The only way to know if you are HIV positive or negative is by being tested by professionals. At the end of the day diagnosing yourself based on speculations won’t benefit you or your family and sexual partner etc. Rather get tested and know where you stand.

Here are the Top Benefits Of Testing For HIV:

Early intervention means a healthier life

The key to living a healthy life with HIV is being diagnosed early. Getting into the care of an HIV specialist is an essential part of staying healthy. Get tested and if you are positive, find an HIV specialist. The sooner you get tested, the sooner you can access treatments and information to help you manage the condition and delay the onset of Aids, should you test positive for HIV. The earlier on in the progress of the infection you get tested and get effective treatment, the easier it is to keep your immune system healthy. Your doctor can monitor your immune system and help you avoid opportunistic diseases, or manage these when they occur.

Knowing your status protects you both

If you find out you are infected, you can make sure you protect your sex partner from becoming infected. If more people know their HIV status and use the knowledge to act responsibly, the pandemic can be better controlled. The more people in your sexual life are aware of your status the better the chances of protecting your sexual relations.

Reduce the risk of your baby becoming infected

If you are pregnant and test HIV positive, appropriate treatment can reduce the risk of your baby becoming infected. Without treatment, HIV-positive women have about a one-in-four chance of infecting their baby during pregnancy or birth. Treatment can reduce this figure to about one in 12. Rather safe than sorry, you are also protecting your baby from living a life of being HIV positive from birth.

Make plans for yourself and your dependents

Finding out your HIV status as early as possible, gives you time, if you are infected, to make plans for yourself and your dependents to be looked after when you do get sick. It’s good to have a plan set out as to what happens at your death, having HIV does not necessary mean that your life is a ticking time bomb but it’s best you know where you stand financially etc.

Educate others about HIV/Aids

You can help educate others about HIV/Aids, and improve their attitudes and behaviour related to the disease, by talking about your HIV status and your decision to get tested. Remember that giving out this information is entirely your decision. The health professionals and counsellors who conduct and discuss the test with you must, by law, keep the results strictly confidential.

Prevention is always better than cure!