STD tests are performed to test for sexually transmitted diseases, STD’s, or sexually transmitted infections, STI’s, in men and women who are sexually active. Sexually transmitted diseases often don’t have any symptoms or signs so it can be hard to know when a person has one without regular testing. There are many different types of sexually transmitted diseases that a person can catch through unprotected sex with an infected partner. STD tests are performed either when symptoms are present or without symptoms when there is a risk that a person may have contracted an STD from a new sexual partner or from multiple partners. The type of test needed will vary based on the STD being tested for as they affect the body in different ways and will show up in different tissues and cells inside the body depending on the nature of the infection.

The type of test used for an STD test will vary based on the STD that is suspected. If it a routine screening, all of the different tests may be performed through the course of the one visit.

The different types of tests and the STD’s they are used for are:

● Urine test or genital swab, inside the penis for men and for women from the cervix, is used to test for the presence of chlamydia or gonorrhea. The sample collected will then sent to a lab for testing and analysis.
● A blood sample is used to test for HIV, hepatitis and syphilis. Syphilis can also be tested for by taking a swab from a genital sore if any are present.
● Genital herpes is not easily diagnosed with a screening test due to it being a viral infection. If you have blisters or early ulcers, your doctor could take a scraping or culture from it, but the results may not be conclusive. A blood test could also be used to test a previous herpes infection, but again the results may not be completely clear.
● For women, a routine PAP test can be used to test for HPV, however there is no screening test available for men. For men, the presence of HPV is typically diagnosed by either a visual inspection or by taking a biopsy of any genital warts.

Many factors will determine how often you should get tested for STD’s. For the most part, these are tied to your sexual activity and any factors that cause an increased risk of contracting an STD. It is recommended that you get tested on an annual basis if any of the following are true:

● You are under 25 years of age and sexually active.
● You are older than 25 and are at a higher risk due to multiple or new partners.
● You have been positively diagnosed with HIV.
● You have tested positive for any other STI.
● You have been forced to engage in any sexual activity that you did not provide consent for.
● You used intravenous (IV) drugs.
● You are currently pregnant or are planning to become pregnant.

Different STD’s have different incubation periods, meaning some may show symptoms within a matter of days or weeks of infection, where others can take months or even years. Some never show symptoms at all, in which case the only way of knowing you have an STD is through a positive test. An STD will often test for antibodies, which are naturally produced by your body to fight off the infection. By testing for antibodies, instead of relying on symptoms, doctors and labs are able to determine if there is an infection in the body that you are fighting even when there are no symptoms. You can learn more by booking an appointment at Midlands Family Urgent Care. We are also open 7 days a week. We serve patients from Omaha NE, La Vista NE, Fairview NE, Ralston NE, Bellevue NE and surrounding areas.