One in every two people will contract a sexually transmitted disease, or STD, by age 25. If you’re sexually active, regular STD screening detects sexual diseases so you can get treated and prevent complications. OB/GYN physician Luis DeLeon Usuga, MD, offers STD screening tests at Dr. DeLeon's Woman's Health Care in Rowlett, Texas. Call to schedule an STD screening today.
STDs, or sexually transmitted diseases, are diseases or infections spread through sexual activity. You can contract an STD through vaginal, anal, or oral sex and even genital skin-to-skin contact in some cases. Examples of common STDs include:
Some STDs cause symptoms while others do not, but if left untreated, unpleasant or dangerous complications can arise. That’s why routine STD screening tests are important if you’re sexually active.
If you have an STD you may or may not have symptoms. If you do, you might notice:
If you contract HIV you might initially experience a headache, fever, sore throat, rash, or fatigue. If left untreated, complications associated with some STDs can lead to cervical and other cancers or liver problems.
If you suspect you have an STD or would like routine STD test, the OB/GYN physicians at Dr. DeLeon's Woman's Health Care can help. Your STD test might include:
If you test positive for an STD using at-home testing kits, the next step is further testing with your OB/GYN doctor and treatment if necessary. Your provider checks your cervix for abnormal cells or cancer during a pap test by taking a sample of cervical cells and sending it to a lab.
Getting treated for an STD helps prevent complications from the disease, which might include pregnancy complications and cancer. The STD treatment that’s right for you depends on which STD you have and the severity of it. Your practitioner may recommend:
To lower your risk of contracting an STD, ask your doctor about the HPV vaccine, avoid sexual activity altogether, only have sex with one monogamous partner, or wear condoms during sexual intercourse.
To schedule an STD test, call Dr. DeLeon’s Woman’s Health Care today.