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Getting STD testing can feel a bit intimidating because of the social stigma that getting positive results carries. However, it is an essential part of taking care of your overall health, and getting regular tests when having an active sex life should be as important as your yearly check-ups.
At CareLife in Falls Church, VA, we understand how private and delicate sexual health can be, and our team is ready to be by your side when you step into our office to ask for STD testing, and help you find your way if your results show up positive. Having an STD doesn’t need to become a hindrance in your life if properly managed.
Why Is STD Testing Important
STDs are sexually transmitted diseases, otherwise known as sexually transmitted infections (STI). They are way more common than you may think, as 1 in 5 people in the US have one, and some can go undetected for a long time. Whenever you engage intimately with someone, the risk of getting an STD is present unless the other person agrees to getting screened beforehand, but this is not always possible for many reasons.
In some rare cases, STDs and STIs can get transmitted even if there was no sexual activity involved. When infected items are unknowingly shared or a tool like a tattoo gun isn’t properly sterilized and handled, you can also get infected from them. You yourself could be carrying something like herpes without realizing it.
In truth, catching one can come as a surprise for the majority of people, and the sooner you are able to get STD testing, the sooner treatment can be provided to manage or get rid of it.
What Is STD Testing Like?
During the appointment to get your STD testing, your healthcare provider will begin by asking you some questions about your sex life, if you have experienced any symptoms, or what has brought you for the appointment. Discussing this can be uncomfortable, and our team is here to make you feel safe, and discreetly manage any personal information you share.
If there are any visible affections, the healthcare provider will do a visual exam. You can ask for STD testing to check a specific disease, or have a general screening, on which will depend if you will need a blood draw, urine sample, a swab, or all three.
You can expect your results back within 2 to 3 business days. If your STD testing comes out positive, we will provide you with next steps to manage or cure the disease.
Signs That I Have an STD
Even though STDs cover a wide variety of diseases, there are some symptoms that can work as general markers. They could be included in the questions your healthcare provider asks at the beginning of an STD testing appointment. Here are some of the most common symptoms.
- Pain when urinating
- Itching, soreness, inflammation or pain of intimate areas
- Painful sex
- Pain in the lower abdomen
- Fever
- Abnormal discharge or bleeding between periods
- Discharge from the penis
- Fatigue
More serious symptoms like weight loss, mouth sores, diarrhea and swollen lymph nodes can also be STD related, but are not universal markers. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, and live in Falls Church, VA, please contact us, and our team will make the process as comfortable for you as possible.
Results Tested Positive: What Treatments Options Do I Have?
What if you get your STD testing results and they are positive? Not everyone is familiar with the treatments and steps that follow contracting different sexually transmitted diseases. Thanks to modern medicine, we now have effective treatments available for all known STDs, and they can be placed in 2 categories.
Antibiotics for STDs
It might come as a surprise that antibiotics are one of the most common treatments out there for STDs. The ones caused by bacteria or parasites like gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and syphilis are perfectly curable with a targeted antibiotic regime.
It’s important to finish the prescription fully, no matter how better you might be feeling, because only then is it guaranteed that the disease has been fully eliminated. You should also avoid engaging in sexual activity until after you have been cleared, as you can still give the disease to others during treatment.
What If I Tested Positive for HIV: Antiviral Drugs
When it comes to STDs that stem from a virus, HIV is the most notable of them, and understandably one that makes people nervous if they get a positive result on their STD test. Up until the early 90s, treatment was not widely available and unfortunately due to stigma, a lot of people died during the HIV/AIDS crisis.
Thankfully, getting HIV nowadays is completely treatable, even if it’s not fully eliminated. It’s important to know that people who get early treatment for HIV don’t develop AIDS, can live full lives and engage in intimacy with the proper care.
Herpes is another STD that can be treated with antivirals, which is also great news since about 1.3 billion people in the world are reported to carry it.
Both diseases require routinely taking antiviral medicine that will keep the virus at bay, and in outstanding cases will completely suppress it.
Notifying Partners
A difficult but essential part of the process when getting positive STD testing results, is to contact any sexual partners you might have come in contact with since infection. Even if a condom or another physical barrier was used, there is a chance that they have also caught the STD, and the best way to prevent spreading it to more people is to quickly notify everyone.
Read more: The Simple Guide to Medicare Plan D (Prescription Drug Plans) in Falls Church, VA
Where to Get STD Testing in Falls Church, VA
If you suspect that you may have an STD, want to get screened before engaging in intimacy with a new partner, or are simply doing this for yourself, CareLife at Falls Church, VA, is here to provide an effective, discreet and respectful service to you. We understand how health can impact daily life, and strive to make our patients feel comfortable no matter what diagnosis they are navigating.
Our expert team is highly qualified, so you can rest assured that you are in great hands that know what you need in order to get the best treatment available that also works with your particular needs.