STd TESTING AND TREATMENT

STD Testing and Treatment

This is an information page. If you’re looking to request an appointment click here: www.AccessClinics.org/appointment

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are very common. Sometimes people call them sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but don’t let that confuse you. By age 25, about 1 in 2 sexually active people will get one, and they might not even know it. STDs don’t all look like the scary photos you’ve seen on Google. Most often they show no symptoms. If left untreated, STDs can cause pain, damage internal organs, even death. Some STDs can lead to being unable to have children (infertility).

The only way to know for sure if you have an STD is to be tested.

Some STDs can be cured, and all can be treated. Early treatment can relieve the side effects and health problems of most STDs.

At Access Esperanza Clinics, STD testing is confidential. You’ll want to wait a couple weeks after a possible exposure for test results to be accurate, but make sure to come in. People who qualify for state funding programs can receive free STD tests. Find out here if you might qualify https://accessclinics.org/qualify/

 

We offer the following STD tests:

Chlamydia and Gonorrhea

Get screened every year if:

  • You’re a sexually active and under age 25
  • You’re older than 25 and at risk of STDs — for example, if you’re having sex with a new partner or multiple partners
  • You’re a man who has sex with men
  • You have HIV
  • You’ve been forced to have sex

Chlamydia and gonorrhea screenings are painless and fast. Test are done either through a urine sample or during a woman’s pelvic exam. Samples are sent to a lab, and results should be ready in 5 days or less.

Our clinics provide medication to cure chlamydia and gonorrhea.

HIV and Syphilis

Sexually active people should get an HIV test at least once. If you are at high risk of infection, you should be tested more often.

Request testing for HIV or syphilis if you:

  • Test positive for another STD, which puts you at greater risk of other STDs
  • Have had more than one sexual partner since your last test
  • Use intravenous (IV) drugs
  • Are a man who has sex with men
  • Are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant
  • Have been forced to have sex

For HIV screenings, we take a drop of blood from the finger. Results are ready in minutes. If the test is positive, we may do a second confirmation test, which we send to a lab. Results for secondary confirmation tests are usually ready in 5 days or less.

Testing for syphilis is done by blood, which is sent to a lab. Results are usually ready in 5 days or less.

Our clinics offer medication that cures syphilis. We refer to agencies that offer low-cost HIV treatment.

Genital Herpes

Herpes tests are most accurate during an active outbreak. A sample is taken and sent to the lab. Results are usually ready in 2 weeks or less. Herpes testing is not a routine part of the physical exam. Please request one if you think you may have been infected.

HPV

Some types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause cervical cancer, some can cause genital warts, and others don’t cause either of those. Most people who have had sex will get some type of HPV.

In women, we test for HPV is the Pap test finds abnormal cells. The same sample taken at the Pap test is used for the HPV test.

We will provide a treatment plan for women who are positive with the types of HPV that can cause cancer. We can also remove genital warts. There is no cure for HPV.

We offer the Gardasil 9 HPV vaccine to help prevent cervical, vulvar, vaginal, and anal cancers caused by HPV. Vaccines are recommended for females ages 9-26 and are most effective before someone has started to have sex.

We also assess and provide treatment for vaginal infections and yeast infections.

NEED AN EXAM?

Contact us and ask how we can help!

At Access Esperanza Clinics, we offer opportunities and hope for people to plan their futures and stay healthy. You can count on us for quality, affordable, and confidential care at all of our health clinics.

Contact us!

Phone: 956-688-3700
Send Email: info@accessclinics.org

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The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Please call Access Esperanza Clinics at 956-688-3700 to set an appointment at any of our clinics.

 

This website is supported by the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $420 with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by OPA/OASH/HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit OPA.hhs.gov.