STD Testing

Sexually transmitted diseases or infections (STDs or STIs) are widespread and pass readily between sexual partners, causing serious health problems in some cases. Akukeng Mba, FNP, Abraham Mbangowah, FNP, and the team at Diversity Health Clinic LLC in Germantown, Maryland, provide STD testing facilities and regular screening checks for patients to ensure they get prompt treatment when they need it and prevent the spread of infection. To book your STD test, call Diversity Health Clinic LLC or request an appointment online today. 

What is an STD?

An STD is a sexually transmitted disease, which is an infection that spreads from one partner to another during intimate sexual contact. Another term for STD, which you may see and means the same thing, is STI or sexually transmitted infection.

Common types of STD or STI include:

• Chlamydia
• Genital herpes
• Gonorrhea
• Hepatitis
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• HIV/AIDS
• Syphilis

The seriousness of STDs varies from being a mild inconvenience to significantly impacting your health and, in some cases, being potentially life-threatening, so infection isn’t something to take lightly.

What are the symptoms of STDs?

Symptoms affecting the genitals include:

• Sores
• Warts
• Redness
• Swelling
• Rash
• Discharge
• Itching
• Irritation

You may experience bleeding between periods, feel pain when you urinate, or find intercourse uncomfortable as well.

You won’t necessarily develop symptoms when you have certain types of STD, so you may be a carrier and not know you’re risking passing the infection on to your sexual partners. Regular testing at Diversity Health Clinic LLC ensures you can get treated if you do have an STD, reducing the chances you’ll pass on the infection and minimizing the effect of STDs on your health.

What is STD testing?

There are two types of STD testing. You can visit Diversity Health Clinic LLC and undergo tests if you’re experiencing any symptoms or believe you’ve been in contact with someone who has an STD. You can also arrange a regular screening check, which will pick up any infections that don’t cause symptoms.

If you’re sexually active, annual screening is a sensible precaution. Your provider may advise more frequent screenings if you engage in higher-risk practices, such as having many different partners.

No one test can identify every STD, so you may need to have several tests to cover all the possibilities. Blood and urine tests are standard diagnostic tools, but your provider may also carry out viral cultures or PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests to examine samples from visible skin lesions.

The HPV test and chlamydia screening require your practitioner to take cells from your cervix if you’re female, so if you’re having a routine screening, this can be done during your Pap smear. Testing for chlamydia in men requires a sample of cells from the urethra.

How do I prevent myself from getting an STD?

Refraining from sexual relations is the only sure way to avoid STD infection, but that may not be an acceptable option. Being in a monogamous relationship significantly reduces the risk of infection, and always using condoms if you do change partners is highly advisable.

Undergoing regular testing at Diversity Health Clinic LLC ensures you’re aware of any infection before you risk spreading it to anyone else and allows you to start treatment in good time. 

To arrange your STD test or regular screening, call Diversity Health Clinic LLC, or book an appointment online today.