Sexually Transmitted Diseases Health Center

Early diagnosis of an STD lowers the risk of spreading the disease. It also can limit the lingering effects of the condition. If untreated, STDs can develop into serious health concerns such as brain damage, cancer, heart disease, birth defects, blindness, infertility and death, among others.

If you suspect you have an STD, contact your doctor for a full physical examination and STD screening. Your doctor may not be able to detect an STD without your complete honesty about your sexual health concerns and sexual and medical histories. Your doctor will never discuss your sexual history with anyone else. Blood tests and swab cultures (such as a PAP smear for females) can aid doctors in figuring out what STD you may have contracted.