STD Testing: Why should you get tested?

1. Intro

2. Commonality of STDs

3. Who needs STD testing?

4. 6 reasons for you to get tested

5. Conclusion

Are you confident that you are safe from Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) despite being sexually active? What if I told you that condoms don't prevent you from contracting STDs and that STDs can occur without showing any symptoms? It is necessary to get tested for STDs because this is the only way to determine whether someone has one and requires treatment. In this article, we'll look at some of the factors that make STI testing so important.

Commonality of STDs

Contracting an STD is probably more common than you think. These extremely contagious diseases don't make distinctions based on age, sexual orientation, marital status, or the number of partners you have. There are many different types of STDs. In Singapore, the most common ones include chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. STDs spread equally between men and women through vaginal, oral, or anal sexual activity.

Who needs STD testing?

You might be wondering if you’re qualified to get an STD test. Well, STD testing is available for anyone, but it’s more important for those:

Those who have symptoms of an STD

Of course, if you have symptoms, you really have to be tested. But most people don’t know what the symptoms are, and like I mentioned above, not all STD positives have symptoms, so if you are sexually active, it would be better if you got yourself checked.

Those who are having unprotected sex

Whether you have unprotected or protected sex, you are still at risk, but since STDs are transmitted through bodily fluids, the risk of spreading or contracting the disease will be reduced if you and your partner(s) are using condoms.

Those with multiple partners

The more sex partners you have, the higher your chances of getting an STD. Therefore, if you're sleeping with more than one person, you’re really at risk of contracting an STD.

Those with unfaithful partners

Even though you’re loyal to your only sex partner, you’re still at risk if your partner has multiple sex partners. Get tested to make sure you haven’t contracted an STD.

Those who were STD-positive before

If you had an STD in the past but already had it treated, you still need to get tested to be aware of your status before you become sexually active again.

Those with a new sexual partner

Getting tested is a smart move before starting a new sexual relationship. Keep in mind that even if they claim not to have an STD, you can never be sure unless the test result is negative.

6 reasons for you to get tested

• You can contract an STD even if you are a virgin

You can still have an STI even if you have never engaged in vaginal sex. Most common STIs, such as Human papillomavirus (HPV), Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), and Syphilis can spread simply through skin-to-skin contact.

• Untreated STDs can cause more serious health problems

An untreated STI can develop into long-term, more serious health problems such as:

• HPV, which can lead to cervical cancer or cancer of the vulva, vagina, penis, or anus

• Syphilis, which can cause blindness and dementia. This health problem can also badly affect your bones and important organs such as your brain, eyes, and kidneys.

• Hepatitis B, which can cause incurable cirrhosis of the liver.

• You can have STD but show no symptoms

Most people don’t get tested because they don’t notice any symptoms, but what if the symptoms are just so mild that you don’t pay much attention to them? Being symptom-free does not necessarily mean you are STD-free. Even if you don't show any symptoms, you can still pass an STD to other people.

• STDs may lead to infertility

One of the more serious consequences of untreated STDs is the loss of fertility in both women and men. Aside from the risk of being infertile, STDs can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can leave scars on the fallopian tubes. This can cause complications during pregnancy.

• STDs are still curable

STDs may be a terrifying illness, but they are highly treatable, especially if they are discovered at an early stage. It’s much better to confirm as soon as possible if you have an STD so you can act quickly to get rid of the infection than wait years later just because you’re too afraid to face the truth, but by the time you take the test, you’re already in worse condition.

• You may unintentionally spread STDs to your partner

You may think that you and your partner are safe from STDs because you use condoms during sex, but condoms do not provide complete protection. The Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which is the most common STI or STD, can lead to cervical and anal cancer. If you both truly care about each other, you wouldn’t mind having honest and open communication about STD risks and getting the test to prevent unintentionally transferring an STD to your partner.

Conclusion

The idea of STD testing can make anyone nervous and uncomfortable, but it gives us the opportunity to be in control of our sexual health. Taking care of your sexual health is important to avoid having illnesses that could potentially cause serious complications later in life. It’s impossible for us to tell if someone has an STD because the only way to confirm it is through testing. Anyone, regardless of age or gender, can have an STD. Chances are people can contract it even without knowing it, and symptoms might come and go as well. That’s why you also shouldn’t just rely on the symptoms.

It’s much better to detect an STD while it’s still in its early stages than to carry it around and unintentionally transfer it to others. Getting regular STD testing provides you and your sex partner with valuable peace of mind, especially if either of you is in a polyamorous relationship. In fact, STD testing is not 100% accurate. Even so, it’s still much better to trust an STD test result than rely on speculation or presumptions. The bottom line is that STD testing is a responsible health choice that should be done regularly.