STD Testing Specialist
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GYN-CARE Women's Healthcare Center
Women's Health Center located in Atlanta, GA
All sexually active women should have regular STD testing. Most STD tests take just a few minutes as part of a regular OB/GYN checkup. Eric Brown, MD and the highly skilled OB/GYN team at Gyn-Care in Atlantic Station, Atlanta is fully dedicated to all aspects of your female health and wellness, from your first exam as early as 16 all the way through menopause. Your OB/GYN customizes your STD tests based on your exposure, your sexual activity, your age, and other factors unique to you. Book your STD testing appointment online or by phone now.
STD Testing Q & A
How often do I need STD testing?
If you're sexually active, you need STD testing. The exact schedule for your STD testing can vary based on several factors including your age, your risk factors for STDs, and your general health.
For example, if you're over 25, you may not need annual gonorrhea and chlamydia screenings anymore unless you have a new partner, more than one sex partner, or you have a partner who already has an STD. Your Gyn-Care OB/GYN will discuss testing frequency with you based on your specific situation.
Why is regular STD testing so important?
The main reason that STD testing is so important is that STDs can be hard to recognize in their early stages. If you've got an STD, you're unlikely to be aware of it until you either have an STD test or until the disease grows severe and starts showing symptoms.
Finding out that you have an STD early, before you've got symptoms, means that you can begin treatment immediately, possibly preventing long-term damage.
STD testing is also important for the sake of others. If you don't have STD testing, you may pass STDs to your sexual partner or partners without being aware of it.
What are the signs that I may have an STD?
While you may not have any symptoms in the early stages, later-stage STDs can cause severe and very obvious symptoms. Some of the most common symptoms can include:
- Pelvic cramps when you're not ovulating or menstruating
- Discomfort or pain when you urinate
- Discomfort or pain during sexual intercourse
- Bleeding when you're not menstruating
- Odorous vaginal discharge
- Gummy vaginal discharge
- Lumpy vaginal discharge
These signs may mean you've got an STD, but could also indicate other less-serious problems. If you experience these problems, it's always best to test.
Which STDs should you be tested for?
Gyn-Care recommends a multi-STD panel for most patients. These panels typically include the most frequently-occurring STDs, such as:
- Chlamydia
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Herpes
- Gonorrhea
- Syphilis
- HIV
Certain other STDs, such as Trichomonas and HPV, aren't generally included in a multi-STD panel but can be added to your testing if needed.
Book your appointment online or by phone today.
