Home Testing For STDs

It is incredibly easy for a person to contract sexually transmitted diseases. All they need to do is have any form of sexual contact with an infected person. This can be oral sex, vaginal sex or anal sex. In each of these cases, the virus, bacteria or fungus that causes the STD can be passed from the infected person to the uninfected person. To avoid getting STD, you should avoid having irresponsible sexual behavior. You should also take the necessary precautions when you are about to have sexual contact to ensure you do not get infected. 

Examples of Sexually Transmitted Diseases

There are several types of sexually transmitted diseases. The most common are; chlamydia, herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B and HPV among others. While these may be the most common, there are many others. A person can have more than one type of sexually transmitted diseases. It all depends on their sexual behavior. For instance, if you have sexual contact with a person who has chlamydia, then sleep with someone else who has HIV, you will get infected with both diseases. In addition to that, you will pass the chlamydia to the other person. 

Getting Tested for STDs

The key to reducing the spread of STDs lies in knowing your status. If you know you are infected with any type of STD, you can seek treatment to ensure the disease does not cause any harm to your body. If you test negative, you can continue practicing safe sex and take the necessary precautions to avoid getting infected. This includes; having a single sexual partner, using male latex condoms when you having sexual contact, getting vaccinated and getting tested regularly, especially when you find a new sexual partner. 

At-Home Testing of STDs

It is understandable that most people do not want to get tested at a medical facility due to privacy reasons. It can be extremely embarrassing, especially if you test positive. However, you need to know your status so that you can seek treatment urgently if you test positive. The good news is that there are several home testing kits for STDs. There are kits that can be used to test for all the different types of STDs. Some kits, however, can only be used to test for a single type of STI, such as chlamydia. If you have exhibited symptoms of chlamydia, therefore, you can purchase a home testing kit that is meant specifically for chlamydia. 

Types of Test Kits

There are two types of kits that you can buy to test for chlamydia at home. The first is an instant test kit that can give you instant results. The second type is a kit that allows you to extract the sample needed to carry out the test and return it to the lab via free post. Whichever test kit you choose, you can be assured of confidentially testing yourself at home for any type of STI. Depending on the results you get, you can take the appropriate measures. This includes seeking treatment in case you test positive.