Which STDs Can Be Cured?

Quite a lot of times I have heard anecdotes of people avoiding STD tests because they're scared of knowing for sure that they have a sexually transmitted disease. They'd prefer to stay in the dark, but while there may have been a twisted logic to this some years ago when little could be done about sexually transmitted diseases, nowadays it makes no sense at all.

Some STDs can be cured, and there are ways of managing the symptoms of others to ensure they're barely a hindrance any longer. In the case of the diseases that there are cures for, delaying over a test and treatment can cause irreversible damage to the body, so regular STD tests are all important.

Here are the diseases that can be cured, followed by those that can be managed:

STDs with Cures

The sexually transmitted diseases that can be cured are all bacterial infections: Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and Syphilis. All three can be 'silent' and must be tackled quickly to avoid irreparable damage.

- Gonorrhea is tackled with a course of antibiotics or antimicrobial, but if left alone can result in Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, scarring to the urethra and infertility.

- Chlamydia is tackled by a week on doxycycline or a single dose of azithromycin, but can cause damage to the reproductive system in women and infertility in men.

- Syphilis is tackled with a course of penicillin (or alternate antibiotic for those with allergies), but this will not tackle any of the damage done to the eyes, brain, nervous system, joints, heart or bones in the later stages of the STD. Untreated Syphilis can even kill the patient.

Bear in mind that in all these cases, a cure does not mean the sexually transmitted disease cannot be caught again!

STDs with Manageable Symptoms

Beyond that, currently no major STDs can be completely cured. The good news is that the symptoms of other diseases can be managed once their presence is known via a STD test:

- Although Hepatitis C has no cure, the symptoms can be so minor as to not be noticeable. It can develop into a chronic condition that can cause serious liver failure though - if your doctor knows about this, the situation can be monitored and treatments offered to prevent it from becoming worse.

- Though some strains of genital warts can lead to cancer, the majority of them are harmless - just unsightly. The treatment provided won't destroy the virus - which can remain in the body for years - but will remove the visible symptoms, which are often the main source of transmission.

- While it's well documented that there is no cure for HIV and AIDS, certain antiretroviral treatments can dramatically improve both quality of life and life expectancy. As with many of these, an early diagnosis is vital for maximum impact.

- Most Herpes sufferer will find outbreaks uncomfortable, but rarely dangerous. However, if they have been diagnosed then episodic and suppressive antiviral therapy can be administered to control the attacks.

Many people work with the principal that ignorance is bliss when it comes to STDs - they'd rather not have to confront the truth and would prefer to live with doubt. The bottom line though is that many STDs have no symptoms and can be doing irreparable damage to your body for all the time they're left untreated. A simple cure can get rid of Syphilis, Gonorrhea and Chlamydia, but it can't undo the damage! If you're in doubt, then stop delaying and book a STD test today!

Tim Leach is the Marketing Manager of USA Lab Testing, providers of confidential anonymous STD tests.

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