STD Testing FAQs

What are Sexually Transmitted Diseases? (STDs)

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are common bacterial or viral infections that are passed from one host to another through sexual contact as well as other forms of contact.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), STDs occur in millions of individuals every year and are extremely common among young adults and sexually-active adults. However, STDs are also what is called “asymptomatic," which means they usually don’t have any visible or immediate symptoms once they enter the host’s body.

The most common STDs based on CDC statistics includes the following:

• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhea
• Hepatitis (B, C)
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
• HIV/AIDS
• Herpes

If left untreated, STDs can lead to serious health and reproductive issues including infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, cervical cancer, and similar consequences.

Thankfully, most STDs are completely treatable and easily preventable with the following methods:

What can I do to prevent STDs? Where can I go to get STD screenings and treatment?

STD prevention is a relatively straight-forward process for most patients. Abstinence is the only sure way that you’ll never get an STD. But for sexually-active adults, STD prevention is mostly understanding the key risks and preventive behaviors that can lower your chances of getting an infection.

The most common risks for getting an STD include the following behaviors:

Frequent sexual activity with multiple partners – Increasing both the number of sexual partners and frequency of intercourse dramatically raises your risk of getting an STD.

Sexual activity when using drugs or alcohol – Partaking in sexual activity after using drugs or alcohol can lead to riskier sexual behaviors that increase your risk of getting an STD. Additionally, individuals that share needles when using recreational drugs can pass the disease from one user to another.

Unprotected sex with one or multiple partners – Sexual activity without a condom can lead to a higher risk of getting an STD. Condoms and prophylactics are helpful in reducing transmission of many common STDs.

The list of STD risks above increase one’s chances of contracting an STD. However, any adult that has even had a single sexual encounter with a new partner should get an updated screening.

Most medical facilities provide STD screenings and testing whenever patients need to check if they contracted a disease. Medical experts always recommend getting an STD test since most individuals are asymptomatic.

In the event that you do have an STD, getting a screening is the best way to address the disease early and get referrals for treatment. Patients interested in getting STD testing should visit a walk-in clinic or urgent care center for fast, private, and immediate testing.

How can AFC Urgent Care Swampscott help with my STD testing?

AFC Urgent Care Swampscott is a local walk-in clinic and urgent care center that allows patients to get an updated screening without the need for an appointment. Simply visit our facility during open hours to get private and anonymous STD testing from our urgent care team.

We can get you the results of your test on the same day, refer you to treatment options, and give you peace of mind in minutes. Additionally, patients should never hesitate to ask our urgent care team about any questions related to STD testing and sexual health. AFC Urgent Care Swampscott is here to provide friendly and patient-focused medical service!

If you want more information, learn more about our specific STD testing services on this page, call us directly, or get the fastest directions to our urgent care center:

Call (781) 691-9366

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