You may feel healthy, trust your partner, or assume you would notice if you had a sexually transmitted disease. None of those things can tell you your current STD status.
Many infections do not cause noticeable symptoms, especially during their early stages. Testing can identify an infection before it is passed to someone else or begins affecting other areas of your health.
Echoz is an accredited medical clinic where you can receive low-cost STD/STI testing and treatment and speak with nurses about your sexual health. Schedule an appointment to get started.
1. An STD May Not Cause Symptoms
Symptoms such as unusual discharge, burning during urination, sores, pelvic pain, or discomfort during sex can indicate an infection. However, the absence of symptoms does not necessarily mean that an infection is absent.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea, for example, often don’t cause symptoms. Someone can have an infection, feel completely well, and still pass it to a sexual partner.
Testing is the only way to know your status. If you recently had a possible exposure, ask a healthcare professional when you should be tested. Some infections have a window period between exposure and the time at which they can be detected.
2. Early Treatment May Prevent Complications
An untreated STD can sometimes spread beyond the original site of infection.
In women, untreated chlamydia or gonorrhea may lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, commonly called PID. This infection affects the reproductive organs and may cause chronic pelvic pain, scarring of the fallopian tubes, ectopic pregnancy, or difficulty becoming pregnant.
STDs/STIs can also create concerns during and after pregnancy. Depending on the infection, possible complications may include premature birth, low birth weight, or transmission to the baby during pregnancy or delivery.
Detecting an infection earlier allows you to discuss treatment and follow-up care with a healthcare professional before additional problems develop.
3. Your Results Can Inform Your Next Steps
Testing replaces assumptions with specific information. Once you know your results, you can discuss treatment, follow-up testing, and ways to reduce the chance of transmitting an infection.
Your results may also affect your partner. If an infection is detected, a current or recent partner may also need testing and treatment. Otherwise, the infection could continue to pass between partners even after one person has been treated.
Testing can be useful when:
- You have a new sexual partner
- A partner has received a positive result
- You have symptoms that could indicate an infection
- You had sex without a condom
- You are pregnant or planning a pregnancy
A nurse or another healthcare professional can discuss which tests may be appropriate based on your health history and possible exposure.
Make an Appointment at Echoz
Sexual health questions can be personal. At Echoz, you can discuss your concerns privately and receive evidence-based medical information from nurses and other healthcare professionals.
Contact Echoz to schedule an STD/STI testing appointment at our accredited medical clinic. You can also call or text us at (406) 727-1850.