Sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees. We’ll come to a point in our lives when safe sex becomes a priority and we adapt those behaviors. They are great behaviors and anyone who comes to the conclusion that engaging in safe sex-as opposed to rolling the dice every time one has sex-should be commended. But for most of these people there was a sex life before the epiphany of safe sex behavior- and this is where HIV testing should come into play.

We’ve engaged in testing our entire lives. In fact, these days babies engage in testing to get into a good preschool! We have had tests in school, for jobs and for fun. STD testing should be high on the list, but unfortunately sometimes it’s easier to turn a blind eye to our past behavior and start fresh at some arbitrary time. For anyone who engages in sexual behavior, testing for HIV and other STDs should be a priority.

Yes, it is sometimes difficult to face past behavior. Sometimes we think of things that we have done in the past and are faces scrunch. This is called growing up and becoming responsible (it may also be called sobriety, but that’s a whole other article!) For those of us who have turned a page in our lives for the better, congratulations, but have testing performed to make sure you’re healthy.

It may be a bummer to face a positive diagnosis, but because of the treatment available these days, HIV testing is the best possible route to take. Only after one realizes they are positive can they apply real, medical treatment to their new-found positive behavior. It’s part of the responsibility that you have undertaken. A positive diagnosis for HIV does not mean a death sentence. It means it is time to get the care and medicine you need to remain as healthy as you currently feel.

And what if the testing administered shows that you are negative? Just think about the stress that will be relieved from your shoulders. Just think about that little voice in the back of your head that visits you at night as you attempt to fall asleep that whispers to your battered brain: What if… What if…?

Testing for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is quick and easy. Some clinics can have your results back in an hour, although the average wait is a few days as your blood sample goes out to a professional lab for the test(s) to be run. As stated earlier in the article, people infected are not struck down in the prime of their life any more.

Testing

The mode of testing for the HIV virus is a blood test called the HIV Antibody Test. This HIV testing searches for antibodies made by the immune system in response to an HIV infection and is 99.5% accurate.

In the case of a positive test, a follow up test is performed using the same blood sample. It is called the “Reflex to Western Blot Confirmation” (also known as an EIA test).

Treatment

The first drug to hit the market for HIV infection was AZT. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration way back in 1987. There was finally help available for those suffering from HIV and AIDS. The drug worked on your T cell count. These are the cells that help your body fight all forms of infection. A T cell count is the measure of the strength of your immune system.

AZT was only the first of a series of drugs that would be prescribed after the testing procedure would come back positive. Although AZT and similar drugs helped prolong life, the quality of life was typically poor. Today there are new drugs on the market called protease inhibitors. The statistics on prolonged life and quality of life are significantly higher with these drugs.

Can you contract it from kissing and hugging? If you have sex with someone who has it, do you automatically contract it? These are just a few of the many questions posed by people concerned about HIV. The truth is, HIV is not contracted as easily as a lot of people tend to think. It is extremely rare for HIV to be transmitted through kissing, hugging, or the toilet seat.

HIV is a virus that is carried in blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and in some cases breast milk. In order to contract HIV you need to have an exposure to one of these infected bodily fluids. Additionally, the infected fluid then needs to make it’s way into your bloodstream. The means of transmission are often reflected in those who have contracted HIV. HIV is noticeably prevalent in intravenous drug users and individuals engaging in unprotected receptive anal sex. The obvious reason for this is that these acts create a direct opening to the bloodstream. Needles literally go directly to the blood stream, while anal lining simply tears during intercourse and creates a pathway.

It’s not that these are the only ways to get HIV, they are just considered higher risk activities. For example, many people are concerned with contracting HIV from receiving oral sex. Is it possible? Absolutely. Is it probable? Absolutely not. You’ll notice that saliva was not listed as one of the fluids that carries HIV. That was no mistake – HIV is not carried in saliva. From oral sex, the only (somewhat) likely fluid you would be exposed to would be blood. On top of that, even if the person was HIV positive, and they were actively bleeding in their mouth, that blood still needs to make it’s way into your bloodstream. HIV is not the type of virus to dig through the skin. It needs a direct entrance (i.e. a cut or open sore).

As I mentioned before, certain acts are considered more risky than others. The acts are generally considered risky because they are more likely to create a direct exposure to the bloodstream. IV drug users who share needles are at an elevated risk, because a dirty needle goes directly into the bloodstream. People who engage in receptive anal sex are also at risk, because the anal lining often tears during intercourse which opens the pathway to the blood. Vaginal lining is more durable and doesn’t tear as easily, so the risk is lessened with vaginal intercourse. And of course, using protection always plays a large factor in protecting yourself against HIV.

So, if you have ever asked “how do you get HIV?”, consider the factors involved before worrying. If you didn’t see any blood, and/or you didn’t have any cuts that may have been exposed – take a sigh of relief. Chances are that everything is going to be fine. However, if you think you may have been a bit risky or just want the peace of mind, get tested. The testing process is easy and you’ll be glad you did.