged 15-24
people in the USA have an STI
Anyone who had sex without protection is at risk of getting contagious and serious STDs. In addition, they can also expect unplanned pregnancies. One question that often arises among people who have unprotected sex is, “How long should I wait to get tested for STDs?”
While thinking about how soon to test for STDs, you may easily assume that you should go for an STD test the very next day after unsafe sex and get an immediate answer. However, many STDs take time to show, and you usually won’t get an accurate result if you go too early.
Waiting for a few weeks after unprotected sex will be more ideal to go for an STD test if you are wondering how soon to test for STDs. It also depends on the type of STDs you exposed yourself to. For example, HIV symptoms take months to appear and gonorrhea about 2 to 6 days.
Top three reasons to consider testing yourself for an STI
new STI cases in 2018
of the new STI cases were
among youth aged 15-24
people in the USA have an STI
Timing is an important factor when it comes to determining how soon to test for STDs. STDs have an incubation period, which is the time between when you came in contact with the STD and when your system started producing antibodies against the STDs.
In an STD test, the antibodies formed by your body are examined. If you are not aware of how long to wait to get tested for STDs and go before the proper incubation time, you might get an inaccurate result.
And in such a case, the STDs will be yet to show any symptoms, so there is a high chance of getting a false-negative result. If you are wondering, “How long should I wait to get tested for STD?” we suggest a few weeks, unless the symptoms are showing already.
Chlamydia is one of the most commonly reported STDs in the US that can transmit through vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Only a few people show symptoms during the initial stages of Chlamydia. It can include pain while urinating and having sex, discharge from the penis, swollen testicles, and occasional bleeding in between periods for women.
While the symptoms can appear in a few days, most people show symptoms only after several weeks of acquiring the infection. On the other hand, they might not show at all. The incubation period is seven to twenty-one days for symptomatic infections, and the window period is two to six days.
So if you are thinking about how soon to test for STDs like Chlamydia, you can go after about five days after the unprotected sex. But you might want to go for a re-test after two weeks to ensure the accuracy of the first test. Also, you might want to see how the medications are working and if you still have the infection if you tested positive the first time.
Some STDs don’t show symptoms, while some produce them even after days. So it will depend on the STD you think you may have acquired. But whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, an infected person can pass the STD to their partner. So don’t go too soon or wait too long as you think about how soon to test for STDs or “how long after sex STD test?”
If you visit one of our many partner labs in the city, STD tests will take only a few minutes, depending on the STD type. You can ask your doctor about how soon to test for STDs and book an appointment for the STD tests online. However, if you are above 16 years, you don’t need a doctor’s note.
The visit to the lab usually takes only about ten minutes, so you don’t have to worry about spending too much time while also thinking about how soon to test for STDs before you go.
If you are in doubt about the timing, you can always ask the doctor your queries and things like “How soon after sex can I test for STD?’ and “How long after sex to get tested?” so that you can go in the right time next time onwards.
Although it depends on the type of STDs, it takes only one to two days at our partner labs for the STD results. You can talk confidentially with a doctor about your results and also ask about how soon to test for STDs in the future.
If you are still not sure about how soon to test for STDs, you can talk to your healthcare provider so that you can book the appointment at the right time.
Ignoring and leaving STDs uncured can lead to serious complications. While it might be easy to overlook some STD symptoms, failing to treat them can cause organ damage, ulcers in the mouth or genitals, and even fatality in the future.
Whether you assume, it is Chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, or any other sexually transmitted disease, the only way to ensure your STD status is by getting tested. And while there are treatments for STDs available, some are incurable, and you will have to carry them for life. Therefore, using protection during sex is imperative to ensure your safety. And you won’t have to ask ‘how soon to test for STDs” too often!
Top three reasons to consider testing yoursef for and STI
new STI cases in 2018
of the new STI cases were
among youth aged 15-24
people in the USA have an STI
Top three reasons to consider testing yoursef for and STI
new STI cases in 2018
of the new STI cases were
among youth aged 15-24
people in the USA have an STI
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