Sexual health is a significant aspect of a woman’s wellbeing. However, the whole idea comes with many complications and challenges that lowers a person's quality of life. The factors affecting sexual health may range from physical, emotional, and psychological. Among them include sexually transmitted diseases, age, birth control, pregnancy, among others. Your sexuality contributes to your overall health and happiness.

Hence, it is essential to seek professional help to improve your sexuality and better your life quality. Desert Star Family Planning provides quality and efficient gynecology and family planning services to enhance women’s health. The Phoenix STD testing specialist offers effective and accurate STD testing to promote and improve your sexual life. Call or book online to schedule your appointment.

DeShawn Taylor, MD, MSC, FACOG, a board-certified OB/GYN, clinical officer, and reproductive rights advocate, leads the practice in providing comprehensive women's care to empower women to live fulfilling lives. She is passionate about women's health and commits to offering innovative and integrative women's and sexual health services. She provides various services such as birth control, STD testing, annual exams, family planning advice, etc. Visit them today for all your woman's health needs.

What is STD testing?

Sexually transmitted diseases are common, especially to sexually active people, and affect millions of individuals worldwide. STD testing allows you to have effective medications, improve your sexual health, and reduce your risk of serious diseases such as HIV.

Who should have an STD test?

STD testing is recommendable to everyone at some point in life. It acts as a preventative measure to various STDs.

Most STDs do not show any visible symptoms until in their advanced stages, where they may cause severe damage to your health and fertility.

STD testing detects an infection before showing symptoms to allow you to get the treatment you need. The most common STDs include:

  • Herpes
  • Gonorrhea
  • Chlamydia
  • Syphilis
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV)
  • Hepatitis

What happens during an STD test?

During your consultation, your provider takes your blood, urine, or genital swab sample. Then sends it to a lab for testing. The results are quick and are available within a week.

What happens when your STD test results turn positive?

After testing positive, Dr. Taylor creates a personalized treatment plan for you. Most STD treatments are antibiotics or other medications, but STDs such as herpes and HIV do not have a cure. In this case, Dr. Taylor offers treatments and drugs to protect your health and prevent you from illnesses.

How to protect yourself from STDs?

Practicing safe sex is the most effective way to minimize your risk of contracting an STD. Condoms provide protection, especially when you have several sex partners.

It is also advisable for you and your partner to have STD tests before having sex without protection.

The highly experienced gynecologist also offers Gardasil, the HPV vaccine for protection against human papillomavirus.

To sum up, sexual health is essential to you, as it contributes to your general health and happiness in life. Having an STD test can help promote your health and prevent serious infections. Visit the Desert Star Family Planning Center for all your woman health and sexual health needs.

Author's Bio: 

Marina Pal is a renowned author and social media enthusiast.