What The Test Will Tell You: Hiv
DC endorses Undetectable = Untransmittable . Taking HIV medication daily suppresses the virus and means you can’t pass it to others. To learn more about U=U, click here.
What happens if your test did not work or you canât read the results?Call OraQuickâs 24/7 hotline at 436-6527.âTake our questionnaire!About two weeks after receiving your test kit, you will receive an email from the DC Department of Health asking you to complete a questionnaire about your home testing experience. We strongly encourage you to complete the questionnaire so that we can improve our home-based testing.
Std Testing And Treatment After Assault
After being sexually assaulted, it is important that you get a sexual assault examination as soon as possible. If you seek medical care within 120 hours of the assault, the health care provider who sees you may give you medications for certain STDs in case you were exposed to the diseases during the assault. Because these medications are not 100% effective in preventing disease, it is still important that you are aware of what to look for and return to your health care provider in two or three weeks to assure that you have been effectively treated.
For HIV risk, post-exposure prophylaxis of antiretroviral drugs may be offered if the assault took place within 72 hours of your medical evaluation. PEP lowers the chances of HIV infection taking hold in the body after an exposure to HIV.
If you do not have a health care provider, there are many places that can provide low-cost or free, confidential testing for HIV and other STDs/STIs for victims of sexual assault, or anyone else who may have an infection. See Getting Tested for STDs and HIV below for more information.
Safe, effective treatment is available to cure gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis. Antibiotic treatment usually is based on the results of STD/STI tests. However, your physician may decide to treat you while waiting for the test results.
Confidential And Private Std & Hiv Testing
At CityMD, we offer fast walk-in STD testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases in a safe, non-judgmental environment. Because were open late and on weekends, you can visit at the time that works best for you. We wont make you wait, and youll have your results as quickly as possible. Well treat your illness and refer you to a specialist if necessary.
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Local Planned Parenthood Health Center
Planned Parenthood health centers also offer STI testing. They receive government reimbursements and grants from public programs, such as Medicaid and Title X, which means people can get STI testing and treatment for free or at a very low cost, depending on their income, demographics, and eligibility.
How Do I Know If I Have Hiv
The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested. You cant tell if you have HIV just by the way you feel, because most people who get HIV dont have any symptoms for years.
Testing is a good idea if youve had unprotected sex or if your partner tests positive for HIV. You should also get tested if youve shared needles with anybody . If youre pregnant, get tested for HIV at your first prenatal visit.
Luckily, HIV testing is pretty easy and painless. The best part about getting tested for HIV? Once you get it over with, it can really put your mind at ease. And if you DO have HIV, its best to find out right away so you can take medicines to help you stay healthy and lower your chances of spreading HIV to others.
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Spreading Hiv And Stds
HIV and STDs are both contracted by having unprotected sexual contact of any kind. This includes vaginal, anal, and oral sex.
But sexual contact isnt the only way to contract an STD or HIV. Pathogens like HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C can also be spread by sharing needles or other drug paraphernalia.
Birthing parents can also pass HIV and some STDs on to babies while pregnant, during delivery, or through breastfeeding. For example, chlamydia and gonorrhea are two types of pathogens that can be passed to a baby during delivery.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Std Testing Without A Doctor
Not visiting a doctors office and heading directly into STD testing could save you time and money, especially if you dont have health insurance. In addition, during the pandemic routine, in-person medical visits are discouraged to protect patients from potential contagion and to allow hospitals to devote resources to the most urgent needs.
However, deciding on the best STD test for you can be difficult theres a large number of available options, and it can be tough to identify precisely what tests you may need . The most common STDs that physicians screen for are chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV.
TheCDC recommends that all sexually active women who are younger than 25 years old be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia every year. Women who are 25 years or older who have new or multiple sex partners or a sex partner with an STD should also be tested every year.
HIV testing often falls into its own category. Testing and care on that front is more likely to be available in clinics but there are also newer tests that can enable sample collection and results at home from start to finish.
Poor sample collection is always a risk in diagnostic testing, but it can be even more of an issue when it comes to collecting a sample by yourself. So be sure to follow the instructions precisely.
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Where Can I Get Tested For Stds / Stis
Your general practitioner, OBGYN, or urgent care clinic can all order STI / STD tests for you. You can also try a local or campus clinic or your local Planned Parenthood location.
Depending on your income, you may even be able to get tests for free. Search here for your local Planned Parenthood and call to find out if you qualify for free testing.
If youre uncomfortable with those options, or dont want STI tests on your insurance, some states allow you to order tests at home.
You can also order a testing kit and test yourself at home. Our affiliate myLAB Box can send you one now. Just pick the type of test you want. It wont have to show up on your records or insurance.
Same-day testing today: You can also use this site to order tests online and then stop by a lab near you for same-day testing.
What Can People Do To Reduce Their Risk Of Getting Stds And Hiv
The only 100% effective way to avoid STDs is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. If people are sexually active, they can do the following things to lower their chances of getting STDs and HIV:
- Use a new condom, consistently and correctly, for every act of vaginal, anal, and oral sex throughout the entire sex act
- Reduce the number of people with whom they have sex
- Limit or eliminate drug and alcohol use before and during sex
- Have an honest and open talk with their healthcare provider and ask whether they should be tested for STDs and HIV.
- Talk with their healthcare provider and find out if either pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, or post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, is a good option for them to prevent HIV infection.
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Which Std Tests Should I Get
If you are sexually active, getting tested for STDs is one of the most important things you can do to protect your health. Make sure you have an open and honest conversation about your sexual history and STD testing with your doctor and ask whether you should be tested for STDs. If you are not comfortable talking with your regular health care provider about STDs, there are many clinics that provide confidential and free or low-cost testing.
Below is a brief overview of STD testing recommendations. STD screening information for healthcare providers can be found here.
You can quickly find a place to be tested for STDs by entering your zip code in the form below.
Find an STD testing site near you.
Minit Medical Urgent Care
There are three Minit Medical Centers on Maui serving the immediate area and nearby islands. The company also operates a mobile unit. You can call ahead or walk in for STD screening. The centers test for the common STDs, including gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, herpes, HIV, and hepatitis B. Be prepared to provide either a urine, blood, vaginal, or cervical sample, depending on the type of test. Minit Medical takes most types of insurance and will help you set up easy payment options if youre uninsured.
305 Keawe Street, Suite 507 Lahaina, HI 96761, 808-667-6161Website
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Does Treating Stds Prevent Hiv
Not by itself. Given the close link between STDs and HIV in many studies, it seems obvious that treating STDs should reduce the risk of HIV. However, most studies that have treated STDs to prevent HIV have not lowered the risk of HIV.6, 15-23
Screening for STDs can help assess a persons risk for getting HIV. Treatment of STDs is important to prevent the complications of those infections, and to prevent transmission to partners, but it should not be expected to prevent spread of HIV.
How Do Hiv Tests Work
When you get HIV, your immune system makes antibodies that try to fight off the infection. The most common type of HIV test looks for these antibodies in your blood or cells from your cheek.
It usually takes about 3 months for your body to make enough antibodies to show up on an HIV test, but it could be even longer. This time after you first get infected but wont test positive for HIV is called the window period. If you get tested during this time, you can get a negative result even if you do actually have HIV. You also have the biggest chance of giving HIV to other people during the window period.
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Discuss Your Risk Factors
Its also important to share your sexual risk factors with your doctor. In particular, you should always tell them if you engage in anal sex.
Some anal STIs cant be detected using standard STI tests. Your doctor might recommend an anal Pap smear to screen for precancerous or cancerous cells, which are linked to the human papillomavirus .
You should also tell your doctor about:
- the types of protection you use during oral, vaginal, and anal sex
- any medications youre taking
- any known or suspected exposures youve had to STIs
- whether you or your partner have other sexual partners
Risk Of Getting An Std From Sexual Assault
The STDs that are diagnosed most frequently after sexual assault include gonorrhea or chlamydia. The risk of acquiring gonorrhea or chlamydia from sexual assault is low. The chances of acquiring syphilis or genital herpes are even lower. The risk of becoming infected with HIV is extremely low.
If an STD is diagnosed after a sexual assault, it does not always mean that the infection was acquired during the assault. However, a post-assault examination provides an important opportunity to identify and treat undetected STDs. For example, a person may have an STD before being sexually assaulted. This could be the case when infected with chlamydia as about 3 out of 4 women and 1 out of 2 men will not have symptoms. Early treatment can prevent lasting harm.
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How Much Does An Std Test Cost
How much you pay for STD testing depends on where you go, what tests you need, your income, and whether or not you have health insurance.
Because of the Affordable Care Act , many insurance plans cover STD testing. So you can probably get STD testing for free or at a reduced price if you have health insurance. STD testing can also be free or low cost with Medicaid and other government programs. And some clinics including many Planned Parenthood health centers give free or low-cost STD tests, depending on your income.
Planned Parenthood works to provide you with the services you need, whether or not you have health insurance. If youre worried about cost, check with your local Planned Parenthood health center to see if they can hook you up with STD testing that fits your budget.
What Stis Should I Be Tested For
According to
- anyone ages 13-64 should be tested for HIV
- sexually active women under 25 should be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia yearly
- women 25 and over who have multiple sex partners or partners with an STD should get tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia yearly
- pregnant women should be tested for syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B, and high-risk pregnant women should be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia
- sexually active men should be tested for syphilis, chlamydia, HIV and gonorrhea every 3-6 months
- anyone who practices sex without a barrier method should get tested for HIV yearly
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What Stis Should People Test For
Typically, sexual health clinics test for the more common STIs, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. If people know that a previous partner has tested positive for a specific STI, it is advisable to get tested for the same STI. A person can also discuss their sexual and STI testing history with a healthcare provider, who can offer help and suggestions about appropriate tests.
To get a reliable test result, people should perform the test within a specific timeframe after exposure due to incubation periods. Below are some common STIs and their testing windows:
- Gonorrhea: 5 days to 2 weeks
- Chlamydia: 12 weeks
- Trichomoniasis: 1 week to 1 month
notes that at-home testing kits are becoming more available and are likely to contribute to higher rates of testing and treatments.
Individuals have many options for STI testing, some of which include:
Your Name And Details
When you go to a sexual health clinic, you’ll be asked for your name and some contact details.
You don’t have to give your real name if you don’t want to. If you do, it will be kept confidential. Your GP won’t be told about your visit without your permission.
If you have tests and the results aren’t available during your visit, the clinic will need to contact you later, so give them the correct contact details.
The clinic will ask how you want to receive your results. They can usually be given to you over the phone, by text, or in an unmarked letter.
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If Someone Already Has Hiv And Subsequently Gets An Std Does That Put Their Sex Partner At An Increased Risk For Getting Hiv
If the person living with HIV gets and maintains an undetectable viral load by taking antiretroviral treatment, then an STD does not increase the risk of transmitting HIV.6 However, HIV-infected persons who are not taking antiretroviral treatment may be more likely to transmit HIV when they have another STD.
HIV-negative sex partners of people with HIV can prevent HIV if:
- HIV-positive people use antiretroviral therapy as prescribed. ART reduces the amount of virus in blood and body fluids. People with HIV who take ART, as prescribed, to achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load can stay healthy for many years, and have effectively no risk of transmitting HIV to sexual partners.
- Sex partners take PrEP medications, as prescribed, after discussing this option with their healthcare provider and determining whether it is appropriate.
- Partners choose less risky sex activities.
- Partners use a new condom for every act of vaginal, anal, and oral sex throughout the entire sex act .
Getting Tested For Stds
STD tests are usually ordered by a doctor. Before prescribing a test, the doctor asks about your risk factors for STDs, including your sexual and health history. The doctor also asks about any signs or symptoms of STD infections in order to determine the most appropriate testing strategy.
While STD testing is often performed in a hospital or doctors office, many people get tested for STDs at clinics and other community health programs. Community health programs may offer free and confidential STD testing.
When interpreting STD test results, its important to remember that STDs have window periods. A window period is the time between when a person is infected with an STD and when the STD shows up on a test. If an STD test is taken too soon after infection, the results will not be accurate and the test will need to be repeated after the window period ends.
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I Dont Have Any Symptoms Do I Still Need To Get Tested
You cant tell if you have an STD just by the way you look or feel most of the time, people with STDs dont have any symptoms. So the only way to know for sure if you have an STD is to get tested.
Its extra important to get tested if youve had unprotected sexual contact, or if you find out your partner has an STD. A doctor or nurse can tell you whether or not you should be tested for STDs.
If you DO have an STD, its best to find out as soon as possible. Some STDs can cause serious damage over time, even if you feel totally fine right now. STDs can also spread to other people you have sex with, whether or not you have any symptoms.
The best part about getting tested for STDs? Once you get it over with, it can really put your mind at ease. STD testing is a regular part of being responsible and taking care of yourself. Plus, STD tests can be quick, painless, and sometimes even free.