Sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, are incredibly common in our community and across the country. While it may feel uncomfortable to think about potentially contracting an STD, it is always a possibility that you may develop one sometime.

Did you know that AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga tests for STDs? We can run a series of tests, including some rapid tests, to get to the bottom of your symptoms and help you feel better faster.

Read on as our team explains more about STDs and what the testing process is like.

Why Are STD Tests Important?

STDs are among a category of illnesses that can exist in your body without causing any symptoms. This is what makes them so tricky to detect sometimes! If you are infected but don’t know it, you could be spreading an infection around to your partners without intending to, and you are putting your own health at risk by not receiving proper treatment.

Here at our AFC center, we can test you and give you results in as little as 30 minutes for some tests. The testing portion will either be a blood draw, swab or urine sample, and our lab will process it quickly. Once the results are in, we can discuss next steps together if any come back positive.

Some STDS That Our Tests Can Detect

• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhea
• Syphilis
• HPV

Will an STD Go Away Faster With Treatment?

Of course it will! While there are some cases that will resolve on their own with time, you don’t want to take that gamble. The longer you wait to treat an STD, the higher the risk you run of experiencing long-term health issues later in life. Infertility, pregnancy complications and pelvic inflammatory disease are among the list of unfortunate side effects.

We understand that talking about your sexual health with a stranger may seem embarrassing, but we promise that we don’t see it that way! We are here to help you be the healthiest version of yourself that you can be, and that includes focusing on your sexual health as well.

Additional Sexual Health Tips

• Get tested often, especially when switching partners.
• Wear a condom.
• Don’t hide information from your partner.
• Get vaccinated for hepatitis A, hepatitis B and HPV.

We are here seven days a week. Stop by our AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga center today for an STD test.