The type of medicine that deals with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is called genitourinary medicine. A genitourinary medicine clinic is the best place to get STD testing. The symptoms of STDs are often in the genitals or in the urinary system, and because these systems are so closely connected, there are often symptoms in both.
Genitourinary medicine can sometimes eradicate an infection altogether. For example, the bacteria that cause syphilis are usually easily destroyed with penicillin. Gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis are also easily treated with antibiotics. In these cases, treatment will completely clear the infection. However, there is sometimes damage to the body that will remain after treatment. Syphilis can cause damage to the nerves that will not be fixed by the medication, although no further damage will occur once the bacteria are gone.
In other cases, %genitourinary medicine% can help, but cannot completely eradicate the infection. For example, genital warts can be removed, but the viral infection that causes the warts will remain for a period of time, and new warts may grow. Medications can be given that reduce the frequency and severity of genital herpes outbreaks, but the herpes virus remains inside the body for life, and can continue to cause new outbreaks. HIV can be kept under control with medications, but cannot be eliminated from the body.
In many cases, %STD testing% is needed to verify what type of infection you have, so that the right treatment can be given. There are various types of tests that can be done. If there’s discharge from the penis or vagina, the fluid can be tested. This is how gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis are usually diagnosed. There are also blood tests, which look for antibodies (an immune response) to the infectious organism. This is how syphilis, hepatitis B, and HIV are usually diagnosed. (Fluid from the genital sore caused by syphilis can also be tested.)
STD testing isn’t always needed. For instance, genital warts can usually be diagnosed by appearance alone, and testing doesn’t provide any additional useful information. Similarly, the sores of genital herpes can often be diagnosed solely through the physical examination. The fluid from the sores can be tested, or a blood test can be done, but this is often unnecessary to provide optimal herpes treatment.
%STD testing in Singapore% is also recommended for sexually active people who don’t have symptoms. This is because STDs may have no symptoms in many of those who are infected. It’s easy to have an STD but not know about it. This can affect your own health, because the STD may cause health problems later in your life. It also affects your partners, because you can still pass on an STD even if you don’t have symptoms. To get STD testing in Singapore, go to a genitourinary medicine clinic.
Sources:
Mayo Clinic. “STD symptoms: Common STDs and their symptoms.” Mayo Clinic. Published 18 Mar 2015. Accessed 25 Jun 2016. http://www.mayoclinic.org/std-symptoms/art-20047081
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published 25 Feb 2014. Accessed 26 Jun 2016. https://www.cdc.gov/std/general/default.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Screening Recommendations Referenced in Treatment Guidelines and Original Recommendation Sources.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published 4 Jun 2015. Accessed 20 Jun 2016. http://www.cdc.gov/std/tg2015/screening-recommendations.htm
References
Genitourinary medicine at Shim Clinic, Singapore