Learn about what you need to prepare and what to expect during STD Testing.
Did you know that most sexually transmitted illnesses are asymptomatic? Or that you can have little symptoms that appear fast and then disappear? As a result, we encourage women to be diligent about STD Testing.
It’s important to protect your health if you’ve recently met someone new, had unprotected intercourse, or are experiencing temporary symptoms. Here are important information about STDs and their associated symptoms.
Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) and its Symptoms
The human papillomavirus is the first on the list of the most prevalent STDs (HPV). Every year, 14 million new HPV infections are recorded in the United States, yet HPV is not like other STDs. Most of the time, the body’s immune system batt;es the virus and eliminates it before it causes harm. However, in some women, HPV invades cells in the cervix, causing cervical cancer.
Both Chlamydia and gonorrhea are regarded as “silent illnesses” since they seldom generate symptoms. If symptoms do arise, they are frequently mild, brief, and general, making them easy to confuse with other potential health issues. You may have bleeding periods, stomach pain, pain during sex, pain or burning while urination, and vaginal discharge if you have any STD.
Untreated chlamydia and gonorrhea cause pelvic inflammatory illness and infertility. Women who have either of these STDs are at an increased risk of contracting HIV. While gonorrhea is uncommon, it can cause infections in your joints, blood, heart, and other organs.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention advises annual chlamdyia and gonorrhea testing in all sexually active women under age of 25. Women above the age of 25 who have a high-risk factor, such as a new partner, should also be tested on an annual basis.
Getting Ready for STD Testing
We evaluate your medical history and do a pelvic exam when you come in for STD testing to assess your general health and look for symptoms. You do not need to prepare for STD testing, but you may prepare for your exam by thinking back over the past few months and noting any symptoms you may have encountered, no matter how mild they appeared.
If you can tell us the following, it will help us narrow down the likely type of STD:
- When your symptoms first occur?
- What part of your body they were on?
- How you feel about your symptoms?
- What your symptoms appear to be?
- How long did the symptom persist?
We acknowledge that many patients are reluctant to discuss their secual lives, but our conversations are always private, and with additional information, we can better assess the sort of STD test you may require.
Types of STD Testing
There is no single test that can identify all STDs. We may need to run two or three tests, depending on whether we can narrow down the suspected cause to a specific STD or whether we need to test for many STDs.
The following are the several types of STD tests:
- A blood test may be performed by extracting a sample from your arm or by using a finger prick
- Urine test, which employs the traditional method of collecting your urine in a cup
- Fluid samples are acquired by carefully extracting a sample of vaginal discharge or painful secretions.
- Pap test, which detects HPV by extracting cells from your cervix.
Whatever sort of test you want you can rely on our experienced staff to do it efficiently and. In most circumstances, painlessly. If you require a blood test and are sensitive to needle jabs or pricks, please let me know so that we can offer a topical anesthetic or make other arrangements to make you as comfortable as possible.
Book an appointment with us at American Specialty Lab.