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I Think I Have an STD: What Should I Do?

I Think I Have an STD: What Should I Do?

If you’re experiencing unexplained symptoms around your genitals or unwelcome changes like a burning sensation when you urinate, you might be wondering if a sexually transmitted disease (STD) could be to blame. 

Ultimately, if you suspect that you have an STD, you need to get tested. At both of our SmartClinic Urgent Care offices — in West Covina and Santa Clarita, California — we offer discreet, convenient STD testing. You can simply walk into our office, and we can test you at our on-site lab.  

If you want clarity about what’s going on with your body and treatment for what’s causing your symptoms, don’t wait to visit us at our certified urgent care centers, open seven days a week. 

When to see a medical professional

At first, STD symptoms might seem like a minor annoyance and nothing much to worry about. As symptoms persist, though, you may start to wonder about what’s behind them.

While STD symptoms vary depending on the disease or infection that’s affecting you, there are some common warning signs. Symptoms that crop up across many different STDs include:

Also, if you notice any of these changes in your genital area, an STD could be to blame:

If those symptoms sound familiar, pay us a visit. 

This advice applies even if it’s been awhile since you’ve had a new sexual partner. Most STDs start presenting symptoms within a few weeks, but some take months or even years to flare up. Even if the timeline isn’t what you would expect, it’s always worth getting tested so you can get a proper diagnosis and prompt treatment. 

What to expect with STD testing

We offer different tests to check for the presence of different sexually transmitted diseases. To figure out which test or tests you should take, we first talk with you about your symptoms. 

Based on what you’re experiencing, we recommend specific tests and tell you what form each takes. It might be a urine test, blood test, or mouth or genital swab, for example. We process your sample at our on-site STD testing facility, helping you get clarity faster. 

And if you do have an STD, our team develops a treatment plan for you. In some cases, we can prescribe medication to clear up the infection altogether. In others — as with viral STDs, which have no cure — we can prescribe medication to minimize or eliminate your symptoms and reduce your risk of passing on the infection. 

If you think you might have an STD, don’t wait to get tested. You can simply walk into either of our SmartClinic Urgent Care offices, you can call the location nearest you, or you can book your appointment online.

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