Confidential STI and STD testing, treatment, prevention, and sexual health care for patients in Hartford and nearby Central Connecticut communities.
People seek STI/STD testing for many different reasons. You may be keeping up with routine screening, following up after a recent sexual encounter, responding to new symptoms, or looking for more information about prevention.
Circle Care Center provides sexual health services for Hartford-area patients through its Glastonbury location. Our providers take a direct, respectful approach to testing and treatment, with recommendations based on your health history, symptoms, and recent exposures.
Testing is important due to the fact that many sexually transmitted diseases might occur without producing any symptoms at all.
There is no single testing plan that applies to everyone. Your provider may recommend screening for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, herpes, HPV, or other infections depending on your recent sexual activity, symptoms, and medical history.
Testing may involve bloodwork, a urine sample, a swab, or a physical examination. In some cases, more than one type of sample may be needed to evaluate different areas of possible exposure.
Your provider will explain what is being tested and why before testing begins.
A positive result is followed by a discussion about treatment and next steps.
Depending on the infection, this may include medication, repeat testing, symptom monitoring, or another appointment. Your provider can also answer questions about whether a partner should be tested, how to reduce the chance of reinfection, and what precautions may be recommended during treatment.
HIV testing may be part of routine screening or recommended after a possible exposure.
Circle Care Center also gives advice on both PrEP and PEP. PrEP should be taken prior to any exposure, and its effectiveness lies in taking it as directed by the doctor. PEP, on the other hand, is supposed to be taken after an exposure within a certain time frame.
If you are concerned about a recent HIV exposure, prompt medical evaluation is important.
There are several options that you might consider as part of preventing the risks of a sexually transmitted infection. These include testing schedules, condom use, vaccinations, PrEP, PEP, and DoxyPEP among other methods.
These conversations are individualized and based on your health history and actual risk factors.
You might also need an STI test simply because you want to know more about your sexual health status.
Your visit typically starts with a private conversation about why you are seeking testing. Your provider may ask about symptoms, previous STI results, medications, recent partners, and the timing of a possible exposure.
Depending on what needs to be evaluated, testing may include:
Not every patient needs the same combination of tests.
Testing timing matters because different infections become detectable at different points after exposure.
Some infections can be detected sooner than others. If you are not sure about whether you can be tested now, you can have your provider evaluate your exposure and recommend the best timing.
Possible HIV exposure should be addressed promptly because PEP is time-sensitive.
If you need screening, have concerns after a recent exposure or would like to inquire about protection, Circle Care Center can assist you in deciding which treatment is appropriate for you.
Request an appointment today for STI and STD testing serving Hartford, CT.
