Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infections that are transmitted through sexual contact. If STDs are not treated on time, they can cause significant health risks. In Moore, reported cases of STDs are on the rise. The most common STDs reported are chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV. To combat this growing problem and to protect your sexual health, Equality Health Group offers confidential STD testing in Moore, OK with comprehensive treatment services. Our team of healthcare professionals provides quick, easy, and pain-free STD testing, ensuring timely detection and treatment to prevent the spread of infections. Book your appointment today by calling us at (405) 761-2762.
The Importance of Testing and Prevention: Prioritize Your Sexual Health
Bacteria, viruses, and parasites cause STDs. It can get transmitted through vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Some STDs can also be passed on from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. Notably, many individuals infected with STDs do not exhibit any symptoms. Hence, regular testing is essential for early detection and timely treatment.
STDs can lead to severe health complications if you do not treat them promptly. For instance, chlamydia and gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, plus ectopic pregnancy in women. Syphilis can damage vital organs and systems in the body. HIV can attack your immune system and lead to AIDS.
However, it is essential to know that most STDs are curable with appropriate medical interventions, and others, like HIV, can be highly managed, especially if detected and treated early. Regular testing is crucial because it not only allows for early detection and timely treatment but also protects the health of your sexual partners and helps prevent long-term complications.
If you are searching for STD testing near Moore, Equality Health Group is right around the corner!
Benefits of STD Testing in Moore, OK
STD testing is a way towards early detection and timely treatment of a disease. This not only helps in curing the disease, it also stops it from spreading. Moreover, it allows at-risk people to begin their treatment before these infections can result in more complications, such as infertility.
Getting tested for a STD is the only way to know if you actually have an STD. Without knowing that, you and your partner’s sexual health remains at risk. Once tested, you can have peace of mind about your health.
Types of STD Testing: Understanding Your Options
At Equality Health Group, we offer various types of accurate STD testing in Moore, OK to diagnose specific infections accurately. Our experienced healthcare professionals will guide you in choosing the most suitable test based on your risk factors and symptoms.
Our STD tests include the following–
- Physical exams: Certain STDs, such as genital warts and herpes, can be diagnosed through a physical examination by a healthcare provider.
- Swab tests: These involve collecting a sample of fluid or cells from the affected area, such as the genitals, anus, or throat. Swab tests can diagnose STDs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and genital herpes.
- Urine tests: Urine tests diagnose bacterial STDs like chlamydia and gonorrhea. It involves collecting a urine sample and analyzing it in a lab.
- Blood tests: Diagnosis of viral STDs such as HIV, hepatitis B, and Syphilis. We take a blood sample and send it to a lab for analysis.
- Rapid tests: We also offer rapid tests for HIV and hepatitis C that give results in as fast as 20 minutes.
Our dedicated staff will provide specific instructions for each type of test to ensure accurate results and a comfortable testing experience.
Ready, Set, Test: Preparing for STD Testing in Moore, OK
Testing for STD begins with a healthcare specialist reviewing your medical history to perform a test. Although doctors don’t require you to do any preparation, what you can do is make a note of every symptom you’ve experienced in the last several months.
Whether minor or major, these symptoms allow doctors to narrow down the type of STD you may or may not have. When you are telling about your symptoms, make sure to tell:
- The time of your symptoms
- Where the symptoms appeared on your body
- What were you feeling
- What your symptoms looked like
- The duration of symptoms
We understand that patients might not be 100% comfortable discussing their sexual life with us. That is why we assure you that our whole procedure – from conversation to testing and treatment – is confidential. With more information about your experiences, we can come up with more suitable testing and treatment procedures.
Interpreting Your STD Test Results
Your STD testing results are crucial for taking appropriate next steps.
- Positive: A positive result means that the test detected the presence of an STD. It may indicate an active infection or a previously treated infection. Further testing may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
- Negative: A negative result means that the test did not detect the presence of an STD. However, it is crucial to remember that STDs have window periods, i.e., when the infection occurs and when it shows up on a test. So if you take the STD test too soon, the results will not be accurate. In this situation, we will ask you to retest after the window period ends.
- Inconclusive: An inconclusive result means the test could not provide a clear result. It may be due to a technical error or an insufficient sample. As such, further testing may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
At Equality Health Group, our professionals will help interpret your test results and guide you on the necessary actions based on your unique situation.
Protecting Your Sexual Health: Powerful Prevention Strategies
Prevention is key to maintaining sexual health and reducing the spread of STDs. Along with regular testing, practicing safe sex is essential. Here are some important safe sex practices to keep in mind–
- Consistently use condoms or barriers during anal, vaginal, and oral sex to reduce the risk of STD transmission.
- Individuals with latex allergies can also use non-latex condoms, like polyurethane condoms.
- We do not recommend natural membrane condoms for STD prevention, only for pregnancy prevention.
- Reduce the number of sexual partners to decrease the risk of contracting STDs.
- Get vaccinated against hepatitis B and human papillomavirus (HPV) to prevent specific STIs and certain types of cancer.
For individuals who are at high risk of HIV infection, we provide Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as a preventive medication.
Choose Equality Health Group for Confidential STD Testing and Treatment in Moore, OK
At Equality Health Group, we prioritize your sexual health and offer comprehensive testing and treatment services for STD. Our professional and experienced team ensures your confidentiality and provides accurate results on time. For uninsured patients, we also have an in-house program that can help cover the cost of lab tests for those who qualify.
To learn more about our services like STD treatment and testing, HIV testing, HIV treatment, Hepatitis C testing or Hepatitis C treatment and PrEP for HIV Prevention; schedule an appointment or contact us at–405-761-2762 or [email protected].
Take charge of your sexual health and partner with Equality Health Group for trusted and confidential STD testing in Moore, OK. Together, we can protect ourselves and the Moore community from the spread of sexually transmitted infections.