Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a serious health concern, and it is important to get tested for them regularly. Urine tests are a common way to detect bacterial STIs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea. Today, urinalysis is widely used to detect these infections, and home collection kits are also available. Swabs are taken from the inside of the penis in men or from the cervix in women for other STDs, such as herpes, hepatitis, HIV and syphilis.
It is important to understand that urine tests may not be as effective as testing with a swab collected by a health professional. However, research suggests that testing urine that is eliminated for the first time (urine that is released when the bladder begins to empty) is as effective as testing vaginal smears. If the result of a home test for an STI is positive, contact your healthcare provider or a public health clinic to confirm the test results. Once you order your tests online (no appointment is necessary) and then visit your local test center, you'll receive your results in 1 to 2 days.
Testing for chlamydia in urine and for gonorrhea is much more pleasant than having to take a sample of the cervix (women) or urethra (men), and are quickly becoming standard practice. Screening tests are important because if you don't have symptoms, you may not know you're infected. Sexually transmitted diseases are common, but the types of STI tests you need may vary depending on your risk factors. For most people, it's much more important to get tested for STIs than to worry about getting the best STI test. A negative result means that there was no evidence that you were infected with that STI at the time of the test.
You can also request additional tests if you are at risk of contracting other STIs that your healthcare provider does not plan to test for. Nick is proud to be able to help eliminate the stigma of STI testing through his writing and always tries to advocate for the importance of sexual health. This STD panel discusses 10 of the most common STDs, including chlamydia, syphilis, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, gonorrhea, HIV-1, HIV-2, oral herpes, and genital herpes.
