Importance of STD Testing

Could Farrokh Bulsara (better known as Freddie Mercury) who was the front man for the band Queen have extended his successful career and his life? The answer could be a big yes, had he had gone for HIV testing and taken adequate precautions. Freddie was bisexual and had stated he was 'overly cautious' when choosing partners or establishing relationships with them. His fame and success led to an abandoning of the caution he himself proclaimed to have and it landed him in a big trouble. He began allowing multiple sexual partners to share his bed unprotected and ultimately this resulted in the contraction of HIV and later AIDS. Although during that time HIV was still a fairly new phenomenon and many medical technologies we have today were unavailable, Freddy could have choosen to keep himself and others protected, and a large part of protection is conducting STD testing for all people who are sexually active. Who knows what great contributions this talented young man could have achieved had he done a simple HIV test.

Why is STD testing important?

There are many types of STDs or sexually transmitted diseases. Many of them are 'silent' meaning they may produce mild or no symptoms at all. This is one very important reason for STD testing, because many of the silent STDs can have very dire consequences in later stages if left undetected.

The importance of STD testing can be gauged from the fact that if STD test is not done in enough time, the probability of effective treatment of the disease is diminished. In such a scenario, a person may not only harbor and promote the virus of the disease within himself but he or she may also be putting others at risk of contracting the disease.

Some STDs can be detected from a simple rapid testing procedure, mainly for HIV testing. Another advantage of testing for STDs early and often is that if the afflicted person is a woman and wants to become a mother, she can confirm her STD status and can safely bring her baby to term and give birth without the fear transferring the disease to her unborn child. Even in the event that the Mother has contracted an STD, with the advent of medical advancements in this field and the latest research, doctors have created sophisticated medicines, injections, and procedures that can save the fetus from the affliction of the mother during pregnancy or child-birth.

Conditions for STD testing:

Here is a checklist to educate you on few conditions of the most common conditions for STD testing:

• A simple HIV testing is recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for all men and women if they are sexually active. This means is suggested whether you are in a monogamous relationship or have multiple partners.
• STD testing for Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and Syphilis are also important if you are under the age of 25, as the age group between 15 and 25 constitutes about one fourth of the afflicted population.
• Persons who are homosexual or bisexual are considered to be at high-risk for contracting STDs. Safe sex should be practiced at all times but no method of STD protection or contraception is fool-proof. You really must get an HIV test or STD tests on a regular basis to ensure you are and stay, clean.

Physicians the world over have different opinions as to why a person should get STD testing done as well as the list of tests to be done. However, it is solely an individual's choice as to what all tests he or she wants to opt for while going for a STD test. If you are health conscious and feel that your level of sexual activity is average or above average then it is imperative that you undergo regular STD testing. It is highly advocated to ensure that your sexual partners also go for the same STD testing procedure to ensure that they are free from any kind of sexual diseases and are in good over-all health.

(STD testing)