Leave Your Worries Behind…

Worried you may have exposed to an STD?  At Advanced Urgent Care of Pasadena we understand that you may be uncomfortable or even embarrassed to go see your primary care doctor for your sexual health concers.  Our facility offers discreet, confidential, and comprehensive walk-in STD testing in a safe and non-judgmental environment.   We are open 7 days a week/365 days a year including all holidays.  Our trained physicians can run the necessary advanced care STD testing and provide you with the proper treatment or referral to a specialist if needed.

STD SYMPTOMS

If you have any of the following symptoms, please make sure a licensed medical physician evaluates you.  There are some STDs that do not cause any symptoms; therefore, it is important to see a doctor if your sexual partner has been recently diagnosed with an STD.  Complications of untreated STDs include infertility, cancer, and even death.  If you have been diagnosed with an STD, refrain from sexual activity until treatment is completed.  We know that the decision to get tested can be a difficult. We value your privacy and guarantee quick, accurate, and confidential urgent care STD testing.

Symptoms in Women

STDs symptoms may include burning or pain during urination, abnormal vaginal discharge, painful intercourse, bloody vaginal discharge, pain in the abdomen, spotting, itching, fever, blisters, swollen glands, open sores, foul smelling discharge and warts.

Symptoms in Men

Symptoms in men may include; discharge from the urethra, pain during urination, inflammation of the testicles or prostate, fever, or sores on the penis. If you have any of these symptoms refrain from sexual activity until diagnosis and treatment are completed.

 Walk-in STD Testing Services:

• Chlamydia
• Genital Warts
• Gonorrhea
• Herpes
• HIV (testing only)
• Syphilis (testing only)
• Hepatitis (B, C)
• Trichomoniasis (trich)
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

For all other screenings, or if you have any additional questions please call 626.304.0404 and ask to speak to one of our medical professionals.

Urgent Care STD Testing: Diagnosis and Treatment Information

Being exposed to a STD can be a frightening experience.  You have questions and need diagnostic testing and advice.  We offer comprehensive STD testing with no appointment necessary.  Just walk in and our urgent care clinic can draw the labs on the spot in a confidential and discreet manner.  Some sexually transmitted diseases can be diagnosed by the appearance of the skin such as Genital Warts or Herpes.  If you feel that you may have been exposed or are showing symptoms of an STD then please refine from sexual contact and seek care immediately.

HOW IS STD TESTING DONE?

Types of testing are different for each sexually transmitted disease.  Testing usually includes:

• A physical exam
• Collecting a sample of blood, urine, discharge, tissue, cells, or saliva that we will send out to a lab for analysis.

Once we receive your results, usually in less than one week, one of our licensed physicians will talk with you about treatment options and answer questions you may have regarding your diagnosis.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis) is a very common sexually transmitted disease. It can remain asymptomatic in some which is why it is one of the most common STD in the United States.  The symptoms of Chlamydia in Women can be abnormal vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, painful urination, pain during intercourse, an increased need to urinate.  In men, chlamydia can also have little symptoms, or cause a burning sensation during urination, a discharge from the urethral opening of the penis, testicular pain.  Too often there may be no symptoms.  Left untreated, Chlamydia can lead the sterility or the inability to have children in the future. Other complications of Chlamydia are eye disease, neonatal conjunctivitis, pneumonia, prostate inflammation in men, and arthritis.

At Advanced Urgent Care of Pasadena, we offer the latest in DNA diagnosis of Chlamydia.  The test involves collecting urine, so it is a pain free test and results are available fast.  We also offer treatment for this, so you can actually leave the facility already successfully treated for the condition.

 Gonorrhea

Neisseria gonorrhoeae can present in much the same way as Chlamydia does.  It is common and can lead to a burning sensation with urination, vaginal or penile discharge, testicular pain, and painful intercourse for women. Complications of this infection can be conjunctivitis, heart disease, prostate disease, sterility and even death if it enters the blood stream causing sepsis.

At Advanced Urgent Care of Pasadena, we also offer very sensitive testing for the DNA diagnosis of Gonorrhea via urine.  This is very accurate and painless.  Fortunately, there is a very reliable treatment with an injection of antibiotics which we offer in our clinic.  There is a generally high rate of co-infections of Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, so we generally do testing for both conditions together and provide treatment for both at the same time.

Condoms offer good protection from Gonorrhea and Chlamydia infection and are highly recommended.  If you feel that you may have been exposed, want peace of mind, or may have symptoms then please come in for testing.  No appointment is needed, and we can provide discreet and confidential testing and treatments.

Oral Herpes

The herpes virus family compresses several members.  The most commonly thought of in this family is Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) which causes cold sores and skin rashes.  Herpes Zoster Virus causes Chicken Pox and Shingles.  The Epstein Bar Virus is also a Herpes virus and causes mononucleosis.  The sexually transmitted herpes is the Herpes Simplex Virus which has two types.  Type I is generally found more above the neck and Type II is considered more of a genital infection.  However, either virus can be found anywhere on the body.  Herpes Simplex is acquired by direct contact with the virus and condoms may not cover the areas of skin infected with the virus.  The virus can still be transmitted even when there is no clinical outbreak present.

The diagnosis is often made by visual inspection and history.  The skin lesions are often red with a vesicular clear fluid top.  Recurrent, out breaks in the same area of the skin are common.  There is a blood test which can show recent exposure to the virus which is called an IgM antibody test to the Type I and II Herpes Simplex Virus.  While there is no cure for Herpes Simplex infection, there is a very effective oral medication which can regress the active infection.  This same medication at a lower dose may also be used as a prevention for recurrence. We carry the medication for Herpes in our in-house pharmacy for your convenience.

Hepatitis B

The Hepatitis B Virus can also be sexually transmitted.  We routinely perform testing for this disease with our STD panel to be comprehensive.  Transmission of Hepatitis B can produce an initial flu-like syndrome which can be mild.  Late complications of the infection include liver failure, liver cancer and even death. Condoms can prevent transmission of the infection.   There is a vaccination, which can prevent the infection, but there is no cure of the infection once it is established.

Hepatitis C

The Hepatitis C virus is another virus which can cause liver disease.  It is genetically unrelated to the Hepatitis B virus or the other hepatitis viruses.  We also perform testing for this virus as part of our STD testing panel.  Disease transmission is usually blood born or via contaminated needles.  Condoms can prevent sexual transmission of the infection.  Infection with Hepatitis C can be managed with new treatments and we can refer you to a specialist for this.

Syphilis

Syphilis is one of the oldest sexually transmitted diseases.  It is caused by a bacteria, Treponema pallidum.  The infection has 4 stages: Primary, Secondary, Latent and Tertiary.

Primary Syphilis is the initial skin lesion 3-90 days after exposure to the bacteria and it causes a “chancre” which is a painless ulcerated lesion on the penis, vagina or cervix.  Lymph node swelling is also common.

Secondary Syphilis is a great imitator as it can present in many different ways.  Most commonly the mucus membranes and lymph nodes are involved.  There may be a rash which can involve the palms and the soles of the feet.

Latent infection can occur when there is no active symptoms of the infection but blood tests are still positive for disease.

Tertiary Syphilis can occur years after the initial infection and can present with soft tissue tumors, eye disease, central nervous system dysfunction, and heart disease.

Congenital syphilis occurs when the infection is transmitted during pregnancy or birth.  These children can have enlarged spleen or liver, rash, lung disease and deformities.

Testing for Syphilis can be done with a blood sample and a confirmatory test is always done in case of a positive result.  Treatment involves antibiotics which we can start in the office and a cure is possible.  Condoms can prevent disease transmission.  If you think you may have been exposed, please come in right away for diagnostic testing and potential treatment.

HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV is a deadly disease which can attack the cells of the immune system.  The virus is transmitted by sexual contact or via a contaminated needle or blood product.  Condoms can prevent the sexual transmission of the virus.  Once infected, the virus can cause a non-specific flu like syndrome.  The virus can be dormant for many years and produce a “latent infection”.  Once the virus is active it can destroy specific immune cells, called CD4 cells, which help us fight infections and cancer.  This results in a syndrome called AIDS or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.  Fortunately, there are treatments available to fight the virus.  We offer discrete and confidential HIV testing.  All positive results are double checked for accuracy.  We can refer you to an infectious disease specialist who can help fight the virus.

HIV prophylaxis 

There is a new treatment which can decrease your risk of acquiring the HIV virus once you are exposed to it.  If you are exposed to HIV we can discuss the options of starting a treatment called Post Exposure Prophylaxis.  For example, Truvada is a combination medication which can greatly reduce the risks of permanently acquiring the HIV infection once there is an exposure.  It is extremely important to start this treatment immediately for it be effective.

For more information on urgent care and STD tests, or if you have additional questions regarding our services, please Contact Us or call our office today at 626.304.0404