Must-Have Testing for STDs: The Essential STD Tests Everyone Should Have

If you’re worried about catching sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), those fears are, unfortunately, well-founded. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cases of gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia have continued to rise year after year. Modern medicine can cure certain STDs or keep their symptoms at bay, but it’s far better to never get infected in the first place.

Sexually active people should never risk going without testing for STDs. In this guide, our team at Rapid STD Testing explains the different types of STD testing, such as our 10-panel STD test. We’ll also cover the difference between at-home testing vs. an STD testing clinic, as well as what to do if you test positive.

All About STD Testing

Wondering who should get tested for STDs? Basically, if you’re sexually active or planning on having sex with a new partner, it’s wise to ask for an STD test.

Testing regularly is important because certain STDs don’t show symptoms for months or years, if ever. By the time you do notice something wrong, the virus or bacteria could have done irreversible damage to your body.

It’s never fun to see a positive result on an STD test, but once you know, you can see a doctor for treatment.

The CDC recommends that the following groups should test for STDs:

• Men who have sex with men: Men in this group have a higher-than-average risk of contracting chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV.
• Pregnant women: Pregnant women should get tested for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and hepatitis B because these infections could pass to their babies during birth.
• Sexually active women younger than 25 years: This group should schedule screenings for chlamydia and gonorrhea every year.
• Non-monogamous men and women who have unprotected sex: Non-monogamy is one of the biggest risk factors of STDs. This group should get tested every three to six months.
• People who use injectable drugs: This group has a high risk of HIV.
• People with HIV: Those with HIV have an increased risk of contracting other STDs due to their weakened immune systems.

Urine vs. Blood vs. Swab STD Tests

Urine tests are the easiest and most convenient type of STD test to take. Your doctor may use this test to diagnose gonorrhea and trichomoniasis.

For a blood test, your provider takes a small blood sample from your arm. STD blood tests can detect HIV, syphilis, and herpes.

Swab tests can be uncomfortable, but they’re highly accurate. To perform a test, your doctor collects fluids from the site of infection, such as the vagina, cervix, penis, or urethra. This test can help diagnose herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HPV.

The Different Types of STD Tests

A rapid STD test can check for a wide range of STDs, but which type of test is right for you?

Home test kits are very convenient, especially if you don’t live near a testing clinic. Plus, they can help alleviate embarrassment if you’re too anxious to see your doctor.

However, the accuracy of an at-home test depends on the quality of your sample. If you collect your own sample, there’s a possibility of doing it wrong no matter how carefully you follow the instructions.

Lab testing is more accurate because trained professionals collect the samples. If you’d rather not go to your doctor’s office for testing, you can also get tested for STDs at an urgent care clinic. Expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $400 for a full STD test at these locations.

Rapid STD Testing offers the best of both worlds. Discreetly order your test online, then head to one of more than 2,500 test centers to get tested. Our STD tests range in cost, usually starting around $70. Some health plans may cover the cost of STD testing, depending on your age, risk level, and lifestyle.

Our tests for STDs include:

Chlamydia

Chlamydia often has no symptoms, but when it does, you may notice abnormal discharge from your penis or vagina, a burning sensation when urinating, or pain in your rectum. Diagnosing chlamydia requires a simple urine test.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is one of the most common STDs, and many infected people don’t even know they have it. Symptoms can appear anywhere from one to 14 days post-infection. They include discharge, testicular pain (for men), and bleeding between periods (for women).

Because gonorrhea is so common, gonorrhea tests are some of the most common STD tests. To get tested for gonorrhea, you’ll take a nucleic acid amplification (NAA) urine test.

Hepatitis B and C

Hepatitis B and C are liver infections caused by a virus. People with hepatitis B may not notice symptoms for decades. When they do appear, symptoms can include blood in the stool, confusion, and ascites (a buildup of fluid in abdominal cavities).

Hepatitis C doesn’t cause symptoms for many people either. Infected people may only notice a problem in the disease’s late stages after they’ve developed cirrhosis and liver failure.

A healthcare provider can perform testing for STDs like hepatitis B and C with a simple blood test.

Syphilis

Syphilis is a bacterial infection that can spread through contact with sores called chancres. In the early stages, you might have flu-like symptoms. Untreated syphilis can spread to your eyes, brain, and nervous system.

Doctors can diagnose syphilis with a blood test. However, syphilis antibodies may not show up in your blood until three months after exposure. If you test negative before then, get tested again to make sure the results are accurate.

Herpes

Herpes symptoms start about 2 to 12 days post-exposure to the virus. They can include blisters around your mouth, genitals, or anus, painful urination, itching around the genitals, and discharge from the vagina or urethra. During your first outbreak, you might also feel like you’re coming down with the flu.

To test for herpes, a provider will check your blood for the presence of antibodies.

HIV

HIV may not cause symptoms for two to four weeks after infection. Symptoms can resemble those you’d have with the flu, such as muscle aches, fever, night sweats, chills, and fatigue.

Testing for HIV involves a blood test looking for antibodies or the actual virus.

What Happens if You Get a Positive Result?

Once you’ve been tested for STDs, you’ll normally get your results in 5 to 10 days. With tests from Rapid STD Testing, though, you’ll have your results in only one to two days. If you’re in a hurry, you can order fast and secure STD testing from us right now.

If your test results come back positive, first of all, don’t panic! Here’s what to do:

• Get tested again. Although modern STD tests are very good, no test is 100% accurate, so there’s always a small chance of false positives. Your test might also come back positive if your provider collected your sample incorrectly.
• Learn more about the STD you’ve been diagnosed with. The CDC is an excellent resource with everything you need to know about STDs, including symptoms and treatments.
• Start treatment as soon as you get a positive result. Not every STD has a cure, but you may be able to take medication to stop or slow the progression of the infection. Chronic hepatitis B has no cure, for example, but you can manage your condition with antiviral therapy. If you have a bacterial STD such as chlamydia or gonorrhea, your doctor will prescribe you a course of antibiotics.
• Tell your sexual partner or potential partners that you’re infected. Nobody enjoys admitting that they have an STD, but it’s important to tell your partners so they can take steps to protect themselves and others.
• Use condoms with your partners to minimize the risk of transmitting STDs to them.
• See your doctor regularly. Some STDs, such as HIV, put you at a higher risk of contracting other infections. You can live a normal life with STDs, but you must manage your health well to prevent your condition from getting worse.
• Reach out to a support group if you’re feeling alone. Living with an STD can be difficult. A support group allows you to connect with others who have the same STD you do. If you’d rather not visit an in-person group, you can find plenty of helpful communities online.

Order STD Testing With Fast, Accurate Results

Testing for STDs doesn’t have to be complicated, and with our same-day STD testing services, you can order a test from the privacy of your own home. Once you’ve visited a lab for testing, you’ll get your results in just a couple of days, and nobody will be able to see those results but you.

Call Rapid STD Testing at (866) 872-1888 to learn more, or order your STD test now.