While some STDs can go away on their own, it is best to get screened and treated as soon as possible to prevent them from getting worse and causing lasting damage to your reproductive system.
This article will review some helpful details about STD’s, explain whether or not they go away on their own, and share the STD’s that can be treated.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
HPV is the most common STD, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In 9 out of 10 cases, it will go away on its own in one to two years without health problems. However, if it doesn’t go away, it can cause genital warts and cancer.
There are no treatments for this STD because it’s viral, but there are treatments for the health problems it causes.
Chlamydia
This bacterial STD doesn’t typically show any signs or symptoms, but if left untreated, it can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). This disease can cause infertility, chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, and pregnancy complications. For men, it can cause epididymitis and reduced fertility.
It’s doubtful that this STD will go away on its own, but the good news is that antibiotics can treat it. The sooner this one is treated, the better you can prevent additional complications.
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is another bacterial STD that antibiotics can treat. However, the disease is starting to become even more resistant to antibiotics, so it’s essential to prevent infection. Gonorrhea will not go away on its own.
It can generally come with or without symptoms but can cause complications if left untreated.
For women, gonorrhea can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease as well. Infants born to untreated mothers can experience eye problems, such as blindness. Men can experience infertility, scarring of the urethra, inflammation of the testicles, and prostate pain and inflammation. Untreated gonorrhea can lead to even more severe issues if it spreads throughout the body.
Genital Herpes
Genital herpes is a viral sexually transmitted infection that doesn’t have a cure. The virus varies throughout a person’s lifetime. It appears in blisters or open sores (lesions) in the genital area. People with genital herpes can also be asymptomatic.
Medications can reduce symptoms, speed up healing, and reduce contagiousness. Doctors must monitor pregnant women with genital herpes to prevent the spread to their infants during birth.
Syphilis
Syphilis is a bacterial STD that can cause serious health complications if left untreated. It spreads through person-to-person contact with a syphilitic sore, known as a chancre. With syphilis, it is critical to seek treatment as soon as you see a chancre form.
Even if the chancre disappears, that doesn’t mean you are not still infected. The symptoms may go away, but the infection will continue to spread in the body. It will not go away on its own.
The STD progresses in stages, and the complications get progressively worse. If left untreated, syphilis can be fatal in its last stage (tertiary syphilis), which can take 10-30 years to reach.
Treat syphilis with antibiotics as soon as it’s detected. However, treatment won’t undo any damage caused up until that point.
Take Care of Your Reproductive Health
At the Pregnancy Care Center of Rincon, we provide free and confidential STD testing and treatment. Taking care of your sexual health is critical to your overall health and wellbeing and prevents the spread of STDs to others.