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MEN'S HEALTH FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I get a genital problem checked
and treated?
Call University Health Services for a Men's
Health appointment at 863-0774.
The following concerns commonly
managed at UHS include:
- Testicular or scrotal pain, swelling or lumps
- Painful urination or urethral discharge
- Difficulty voiding or weak urinary stream (possible prostate problem)
- Rash or bumps in the genital area
- Erectile
dysfunction and premature ejaculation.
CAUTION: Students with sudden and/or
severe genital pain should go immediately to University Health Services
(during business hours) or the Mount Nittany Medical Center emergency
department.
How can I improve my health?
Several professional groups
including the National Academy of Sciences, the American Medical Association and
the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, have determined that routine annual
physicals for healthy adults are unnecessary. Rather, healthy people are better
served by seeing medical providers for specific age and risk-related screening
tests, designed to detect medical conditions that are treatable when discovered
early.
College age men die or are injured three
times more often than women.
Half of these are preventable deaths that result
from risk taking and poor health behaviors.
Every Day
Every Month
Every
Year
- Have your blood
pressure checked every year
Make an appointment with UHS if several
readings are above 140/90
- Have a dental checkup once or twice a year
- Get a flu
shot
- If you are obese, have
a family history of diabetes, are from certain ethnic groups, including
African-Americans and Native Americans, or have high blood pressure or high
cholesterol
have a blood test for diabetes every three years
- Have your cholesterol checked every 5 years if you are over 35 or have an immediate
family member with high cholesterol.
Other
- Consider STD testing[What are my STD testing options?] if you have had
multiple partners or any sexually transmitted diseases.
- Consider HIV testing[What are my HIV testing options?] if you have had
multiple partners, had sex with a man, or injected illegal drugs.
- Make certain you have had the Hepatitis B
vaccine and get a tetanus
booster every 10 years.
- Make certain you have the Hepatitis A
vaccine if you have sex with men.
- After age 50: have a yearly physical examination.
- After age 50: have a stool test for microscopic amounts of blood.
- After age 50: Have a colonoscopy every 10 years or as recommended by
your clinician.
Do I need STD
testing?
A clinician can discuss possible symptoms
and the range of testing options. We generally recommend that you be tested for
STD's:
- If you or your partner may have had multiple partners, OR
- Men who have sex with men, OR
- Sexual partners of IV drug users
- You may consider testing if you have ever had unprotected intercourse
(including oral sex).
How is STD testing done at
UHS?
Students may request tests for infections
including, but not limited to:
- Chlamydia and gonorrhea are
infections that cause similar symptoms, and are usually tested for together.
If a man has symptoms it is typically a discharge from the penis and burning
with urination, although more than half of men have no symptoms. About 250
cases of Chlamydia and 20 cases of Gonorrhea reported annually in the State
College area. The testing is done on a urine specimen, and results are available in 7 days.
Both infections are treatable with antibiotics.
- Genital
warts (HPV) and molluscum
contagiosum are probably the most common STDs. HPV stands for Human
Papilloma Virus. HPV can cause 2 different types of symptoms, genital warts
and changes in the women’s cervix that can lead to cancer. Studies suggest
that as many as 60% of sexually active college age people carry HPV. Molluscum
causes a skin bump slightly different from HPV. HPV and molluscum are
treatable, but often resolve spontaneously over time. We look for HPV by
examining the genitalia with the naked eye. There are no blood or urine tests
for HPV or molluscum when skin lesions are not visible.
- Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) causes AIDS. There are believed to be
about 50 people living with HIV/AIDS in the State College area with an average
of 4 new cases per year. Nine out of ten of those infected with HIV are men
(90% in men having sex with men and IV drug users). HIV is treatable, but at
this time it is not curable. Testing can be done on blood or an oral sample.
See "What are my HIV testing options?" for details.
- Genital
Herpes (caused buy a virus) infects approximately 1 in 4 sexually
active people. The vast majority has minor or no symptoms. When someone has
herpes, they can pass the infection on to others even when they do not have
symptoms. It is possible to test for herpes by culturing the blister when
someone has symptoms. It is possible to do a blood test
to check for herpes during times when a person has no symptoms, but the
test may be inconclusive.
- Syphilis is
caused by a bacterium. It is uncommon. There were 0 cases diagnosed in
Pennsylvania in 2005. Upon initial infection syphilis causes a painless ulcer
on the penis. If it is not treated with antibiotics, it can cause serious
problems including infection of the brain and spinal cord with resulting
paralysis and confusion. Annual testing (blood test) of all sexually active
men is not currently recommended.
- Hepatitis B
vaccine is recommended for all sexually active adults. Hepatitis A
vaccine is also recommended for men who have sex with men. Sexual
transmission of Hepatitis C has
not been established.
For accurate information on STDs check the CDC website.
What are my STD testing
options?
Option 1: University Health Services
(UHS)
Make an appointment online or call 863-0774 for a Men's Health
appointment.
Location: Student Health Center (off Bigler Road) on the University Park campus
Website:https://www.sa.psu.edu/uhs
The following community options are not
operated by Penn State University.
We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the
information or quality of services
provided.
Option 2: Planned Parenthood
To make an appointment: Call (814) 867-7778
Location:
3091 Enterprise Drive
Website:http://www.ppsv.net/
Option 3: Centre Tapestry of Health
To make an appointment: Call (814) 355-2762
Location: 240 Match Factory Place Bellefonte, PA
Website:http://www.tapestryofhealth.org/
What are my options for HIV
testing?
Options #1 Orasure HIV Antibody Testing & Counseling
HIV Testing
Confidential HIV testing is sponsored by the Pennsylvania
Department of Health thru University Health Services. This is a confidential
site and you are under no obligation to provide your real name. Results are
back in 2 - 3 weeks. You must make another appointment to see the counselor
again to get your results.
Make an appointment online or call
814-865-6538, Monday-Friday, 8 am - 5 pm.
Location: Student Health Center (off Bigler Road) on the University Park campus
Website:https://www.sa.psu.edu/uhs
Option #2 Regular Clinical Services at University
Health Services
You may elect to have the test ordered by your clinician at the
time of a regular clinical visit. Results are back in approximately 10 to 14
days. You must make another appointment to get your results in person (no
charge if just for test results). The test results are recorded in your
medical chart. All medical charts are confidential.
Make an
appointment online or call (814) 863-0774.
Location: Student Health Center (off Bigler Road) on the University Park campus
Website:https://www.sa.psu.edu/uhs
The following community options are not
operated by Penn State University. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the
information or quality of services
provided.
Option #3 Centre County State
Health Clinic
Location: 280 W Hamilton Ave
To make an
appointment: Call 814-865-0932/33/34
Website:http://www.health.state.pa.us/
Option #4 AIDS Project of Centre County
To make an appointment: Call (814) 234-7087
Location: 301 S. Allen St., Suite 102 in State College
Website:http://www.theaidsproject.com/
NOTE: Pennsylvania law requires that all positive HIV
results must be reported to the health
department.
Who will see my medical
record?
All of your medical records are
confidential by state law. University Health Services cannot release any of your
medical information to anyone-including your parents or any other department at
Penn State without your written consent. There are a very few exceptions when
information is required to be released without your written consent in the cases
of emergencies or when required by law. Positive STD test results must be
released by law to the Pennsylvania
Department of Health for the purpose of contact notification.
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