Are you sleeping with more than one person and having unprotected sex? if you are, then the chances of you having a sexually transmitted infection are pretty high.
Knowing about and treating an STD early on can save you some serious long-term health problems. Just as importantly it can stop your passing it on to someone else and not being bothered is just not an excuse.
Sexual health centers are often known as dumb clinics which stands for genitourinary medicine that can be found in hospitals or health centers. You really don’t travel that far to get to one. Not only do they offer treatment and tests for STDs, but they also offer advice on contraception such as the morning-after pill and condoms.
Most clinics offer walk-in times during the week but if you’re a bit scared about just bowling up you can speak to your GP or you can call your clinic beforehand to make an appointment.
To demonstrate, you just how easy it is, I’m going to head down to my local STD clinic now this is to clear all doubts on how do they test guys for an STD.
Getting an STD test for men
Situation: A 20+ male is up for an STD test. He had sex with 2 women on different occasions a week before. Out of the two, he knew one woman and the other one was a person who he just met at a party.
Step 1: As soon as you enter the STD testing center
As soon as you enter the testing center, you ll be asked to fill-up the form.
Things to remember:
- You don’t have to put your real name in it, but that definitely helps.
- One thing you really have to put down there is your contact number. This is so these guys can text you if they’ve got any results or they can call you if they’ve got any problems.
- There is a column in the form where you need to explain why you’ve come down there, if its because of any symptom or you had unprotected sex etc. This helps the team to decide who’s best to see and figure out the possibility of any particular STD. Don’t forget everything is confidential even if you’re under sixteen.
Also read: Check STD test accuracies of all types of STD tests
Step 2: Doctor’s consultation
The consultation will be carried out in a consultation room in complete privacy, where you and your doctor can have a free conversation. A doctor will be referring to the form you just filled.
So as per the symptoms and conditions mentioned in the form, doctors will ask you the question. A doctor may ask the reason why you took the step towards the testing center ( “you’re concerned you had sex with someone who may have an infection?”)
A) The doctor ask several questions and then more questions to go deeper into the cause. They do we ask some questions about your general health and then some more specific questions. About the types of sex a patient has been having with who(sex worker, stranger, etc) and when.
It can be a bit embarrassing, but nothing to worry about them. They may ask you to describe the situation in your own words what’s brought the patient into the testing facility. If he/she commonly sees any symptoms at the moment.
B) Symptoms on your partner can be asked so, it is better to remember?
A doctor always wants to know thoroughly about the symptoms to look out for a particular STD, the STD symptoms in men discharge from the penis, which is like a liquid coming at the top or any pain on ejaculation or burning when you’re passing urine or anything else is not normal should be revealed.
C) Something about the act.
The doctor would be interested to know when did you have sex with them? what type of sex was it? any anal sex or oral sex. Did you use a condom? if you’re not like using condoms? Have you ever been treated for an infection? etc.
Step 3: Assessment of the given answer will lead to further questions.
If the answer is negative to all the symptom-related questions, which means no symptoms on the body, no burning sensation, then to they will recommend an HIV test from the point of view of the two partners that you had sex a week ago.
The patient, in this case, is in an HIV window period, which means you can take up to three months for the virus to show in the blood test from unprotected sex. HIV test is also a standard test that we do so if you didn’t want it you opt-out of having it.
If the patient does decide to go ahead and have it, it is recommended for the patient to visit the STD center three after months’ time and they’ll repeat.
The above questions are sort of risk assessment it is the medium to decide whether we need to offer you any other testing based on the given answer.
If the patient has ever taken any drugs at all or partner who may have injected that you know of? They may also be looking at things like snorting with pipes or tubes or notes for things like cocaine etc.
The Drugs related question is to determine the chances of Hepatitis. Things like hepatitis may be a concern, those for the hepatitis C risk you can get small particles of blood so it’d be a risk there and have you had sex with another male partner.
Also read: What signs to check on your penis for STD detection
Step 4: STD sample stage
A urine sample is asked to test the presence of the STDs like gonorrhea and Chlamydia.
A blood sample is taken for the HIV. So for HIV test, some blood is taken from the arm.
Physical examination is done only when there is any symptom on the body, in the presence of any mark or fluid coming out from the body.
Small Swab is only taken from the penis when there are marks on it or discharge coming out. Otherwise, the urine test is perfectly adequate. It’s nothing like the umbrella stories that you may have heard from years
After the blood and the urine sample, all that’s left is to complete your email detail card. This is so you actually get your results by email or over the phone.
Refer this article to know more about the kind of STD test (urine or blood)
Step 5: STD result stage
STD results can be expected in a minimum of 2 days for selected STD testing center near you.