Talking to a partner about your concerns around sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can be intimidating. You might worry about how your partner will react to the news that you have an STD. Asking a partner to get tested for STDs can be a difficult conversation to start. So, how do you bring up the topic of STDs?
Monrovia Internal Medicine & Primary Care provides STD testing and support for new and existing patients. If you need advice on how to bring up the topic with your partner, Ulin Sargeant, MD, MPH can help. Here are some of the tips Dr. Sarge gives to patients who need to disclose an STD or raise the question with their intimate partners.
Bringing up the subject
The hardest part of having a conversation about STDs with your partner might just be getting started. Bringing up the subject of STDs can feel awkward and embarrassing. However, talking to your sexual partners about STDs and testing is an important part of your sexual health. Checking in with your partner about STDs helps protect both of you.
It’s best to talk with new partners about STD status and testing before having sex for the first time. If you need to notify a long-term partner of an STD concern, waiting longer only makes potential problems more of an issue.
Honesty is definitely the best policy when it comes to the subject of STDs and STD testing, for both your health and your relationship with your partner.
Think of this conversation as a way to build closeness with your partner. Let your partner see that you trust them to handle complicated and personal topics. Your partner might even be grateful to you if you take the lead in bringing up the subject.
If you need help putting together a script to get you going, Dr. Sargeant can work with you to brainstorm some specific ideas for conversation starters.
Easy and effective testing services
When you talk to your partner about STDs and testing, let them know about the important facts up front. When you discover and get treatment for STDs early, you may be able to recover completely or suffer from fewer long-term problems.
STDs come in several different varieties. No matter what type of STD you’re dealing with, whether bacterial (chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis), parasitic, or viral (HPV, genital herpes, hepatitis B, or HIV), Dr. Sargeant and her team can help. Monrovia Internal Medicine & Primary care offers discreet, compassionate testing and treatment services.
Testing for many common STDs, including chlamydia and gonorrhea, can be done with just a urine sample. You might be able to get your test results back in less than an hour.
To schedule your appointment at Monrovia Internal Medicine & Primary Care, call our Duarte, California, office at 877-254-4496. You can also book online or visit our virtual office.
