Here are several ways you could bring up the STD test to a doctor or nurse: I’ve never been tested for STDs, but my partner and I always use condoms, right? Do we really need to be tested for STDs? Have you ever tested yourself for any STDs at checkups? What STDs should lookout for? How can you really know when you need to get tested?
You should know what a physical exam and/or a laboratory examination for STDs entail before you get yourself a done. A physical exam, sometimes called a pelvic exam, is simply a form of examination to see if you have physical conditions that may indicate a sexually transmitted disease (STD). If you do get a physical exam done, your doctor will check for common symptoms of STDs such as vaginal discharge, itching or burning in the genital area, and pain during intercourse or urination. They may also take your temperature and check for blood in the urine. These exams are usually free, but many health care providers have a health savings account so that if you pay for the exam and the lab fees, you may be able to pay for the entire bill at the same time, which can help to alleviate some of the financial strain of STD treatment.
If your healthcare provider decides that you should be tested, he or she will send you to a hospital STD testing center where an STD test is performed under the direction of a qualified medical staff. Usually, an STD test is done after a physical exam, and you’ll be asked a few questions about your private life, current health conditions, etc. Once your STD test results are back, your doctor will discuss them with you and determine whether or not you should be treated based on your test results.
Most people immediately start treatment when they receive a positive result from their STD test. However, often symptoms of STDs take months or even years to develop. This means that your healthcare provider may advise you to wait and see what happens. In some cases, STD treatment can involve stopping your antibiotic medication while waiting for the symptoms to go away; this is called a prophylactic treatment.
Some healthcare professionals recommend that STD patients consider using a form of prevention treatment called interval testing. Interval sampling is a method that allow patients to detect their current sexual activity, and then look for any potential risks for contracting an STD. For example, if you have engaged in multiple sexual partners in the past year, and one of those partners is showing signs of an STD, you could perform an STD test to find out if you might be at risk for catching it. With interval testing, you stop taking your current antibiotics and wait a set number of weeks before beginning any new sexual activity.
Most health professionals recommend that all sexually active women get a pap smear at least once each year. A pap smear is often recommended for women who are sexually active on a regular basis. Many women find it necessary to have their colitis symptoms checked every few months. Colitis symptoms tend to flare up after receiving the HPV vaccine. Although it’s important for women to get a pap smear once a year, many women skip the annual exam because they think they won’t need it. However, the majority of women will find that their doctor may recommend an annual exam to monitor their health.
