There are approximately 20 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, every year. At Triad Internal Medicine in Asheboro, North Carolina, Chelsea Poe, FNP, Kirstie Ferrell, FNP, and Keung Lee, MD, PhD, MHA offers comprehensive STD testing and treatment. Routine testing and testing in response to symptoms helps keep the spread of STDs at bay. Call the office or schedule an appointment online today for your STD evaluation.
You don’t always develop symptoms when you have an STD, which means you can unknowingly spread them to a partner.
Get tested if you notice:
STDs cause uncomfortable symptoms and can lead to complications like infertility. They’re easily transmittable, so it can present serious complications if left untreated.
Routine STD testing is recommended for all sexually active adolescents and adults. The comprehensive STD testing available at Triad Internal Medicine includes screening for:
Most people need annual STD screenings if they’re sexually active. Your provider may recommend more frequent testing if you have multiple partners, share drug needles, or are a sexually active gay or bisexual man. Pregnant women also need screenings because STD infections can spread to the baby.
Your treatment depends on your diagnosis. If you have an STD like gonorrhea, syphilis, or chlamydia, antibiotics clear up the infection within a few weeks. Alert any partners you’ve been with to let them know they may also have the infection.
Your provider prescribes an antiviral drug if you test positive for HIV or herpes. Antivirals don’t cure you of the virus but do reduce the risk of transmission to a partner. If you have an active herpes outbreak, the best way to avoid passing on the infection is to avoid sexual activity altogether.
Your provider can treat HPV symptoms – such as genital warts. If you’re between the ages of 11 and 26, you’re eligible for the HPV vaccine that protects you from contracting the STD in the first place. Women should get regular Pap smear tests to check for irregular precancerous cells that could be caused by the HPV virus.
Call Triad Internal Medicine or schedule an appointment online today to learn more about STD testing.