Clinics in Heredia

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 Heredia 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 Heredia clinic near you on the map above to book your STI test today.  

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

Upon arriving at your chosen private Heredia 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.

HIV testing in Heredia

Both men and women are at risk of HIV in Heredia.  If you have had sex with a new male or female partner, then we suggest that you include an HIV test in your screen.  This is because it is important to detect HIV early so that you can begin treatment.  These days, most people with HIV will lead a normal length of life providing they start treatment early and take their medication regularly.

Our advanced blood tests can detect HIV in a small blood sample from just 10 days after any potential infection.  This is the earliest HIV test possible in Heredia.  HIV is also included in many of our STI screens.  It is always important to know your HIV status so that you can protect your own health and not pass the infection on.

If you are concerned about having HIV, call our helpline today to speak to our Sexual Health Advisors.  They will be happy to help you to book your HIV test.

Chlamydia testing in Heredia

Chlamydia is one of the most common STIs in Heredia.  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 Heredia 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 Heredia

Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection and a common STI in Heredia.  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 Heredia 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.

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 Heredia 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 Heredia above to book your anonymous STI test appointment today.

What is the difference between an STI test and an STI screen?

An STI test looks for one particular infection. An STI screen is a group of different STI tests.  If you want to get tested for Chlamydia, you can have an STI test for Chlamydia or an STI Screen for Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and Syphilis.  At Better2Know, we call this our Peace of Mind screen. This screen is available in Heredia today.

Our STI Screens have been put together by our international team of sexual health experts.  They put together different STI tests and provide excellent value and service.

You can choose what to get tested for in Heredia by clicking on select next to your nearest clinic and then choosing the STIs you wish to get tested for.  We will then show you the screens which include these STIs.