STD testing is a way to screen for sexually transmitted diseases. A physician or nurse practitioner will take a sample of your blood, urine, or swab inside your cheek for your doctor to review. Las Vegas STD testing looks for antibodies that the body produces to fight off infections. If exposed to an STD, the body may make antibodies against that disease.

If you have an STD and do not know it, it can cause serious health problems, including infertility, cancer, and death. The good news is that doctors can cure most STDs with medication. If your doctor diagnoses the infection early enough before any symptoms appear, then there is a good chance that they will help you.

There are several types of STD testing. The most common types are:

Chlamydia testing

Chlamydia is a type of test that checks for Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. Doctors do it by taking samples from your throat and urethra. They then test the samples in a lab.

Chlamydia is an STD you can contract through unprotected vaginal sex with an infected partner. You can acquire it by sharing sex toys with an infected partner or receiving oral sex from someone infected. Chlamydia causes urethritis, cervicitis, rectal discomfort in women, and discharge in men. If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and infertility in women. However, many people with chlamydia experience no symptoms or mild symptoms that disappear within several weeks after treatment begins.

HIV/AIDS testing

HIV testing is vital if you have unprotected sex with an infected person or share needles or other injection equipment with someone with HIV/AIDS. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. Once you contract HIV/AIDS and it enters your body through your bloodstream, there is no treatment. So, it is essential to know if you have exposed yourself to it before having sex with anyone else.

Gonorrhea testing

Gonorrhea testing is another STD test that checks for gonorrhea in your throat and urethra. It is done by taking samples from these areas and sending them to a lab for analysis.

Herpes Simplex Virus 2 or HSV2 Test

Doctors perform Herpes Simplex Virus 2 or HSV2 to check for herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV2). Doctors also use this test to check for herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1). You need to have this tested if you have recently exposed yourself to HSV1 or HSV2 through oral sex or genital contact with an infected person who has had genital herpes or oral herpes (cold sores) in their mouth or genitals.

Syphilis testing

Syphilis testing is for people who have had unprotected sex with someone who has syphilis, a bacterial infection that can lead to serious health problems, including blindness and paralysis. Syphilis is a common STD caused by Treponema pallidum bacteria. It can cause damage to your brain, heart, bones, and other organs.

STD testing is a simple, safe and effective way to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases. Getting tested as soon as possible is essential if you have any symptoms. Your local public health department or private clinic can help you get tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea, or HIV if you are at high risk. Contact Darin Swainston, MD, FACOG, for more information about STD testing.