Did you know that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) affect more than 12 million people in the United States each year?
If you are sexually active – even in a monogamous relationship – you may be at risk of contracting an STD regardless of your lifestyle and personal medical history. In any case, taking care of your sexual health is just as important as any other aspect of your health.
That’s why you should take advantage of the confidential STD testing and treatment services at FamilyCare of Kent. We provide routine exams for men and women, along with testing and counseling designed to help prevent and treat STDs.
Testing and Treatment for STDs
Most STDs do not produce symptoms – all the more reason to undergo regular testing.
Our board-certified nurse practitioners at FamilyCare of Kent are experienced with identifying and treating sexually transmitted diseases. They can also answer any and all questions you may have about STDs. What’s more, we have the utmost respect for your privacy when it comes to your sexual health. Your STD test results are kept completely confidential and shared only between you and your provider.
Common types of sexually transmitted diseases identified and treated at FamilyCare of Kent are:
- Bacterial vaginosis
- Chancroid
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Granuloma inguinale
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Herpes
- HIV/AIDS
Because STDs are easily passed from one partner to another, it is important that individuals who are sexually active be tested and treated on a regular basis. If left untreated, an STD can lead to serious health complications, such as:
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), is a condition that can damage a woman’s fallopian tubes and result in severe pelvic pain and sterility.
- Tubal pregnancies (fetus develops in the fallopian tube instead of the womb). Tubal pregnancies are sometimes fatal to the mother and always fatal to the fetus.
- Male and female sterility.
- Cancer of the cervix, vagina, penis, anus, or throat.
- Potential damage to major organs, such as the heart, kidney, and brain.
- Abnormal discharge from the vagina, penis, or rectum.
- Painful urination or intercourse.
- Abdominal pain in women, testicular pain in men.
- Genital, anal, or oral blisters, open sores, warts, rashes, or swelling.
- Persistent flu-like symptoms may precede STD symptoms.
At FamilyCare of Kent’s STD clinic, we use the most advanced and sensitive tests available for clinical screening. These include:
- Oral and genital exams that look for evidence of infection. Magnification and acetic acid application are frequently used in searching for the human papillomavirus (HPV).
- HIV (AIDS) testing using western blot technology.
- Blood test for syphilis.
- Cervical, oral, anal, and/or urine samples for chlamydia or gonorrhea testing.
- Blood test and/or culture for both type 2 genital herpes and type 1 non-genital herpes.
- Cultures and clinical exam for PID.
- DNA hybridization assay for trichomoniasis, bacterial vaginosis, and yeast infection in women.
- Blood test for Hepatitis B and C.
- Clinical exams for molluscum contagiosum, lice, and scabies; granuloma inguinale; lymphogranuloma venereum; and chancroid, with additional confirmatory testing, if disease is suspected.
A single dose of antibiotics can often cure most sexually transmitted bacterial and parasitic infections. In addition, we offer PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a prescription medication used to prevent HIV infection in homosexual males.
STD Clinic Near You in Kent, Washington
If you are sexually active and concerned about your risk of contracting an STD, please contact FamilyCare of Kent right away for an appointment. You can use our online appointment request form or call us at (253) 859-2273 (CARE) to schedule a private consultation.