STD guidelines for men
General guidelines would suggest that if men have no symptoms then it is not necessary to have routine screening at a local STD screening clinic. However for those who are sexually active and may have multiple partners it makes sense to have a regular check.
If your sexual practices include having sex with other men, testing is highly recommended. These tests should include annual screening for HIV, syphilis, Chlamydia and gonorrhea. HIV and syphilis can be life threatening if untreated, and Chlamydia and gonorrhea can put you at greater risk of acquiring HIV and other STDs. Taking an STD test in London or other major cities in the UK is simple and is completely confidential.
Facts about STD’s
If you’re having sex, you may also be experiencing STD symptoms and these can occur no matter what type of sex you indulge in be it vaginal, oral or anal, use of condoms or not. Although condoms when correctly and consistently used are highly effective for reducing transmission of STDs, unless you totally abstain, nothing is 100% effective, particularly certain types of infection, such as genital warts and genital herpes.
STD symptoms can be pretty obvious although in certain cases they may not show obvious outward signs. Many sexual infections can be treated easily and completely eliminated, whilst others may require more intense and long term treatment. The only way to be certain that you have an STD is to undertake a test at one of the test centres in London or other major centers throughout the UK. If you are diagnosed with an STD, be treated and also it is essential to inform any partners so that they can be evaluated and treated. If untreated, STDs can increase your risk of acquiring another STD such as HIV.
STD’s are still increasing
Sexually transmitted infection rates have shown a rapid increase over the past 14 years, with Chlamydia and HIV both increasing by 300 per cent, gonorrhoea by 200 per cent, and syphilis by 2,000 per cent. Many in authority believe that this can be due to the increase in teenage drinking. Whatever the reason for this increase, if you believe that you could have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease, it is vital that you should be tested in order that treatment can be started quickly.
There are many centres in London that will carry out a quick and simple test for most STD’s and the results will be given to you quickly. Importantly all the tests carried out at the private London clinic are completely confidential and totally anonymous, you need not give your real name. Contact a London STD centre now and get treatment for that infection.
HIV and STI testing
The only way to be certain about whether you have HIV is to have a HIV test. These can be done at different types of centre so it’s important to choose one that suits you. In London the principal clinic offering quick and confidential private testing for HIV and STD’s has 20 centres all offering the same service. With HIV testing the result can be given to you by one of their doctors instantly.
Complete STI testing as well as complete sexual health MOT which tests for HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Hepatitis B and more are undertaken at the London clinics. These clinics use the same tests as GUM clinics and can often test through urine and blood to avoid uncomfortable swabs.
The way HIV is detected
In the early stages, HIV can only be tested with a blood test, as the infection often causes no symptoms. An estimated 77,400 persons were living with HIV in the UK at the end of 2007, of these over a quarter had no idea that they had the infection. This is a cause for concern as the infection is spread from person to person by sexual contact with an infected person, by sharing needles and syringes principally for drug use with someone who is infected, it can also be transmitted through transfusions of infected blood.
The blood test that takes place at clinics in London and throughout major cities in the UK requires a sample of blood taken which is either sent to a laboratory, with results returned in a few days, or a Rapid test when the results can be given in 5 to 30 minutes. These Rapid tests are as accurate as the ones sent to the laboratory but are more expensive, a price that may be worth paying if you are concerned that you may have been exposed to the virus. Contact your test clinic in London Birmingham or Manchester for a completely confidential HIV test.
HIV cases in Birmingham
The number of HIV cases in Birmingham is worrying as there are over one thousand cases of HIV which is one of the highest rates in the UK. HIV can affect anybody, but in the UK most people with HIV come from two groups: men who have sex with men and people of sub-Saharan African origin. Gay men are the group most affected by HIV in the UK. However, since 2003 more of the people newly diagnosed with HIV in the UK became infected through heterosexual sex than gay sex. The majority of these became infected with HIV when they were abroad.
If you believe that you may have come into contact with someone who may be infected with HIV it is important that you are tested quickly in order that treatment can be started. Having a HIV test in Birmingham is quick and is completely confidential and the result can be given to you in as little as 5 to 30 minutes. Do not delay; arrange a test at either the Birmingham City Centre or Solihull clinics.