Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition: 1  tension(Noun) Psychological state of being tense. 2  tension(Noun) Condition of being held in a state between two or more forces, which are acting in opposition to each other. 3  tension(Noun) State of an elastic object which is stretched in a way which increases its length.
...risky behavior and that you were not exposed to any HIV-infected fluids. The only way to know for sure whether you have been infected is to get tested. You should wait for 3 months after a possible exposure. Then get an HIVblood test (see Fact Sheet 102 ). You might feel that you have been exposed toHIV by sharing needles, an accident, or unsafe sexual activity. In these cases, talk to your health care provider immediately .
The CDC recommends these blood tests. They can detect HIV as soon as 20 days earlier than antibody screening tests. They check for HIV antigen, a protein called p24 that's part of the virus that shows up 2-4 weeks after infection, as well as HIV antibodies. A rapid antibody/antigen test can give you results in 20 minutes. RNA Test. This looks for the virus itself and can diagnose HIV about 10 days after you've been exposed. It's expensive, though, so it's usually not the first test.