Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STIs)
A sexually transmitted infection, commonly referred to as a sexually transmitted disease, is a serious condition that can develop after having intercourse.
STI symptoms including itching and burning in the vaginal area are common. The good news is that while not all STI medications can treat the infection, the majority of them can. You can get an STI again even if you take medicine to treat it.
What is an STI?
Most sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are spread between partners through oral, vaginal, or anal intercourse, especially if you don’t wear a condom.
STIs are caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites that can be transferred from one person to another during sex or personal contact.
Once you’ve started treatment for an STI, you should refrain from having sex with anyone. If you do engage in sexual activity, the illness can spread to your lover.
How is STI testing done?
In British Columbia, reportable STIs include syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV, and Hepatitis A, B, and C.
To assist in stopping future transmission in the community, positive lab results for these illnesses are reported to the local medical health officer (public health). This data is kept private and securely archived.
Ask your doctor
Don’t assume that your physician will always test you for STIs if you go in for an annual physical or sexual health checkup. Many doctors don’t routinely check their patients for STIs.
It’s critical to ask your doctor to test you for an STI and to learn which tests they recommend and why.
There’s no need to feel embarrassed about taking care of your sexual health.
If you are worried about a particular infection or symptom, speak with a doctor. You can expect better treatment the more honest you are.
If you’re expecting, it’s crucial to be tested since STIs can harm the fetus. At your initial prenatal visit, your doctor should perform STI screenings in addition to other procedures.
If you have ever been the victim of sexual assault or another form of sexual
violence, you must get tested. If you have been sexually assaulted before, you should get medical attention from a licensed healthcare professional.
The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) and other organizations assist rape and sexual assault survivors.
For anonymous, private assistance, contact RAINN’s national sexual assault hotline at 800-656-4673. If necessary, RAINN can also direct you to nearby assistance.
How to take the STD test?
Your doctor may request several tests to check for STIs depending on your sexual history, such as:
urine and blood tests
Urine or blood samples can be used to test for the majority of STIs. Your doctor may request tests of your blood or urine for the following conditions:
- Gonorrhoea, syphilis, chlamydia, and HIV.
- Blood and urine tests may not always be as accurate as other types of testing.
Additionally, blood testing may not be accurate for a month or longer after exposure to some STIs.
For instance, it could take several weeks to several months for testing to show that a person has HIV.
Swabs
Many medical professionals use vaginal, cervical, or urethral swabs to test for STIs.
If you have a vagina, your doctor can take vaginal and cervical swabs during a pelvic exam using a cotton applicator.
If you have anal intercourse, they may also take a rectal swab to look for infectious organisms in your rectum.
A cotton applicator can be inserted into your urethra to take urethral swabs if you have a penis or vagina.
Pap smears and HPV testing
A Pap smear isn’t technically an STI test. A Pap smear is a test that tests for cervical or anal cancer in its early stages.
Cervical cancer risk is higher in those with persistent HPV infections, especially those caused by HPV 16 and HPV 18, who were born with the gender given to them.
Anal cancer can also be contracted through anal intercourse by HPV infections. Nothing in a normal Pap smear result indicates that you have a STI. Your doctor will ask for an additional HPV test to screen for the virus.
It’s not always the case that you have or will develop cervical or ovarian cancer if you have an abnormal Pap screening result. Many abnormal Pap smears clear up on their own.
Your doctor might advise HPV testing if you have an abnormal Pap smear. It’s unlikely that you may soon acquire cervical or anal cancer if the HPV test is negative.
The accuracy of HPV tests in predicting cancer is not particularly high. The
majority of sexually active persons will acquire at least one kind of HPV at
some point in their life, and the CDC estimates that 13 million trusted Source Americans obtain HPV each year. The majority of these individuals never acquire cervical or anal cancer.
inspection of the body
Through a combination of physical examination and other testing, doctors can identify some STIs, such as herpes and genital warts.
A physical examination by a doctor can be used to check for sores, lumps, and other symptoms of STIs. They can also collect samples from any dubious locations to send to a lab for analysis.
If you observe any changes on or near your genitals, you should tell a doctor right away. Any modifications to your anus or rectum should be disclosed if you engage in anal sex.
What STIs should you be tested for?
STIs come in a variety of forms. Speak with a doctor to find out which ones you should get checked for. They might push you to get checked for any of the following:
Chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, hepatitis B, syphilis, and trichomoniasis are among the diseases.
Unless you have a known exposure or request the test, your doctor is unlikely to offer to test you for herpes.
You might be a question about doing sexual health test? Here we have passed the question.
When to speak with a doctor?
Even while certain STIs may not cause any symptoms, it is nevertheless advisable to keep an eye out for any infection-related symptoms, no matter how slight.
If you experience any of these signs, seek medical attention right once.
Changes in urine, odd genital discharge, itchiness or burning, blisters, lumps, or rashes, pelvic pain, or pain in the lower abdomen, unexpected vaginal bleeding, or uncomfortable penetrative sex are all symptoms to watch out for.
Where can you be tested for STIs?
You may get a STI test at a variety of locations, such as Planned Parenthood.
Costs vary depending on a number of variables, including income, demography, and eligibility for aid.
A medical practice:
You can make an appointment with a doctor or go to your neighborhood urgent care facility for rapid testing.
Local medical facilities:
The majority of government-funded healthcare facilities provide gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV testing for free or at a moderate cost. Some are also given money to get tested for hepatitis, trichomoniasis, and herpes.
Drugstore:
Schedule testing for some STIs, such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, at some pharmacies.
At home:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved one rapid at-home HIV test at the moment, the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test.
If you don’t reside in the US, you have additional options. There are several STI home test kits available, including LetsGetChecked, Everlywell, and Nurx.
Many STIs are illnesses that require reporting. This implies that your doctor is compelled by law to inform the government of any positive results.
To support public health programs, the government keeps track of STI-related data. The following STIs must be reported: chancroid, chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis, HIV, syphilis.
Additionally, if you reside in the US, you can locate convenient testing locations and local facilities at rapidstdtesting center
Costs of sexual health testing (STD or STI)
The rapidstdtesting center has both different test packages and individual tests, which can be different according to the doctor’s diagnosis or your needs.
| RapidSTD Basic Panel | RapidSTD Test Panel | RapidSTD Test Panel Plus |
|---|---|---|
| • HIV-1 Ab, HIV-1 Ag • HIV-2 Ab • Syphilis • Chlamydia • Gonorrhea | • HIV-1 Ab, HIV-1 Ag • HIV-2 Ab • Herpes 1, Herpes 2 • Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C • Syphilis • Chlamydia • Gonorrhea | • HIV-1 Ab, HIV-1 Ag • HIV-2 Ab • Herpes 1, Herpes 2 • Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C • Syphilis • Chlamydia • Gonorrhea • HIV RNA Early Detection |
| $249 | $389 | $529 |
| GET TESTED NOW | GET TESTED NOW | GET TESTED NOW |
Individual Test Pricing
For those who want to test for a single sexually transmitted disease, we offer individual testing. Please select tests from the list below.
| Individual Test | Pricing |
|---|---|
| Chlamydia | $139.00 |
| Chlamydia & Gonorrhea | $189.00 |
| Gonorrhea | $139.00 |
| Hepatitis A | $139.00 |
| Hepatitis B | $139.00 |
| Hepatitis C | $139.00 |
| Syphilis | $139.00 |
| HIV 1 & 2 Antibody (4th Gen) | $139.00 |
| HIV RNA Early Detection | $299.00 |
| Herpes 1 | $139.00 |
| Herpes 2 | $139.00 |
| Herpes 1 & 2 | $189.00 |
| Trichomoniasis | $199.00 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What STIs should I be tested for?
- In line with CDC recommendationsTrusted Source: • HIV testing should be done at least once in life and again after any possible exposure for anyone aged 13 to 64.
- Chlamydia and gonorrhea testing should be performed yearly on sexually active women under the age of 25.
- Women over 25 having several partners or partners who have an STD should undergo yearly gonorrhea and chlamydia testing.
- Pregnant women should get tested for syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B and C, and high risk pregnant women should get tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia in the early stages of pregnancy.
If they have several or anonymous partners, sexually active gay men, bisexual
men, or other men who have sex with males should get tested every three to six
months for syphilis, chlamydia, HIV, and gonorrhea.
Every year, HIV testing should be done on everyone who shares drug injection
equipment or engages in sexual activity that puts them at risk of infection.