The thought of having or getting an STD can be worrying and distressing for many, and it is not something that is often discussed among friends or family members. STDs aren’t just caught by those who have unprotected sex with multiple partners either. You may use non-barrier forms of contraception with a long-term partner, but have caught an infection from his or her infidelity, or even from a previous relationship where you remain unawares that anything is wrong. With most STDs having few to no symptoms, this is more common than you think. Whatever the case, STD testing might be the last thing on your mind, but is something every couple should consider before making the move to ditch the condoms.
Because of this social stigma associated with getting or being tested for an STD, many people prefer to go for private STD testing. You can attend a private clinic, or even get the clinic to send you a home private STD testing kit, which tests for common infections like Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and herpes, so that you don’t even have to talk to someone face-to-face about it if you don’t want to. Simply take the test from the comfort of your own home, send it off and then receive a phone call with the results. This simple process can do wonders for putting your mind at ease, and can avoid you getting any unnecessary further health complications in the future.
STD testing at a private clinic, however, is more thorough and gives you the opportunity to discuss any symptoms you are experiencing or any fears with a specialist doctor or consultant. What’s more, at a private clinic, appointments are extremely easy to arrange, so you don’t have to suffer any uncomfortable lengthy waits at the GP, health centre or hospital.