STD Testing and Treatment Q & A

Most STD do not go away without treatment, especially viral infections, which typically stay in your body forever. Even bacterial STDs like gonorrhea and chlamydia will persist unless treated. If left untreated, bacterial infections can lead to serious complications. However, if caught early enough, bacterial and parasitic STDs can be completely cured with treatment. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are often treated with common antibiotics like azithromycin or doxycycline, and syphilis is treated with penicillin. Trichomoniasis (trich) is cured with either metronidazole or tinidazole. The good news is that chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trich can all go away with the proper treatment. Viral STDs are a little different. In almost all cases, once someone has contracted a viral STD, that virus stays inside the body forever, often going into dormancy. This mean that they cannot be cured. But don’t panic: The symptoms can be appropriately managed. What that management entails varies from infection to infection, as all viral infections will be handled differently.

STD testing can cost anywhere between $100 and $300, although it may be covered under insurance. Even without health insurance, depending on your income level, some clinics can give tests at a lower cost. The price depends on which STD is being tested for. Generally speaking, STDs fall into a few main categories:

– Bacterial STDs: gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis
– Parasitic STDs: trichomoniasis
– Viral STDs: herpes, HPV, HIV, and Hepatitis B

There’s also scabies and pubic lice, which are caused by mites and lice. Because some STDs are spread via skin-to-skin contact and others are spread through bodily fluids, transmission is possible any time fluids are swapped or skin is touched. So, if you’re wondering if you can I get an STD without having sex, the answer is yes.

Many primary care doctors provide treatment for STDs, although some people do not want to go to their primary doctor because they are embarrassed. Thankfully, there are discreet clinics with confidential testing, like Fast Aid Urgent Care. Come in today to get your STD test!

Although it is possible to come into sexual contact with someone with an STD and not contract it, you should still be taking the proper precautions when it comes to your sexual health. As many STD carriers are asymptomatic, your next potential partner may not even be aware they are infected. A lot of people do not exhibit any signs or symptoms when they have an STD.

Yes, urgent care clinics perform routine STD testing. Many people prefer going to urgent care for STD testing instead of their primary care doctor, as they may find it to be an embarrassing situation. Fortunately, discreet testing is performed at Fast Aid Urgent Care, where only you will know your results.