STD Testing
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Lyon Primary Care
Primary Care Physician located in Midtown, New York, NY
At Lyon Primary Care in Midtown, New York, NY, we’re committed to ensuring our patients receive the first-rate healthcare they deserve. That includes testing and education regarding sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that’s delivered with compassion and sensitivity. Our primary care specialist, Valerie Lyon, M.D., who trained at a large New York STD clinic, can identify which test is right for your circumstances and, when necessary, develop an effective treatment strategy that’s designed to relieve and manage your symptoms. Call our office today for an appointment or schedule your visit with our online service.
STD Testing Q&A
What are sexually transmitted infections (STIs)?
Also known as sexually transmitted diseases, STIs are bacterial or viral infections passed from one person to another person during sexual contact that can include oral as well as vaginal or anal intercourse.
There are numerous types of STIs, including:
- Gonorrhea
- Syphilis
- Chlamydia
- HIV
- HPV
- Hepatitis
- Herpes
What are the symptoms of STIs?
The signs or symptoms of an STI may take weeks to appear — even years in the case of HIV and certain stages of syphilis. Symptoms vary according to your gender and the type of infection. Gonorrhea, for instance, is a bacterial infection that may cause heavy and painful menstrual periods in women and testicular pain in men.
Chlamydia can cause pain with urination 1-3 weeks after exposure, but the symptoms are often mild and easy to overlook until your infection becomes widespread. It may eventually cause:
- Lower abdominal pain
- Vaginal or penile discharge
- Painful intercourse for women
- Heavy menstrual periods or bleeding between periods
- Testicular pain
Who should be tested for STIs?
Certain symptoms may indicate that screening is necessary, but because STI symptoms are often hard to detect or slow to appear, we often recommend our patients consider testing based on risk of exposure rather than symptoms.
Essentially anyone who is sexually active may be at risk for developing an STI, but that’s especially true if you have a new partner or multiple partners.
Otherwise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) generally recommends that anyone between the ages of 15 and 64 consider testing for HIV at least once. The CDC also recommends individuals born between 1945 and 1965 receive hepatitis C screening because the incidence of infection is high for this age group.
What is STI testing like?
The type of test performed depends on the STI. Screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea, for instance, involves a urine test or lab analysis of a swab taken from inside the penis in men or the cervix in women.
Blood tests are required for HIV and hepatitis C. Screening for syphilis may include a blood test or a swab from a current genital sore.
What is the treatment for STIs?
Treatment varies and depends on the nature of the infection (bacterial vs viral) and the type of STI. Some STIs respond well to treatment with antibiotics. Others, such as HIV, can’t be cured yet, but the virus can be successfully controlled with careful medical management by a team of experts we can collaborate with as your primary care providers.
Call our office today to schedule an appointment.
