THE STD PHYSICAL EXAMINATION FOR WOMEN: SOME TESTS DESCRIPTIONS
1. The skin will be examined. This is necessary because certain STDs cause rashes on the body as well as in the genital area.
2. If you are having symptoms in the mouth and throat, or have performed oral sex on a partner, the health care provider will inspect those areas with a bright light and may swab the throat to obtain samples to test for infections such as gonorrhea and chlamydia.
3. The skin of the genital area will be examined for rashes, sores, or bumps, some of which may be very small or may not be causing any symptoms you can feel, so you may not even know they are there. If a health care provider finds something, he or she may want to swab the area to facilitate specific tests to help in diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy of a lesion is necessary to make the diagnosis. To take a biopsy, a small piece of tissue is removed and then examined in the laboratory. Some skin bumps—such as those caused by the virus that causes genital warts (human papillomavirus) or molluscum contagiosum—may be treated at this time.
The labia majora will be spread to see if there are any rashes, bumps, or sores on the labia minora or at the opening of the vagina.
The lymph nodes of the genital area will be examined. These glands are part of the immune system and sit at the top of the legs, in the groin area,- they may be swollen and tender when infection is present.
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