With all of the confusion surrounding std testing and herpes testing, it’s not too hard to understand why it’s so hard to find an accurate, reliable, private herpes test that you can afford and get results back on quickly. First, let’s discuss your options:
- Swab Testing - while this method of testing is the quickest, the results are not always accurate. Swab testing allows your health care provider to take a swab (like a Qtip) and sample your sore to see if it might have been caused by the Herpes virus. The results can come back quickly (within 15 – 20 minutes), but many problems exists. First, you have to have an outbreak at the time of this test in order for it even to be possible. Second, this type of test is not as accurate as a blood test and can cause both false positives and negatives.
- Blood Testing – The only proven, accurate way to determine if you are infected with Herpes is by taking a blood test at a professional laboratory. While the results may take 1 – 4 days to come in, you can rest assured that those results will be accurate as long as the necessary time window has expired (typically 6 weeks). The IgG test is a type specific test that will indicate if you have either Herpes 1 or Herpes 2. Another test, the IgM test, can be performed much sooner than the IgG, but it does have a drawback. The test will only indicate if you have recently been exposed to the Herpes virus, and cannot determine between type 1 and 2. While not ideal, this is still an important test to consider if you need to take special precautions immediately instead of waiting 6 weeks.
If you have questions, just ask any one of the qualified and experienced std testing counselors at a local std testing center near you.Cheers!Andrew M. Gibson
