Clinics in Alajuela

What is an STI?

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are infections that are typically spread through sexual contact. This includes vaginal, anal, and oral sex, sharing sex toys, and skin-to-skin contact during foreplay.  You do not need to have intercourse to pass on, or catch an STI.

STIs can also be transmitted through other means, such as sharing needles during intravenous drug use, getting a tattoo using unsterilised equipment, and sharing razors.

Common STIs in Alajuela include:

• HIV

• Syphilis

• Chlamydia

• Gonorrhoea

• Herpes

• Hepatitis A

• Hepatitis B

• Hepatitis C

• Human Papillomavirus (HPV)/Genital Warts

• Trichomonas

• Mycoplasma

• Ureaplasma

• Gardnerella

Many STIs do not have any symptoms, especially in the first few weeks following infection.  STIs can affect individuals of all ages, races, and sexual orientations. That is why it is important to get tested regularly if you are sexually active.

Select a private Alajuela clinic near you on the map above to book your STI test today.  

What will happen during my appointment at the Alajuela sexual health clinic?

Upon arriving at your chosen private Alajuela sexual health clinic, you will be greeted by our friendly clinic staff.  At your STI test appointment a trained nurse will guide you through the testing process, answering any questions you have, and collecting your samples. Samples collected may include blood, urine, or swabs, depending on your chosen STI test or screen. You will be guided through the self-collection process for urine and swab samples. Your appointment should take around ten minutes.

Once your samples are collected, they will be sent to our accredited laboratory for fast and accurate analysis. The results will be uploaded to your secure online Patient Area, which you can check at any time.  We will send you an email or SMS when all your results are ready.

What STIs should I get tested for?

If you do not know what specific infections to test for, Better2Know’s medical team recommends the Full STI Screen.  Our doctors have put this screen together for men and women to test for the most common and most important STIs. You can book it online at our private Alajuela sexual health clinic nearest you.

You should wait 28 days since any incident of concern before you have this test.  We just need a blood and urine sample.  The screen tests for:

• HIV

• Syphilis

• Chlamydia

• Gonorrhoea

• Hepatitis B

• Mycoplasma

• Ureaplasma

If you have not yet waited 28 days.  Do not worry, we have other tests for you to choose from.  Our Early Screens start from an incubation period of just 10 days.  Our friendly booking team are available now to help you to choose the right test for you in Alajuela.

Chlamydia testing in Alajuela

Chlamydia is one of the most common STIs in Alajuela.  That is why getting tested for it is important, as many people have it.  It is easily transmitted between sexual partners during vaginal, oral, or anal sex.

Most men and women who have a Chlamydia infection do not have any symptoms in the first few months.  However, in this time, Chlamydia can cause serious damage to your health and fertility, including conditions like pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy in women, and prostatitis and epididymitis in men.

Better2Know make having a Chlamydia test in Alajuela as easy as possible.  A urine test will detect a genital infection, or a self-collected swab is needed to detect an infection in your throat or anus.  It is important to test all parts of your body that may have Chlamydia.

Gonorrhoea testing in Alajuela

Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection and a common STI in Alajuela.  It can infect your genitals, mouth and anus depending on the type of sex you have had.  It is important to test all the areas separately.

If you test positive your Better2Know doctor will prescribe the right medication for you.  Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.  This means that it is important to check that the medicine has worked.  You should take another Gonorrhoea test two weeks after you have finished your medication to make sure you have cleared the infection.

Better2Know can help you to get tested for Gonorrhoea in Alajuela with a urine test (genital infection), mouth swab (if you have given oral sex) and anal swab (if you have received anal sex).  Please book your test online today.

HPV Testing in Alajuela

HPV stands for Human Papilloma Virus, is very common and can be contracted by both men and women in Alajuela.  There are over 100 different types of HPV, about 40 of the types can be transmitted by sexual or skin-skin contact, and 14 of these are said to be High Risk for certain cervical cancers in women and penile cancers in men. 

HPV is also the virus which causes genital warts.  These are Low Risk HPV types and means that they are not associated with cancer.  However, the warts can be uncomfortable or painful. Knowing what they are, means that you can get the right treatment to remove them.

Testing for HPV regularly is important. Women can have an HPV test at any time when they do not have a period.  Men should have the test when they have a genital wart or lesion.  At your appointment in Alajuela your nurse will collect your sample and send it to our laboratory for fast and accurate analysis.

You can book your HPV test in Alajuela online now by clicking select on the sexual health clinics nearest you on the map above.

How do you keep my STI test confidential?

Privacy and discretion are fundamental to our service. We do not need to know your real name or date of birth to make a booking at our Alajuela clinic.  We just need a name that you would like us to call when we speak with you.  We also need a way to contact you with your results.  We will use the name that you gave us all the way through.  We will also give you a Better2Know PIN number to use for your booking.

At Better2Know, we want to help you protect your sexual health.  We have developed our service to remove common reasons why people do not want to get tested.  The most common being that most of the people we serve do not want anyone else to know they have got tested. 

Select your local private sexual health clinic on the map of Alajuela above to book your anonymous STI test appointment today.