April is STD Awareness Month, a time to get yourself tested for STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), and it's time for people both young and old to understand the importance of getting tested.

Some of the most common STDs are chlamydia, herpes and gonorrhoea.  Around 3 million new cases of chlamydia are  reported each year, with adolescent women being the most commonly affected.

But STDs like chlamydia are passed through unprotected sex, and can often be prevented by using condoms.    

While chlamydia can be treated with the use of antibiotics, STDs like HIV/AIDS are for life and will require continual treatment.  

It is thought 1 in 5 Americans living with HIV don’t know they have it, and that’s why it’s so important to know early HIV symptoms and get tested.

At the STD Awareness Month website there is a whole host of resources to provide clinics with posters and leaflets that will give patients all the information they need, from ongoing HIV research to the benefits of condoms.

And at the It's your sex life website you can find out everything you need to know about STDs, condoms and the dangers of unprotected sex.

Both websites will give you the facts and clear up any questions you might have. But of course, there is no better time to visit your healthcare provider or local health department and get yourself tested, so get checked today.  Why not go to the link below and find out by entering your ZIP code where you can access your nearest HIV or STD testing locations? Log on today to http://www.national-awareness-days.com/std-awareness-month.html!