We get lots of e-mails from teens describing their symptoms to us, so we can tell them right away if they have an STD. But it’s impossible to make a diagnosis over the Internet.

Basically, if you had vaginal, oral or anal sex and didn’t use a fresh latex or polyurethane condom or dental dam with each act, you could have been exposed to an STD. There’s one surefire way of knowing whether you have an STD: You need to get tested. Check out our Get Tested page to find a clinic.

Where can I go to get tested?

Most local health departments offer STD testing, as do many doctors’ offices, hospitals and family planning clinics. You can find one in your area by looking in your local blue pages under "Department of Health," or in your yellow pages under "family planning" or "clinics." You can also call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) to be connected automatically to the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you. Just know that not all family planning clinics offer services to male clients, so if you’re a guy, be sure to ask them up front. The CDC’s National STD hotline at 1-800-227-8922 can also provide information on testing for guys and girls, or find a local clinic here.

How much does it cost?

It really depends on the test and where you go to get tested. Many clinics offer low-cost or even free testing, particularly to teens. Just ask about that when you call to make your appointment.

What is the STD test like?

Well, first of all, there is no ONE test for all STDs. Some STDs can be detected in your blood. Some can be detected in your urine. Others are detected by taking cultures, which usually means having a clinician take a fluid sample from a particular body part with a long cotton swab. No one test can test for all of these.

When you see your doctor or health care provider, you need to find out exactly what you are being tested for, so you know whether there are any tests missing. For example, a person is never automatically tested for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. You need to specifically request this test and give permission to have it done.

When can I get tested?

It really depends on the STD. Some (like gonorrhea and chlamydia) can be detected soon after you have been infected even if you have no symptoms. With some, you need to wait until you have symptoms (like genital warts).

But remember, the most common symptom of an STD is NO SYMPTOM. When you go to get tested, you will need to be prepared to share personal information with the health care provider. The provider will ask you about the types of sexual behaviors you did, the number of partners you had, and when the last time was that you were sexual with someone. Health providers are not there to judge you, so it’s important for you to be honest. In nearly all health care settings this information is completely confidential, meaning the information won’t be shared with anyone. When you make your appointment, make sure you ask about that health care center’s confidentiality policy.

However, if you think you might be infected with HIV, you will need to wait up to three months after unprotected intercourse before getting tested. The standard blood test for HIV measures for something called "antibodies." Antibodies are created when you get a particular infection. It can take three months to develop HIV antibodies, so you’d need to wait that long after your last sexual encounter to get an accurate test. Just remember, if you have unprotected oral, anal or vaginal sex again, you need to set the clock back to zero and start counting from there to get up to three months.

Finally, here are some important things to keep in mind

• The most common symptom of an STD is NO symptom, especially in girls. This means you can’t tell whether someone has an STD just by looking at her or him.

• People aren’t always honest about whether they’ve been tested for STDs. If you’re with someone you don’t know very well, and that person wants to be sexual with you, that’s often going to be her or his top priority. People who don’t know a lot about STDs may assume they don’t have one, and tell you as much. Then you end up with an STD and wonder how you got it.

• One thing you can watch for is if someone says to you, “I got the STD test.” Again, remember that there’s no such thing as one test for all STDs! There are different tests for different STDs. So if someone says they had “the test,” they’re not telling you the truth or they don’t know much about STDs.
  

• Time matters. Get to a health care provider as soon as you can to be tested, and, if you test positive, treated. While most STDs can be treated easily, if you ignore them, they can become much more serious and lead to sterility (an inability to become pregnant or cause a pregnancy) and even death.

• Also remember that some STDs stay in your body for life. While many STDs like chlamydia and gonorrhea, can be treated easily with antibiotics, other STDs need to be managed for the rest of your life. The symptoms can be treated, but the virus will stay with you.

So, basically, when it comes to having sex, you need to stick to your guns. Insist that your partner wear a condom, use a dental dam or avoid a certain type of risky behavior. That one time you choose to take a risk can literally change your life. So be smart. Wait to have sex until you are truly prepared to take these simple precautions, or wait until you are with someone who is equally as committed to using condoms and dental dams as you are.

If you need a hotline, check out our list here.