STD Cases Continue to Rise: Who Should Get Tested and When?

Advanced testing methods make it easier than ever to identify sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) early, so they can be treated before compilations occur. But despite those advances, data show that many STDs are on the rise in the United States, putting more people at risk of infections and serious side effects.

STDs are very common in the United States — about half of all Americans will have an STD in their lifetimes. In recent years, rates of infection have risen dramatically for several STDs, including syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. Rates of congenital syphilis — syphilis passed from moms to their newborns — have soared an alarming 203% in recent years.

Fortunately, most STDs are relatively simple to treat, typically resolving after a course of antibiotics or other medication. But delaying diagnosis means delays in care, and that can result in serious complications, more difficult treatment regimens, and of course, an increase in the risk of passing the infection on to other people.

A leading primary care and urgent care practice in Humble, Texas, Calvary Urgent Care offers comprehensive STD screening to help patients get critical treatment as early as possible. In this post, Joseph Goin, MD and his team help you understand how screening works and why regular STD testing is so important for your health and for the health of others.

STD screening recommendations

A lot of people are confused about whether or not they need to be tested, and if so, how often testing should be done. The answer is, it depends — but in general, regular STD testing is beneficial for anyone who's sexually active.

Specific recommendations are based largely on your gender and your potential exposures. The CDC offers a list of screening recommendations on its website. Overall, they recommend regular screening for most women and men for these STDs:

Chlamydia
Gonorrhea
Syphilis
Herpes
Trichomonas
HIV
HPV, cervical cancer, anal cancer
Hepatitis B and C

Frequency of testing depends on your level of risk, which in turn is dependent on a lot of individual lifestyle factors.

In short, if you think you might be at risk or if you’ve never been tested, it’s a good idea to have testing right away. During your visit, Dr. Goin can help you determine how often you should be tested to stay safe and to avoid potentially passing an infection on to someone else.

Getting tested

STD screening is a simple, straightforward process that’s done right here in our office. You can either schedule an office visit for your screening or simply walk in to our urgent care clinic for immediate testing.

We offer a full range of STD tests, including screening for:

HPV
Gonorrhea
Chlamydia
Syphilis
Herpes
Hepatitis B and C
Trichomoniasis
HIV/AIDS

Depending on the type of STDs we’re screening for, your test might involve a blood draw, urinalysis, or a swab that’s used to collect a sample for microscopic analysis.

After your sample is collected, it’s carefully analyzed in a lab, a process that takes no more than a week or two. Then, our office contacts you to discuss your results and arrange for treatment when necessary.

STD screening is quick, discreet, and confidential. If you’re sexually active, if you’re pregnant, or if you’re part of a high-risk population, like a needle user or an emergency responder, regular STD screening is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy.

Make STD screening part of your healthcare routine

With STD screening, a few minutes of your time can yield a lifetime of better health. To learn more about screening or to schedule testing, use our walk-in clinic, call 832-680-2273, or book an appointment online with Dr. Goin and the team at Calvary Urgent Care today.