What Are Curable STDs, and How Do I Know If I Have One With STD Testing?

Millions of Americans contract sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) every year. According to CDC data, 2021 saw over 1,600,000 new cases of chlamydia, over 700,000 cases of gonorrhea, and over 176,000 cases of syphilis. 

The good news is that four of the most common STDs—chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, and syphilis—are curable. Others, like herpes, HPV, and HIV, are chronic but manageable with proper ongoing treatment. 

However, even curable STDs can have devastating health consequences without timely diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, you risk unknowingly passing these bacterial infections to your sexual partners if you don’t know you are a carrier. To protect your and your partners’ health, we strongly recommend undergoing a rapid STD test at one of our 2,500+ nationwide testing centers. 

Learn more about common STDs, their potentially devastating effects on your health, and the importance of prompt testing for early detection and treatment. 

All About STDs

Let’s provide some details about a few prevalent STDs, their transmission methods, and their symptoms.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is an extremely common STD affecting men and women and is often tricky to detect because of its lack of tell-tale symptoms. It spreads through unprotected vaginal, oral, or anal sex with an infected person. After transmission, the infection has an incubation period of seven to 21 days. 

Although chlamydia is one of the most easily curable STDs, if left untreated, it can damage the reproductive system, cause infertility, and lead to other serious health consequences. 

Gonorrhea 

Another widespread STD, gonorrhea can affect any sexually active person. It’s curable with the right treatment, although the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium has shown increasing resistance to antibiotics in recent years. 

Gonorrhea has a short incubation period (two to five days on average), after which time infected persons may experience unusual vaginal or penile discharge and pain when urinating. 

Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is a common viral STD that spreads through sexual activity or direct contact with herpes lesions, often without obvious symptoms. Most carriers of the herpes virus don’t even know they have it, but it can cause devastating effects in people with compromised immune systems. 

Herpes has an incubation period of two to 12 days, after which the infected person may experience an initial outbreak of painful genital sores. Unlike other prevalent STDs, herpes is incurable, but the right medications can keep its effects under control and help prevent transmission. 

HIV

Although effective drug treatments are available for HIV today, this widespread STD remains incurable and can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) without timely diagnosis and treatment.

HIV passes through sexual contact or the bloodstream (most commonly by sharing injection equipment). The virus has an incubation period of one to six weeks, followed by acute symptoms similar to mononucleosis. 

HPV

HPV (human papillomavirus) may spread through vaginal, anal, and oral sex and skin-to-skin contact. The incubation period lasts a couple of months. 

HPV usually goes away by itself within two years of exposure but can also lead to genital warts and certain types of cancer. The most effective form of prevention is a vaccine, which is recommended for all preteens aged 11-12. 

STDs With Available Cures

Common curable STDs include chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis. Let’s break down the treatment recommendations for each. 

Chlamydia

While chlamydia is the most common bacterial STD in the U.S., it’s also one of the most easily curable infections. The standard treatment recommendation for chlamydia is 100 mg of doxycycline, administered orally twice daily for seven days. People who don’t respond well or are sensitive to doxycycline may receive an alternative single-dose treatment of 1 gr azithromycin or a seven-day oral course of levofloxacin, 500 mg once daily. It’s important to complete the prescribed course of antibiotics to ensure an effective cure. 

People diagnosed with chlamydia must refrain from sexual activity until they complete the recommended treatment course. Reinfection is very common, so the patient’s sexual partner(s) must also undergo evaluation and treatment. 

Gonorrhea

The CDC recommends treating gonorrhea with a single 500-mg dose of intramuscular ceftriaxone, although alternative regimens like azithromycin treatment are also available. The main problem with treating gonorrhea is its increasingly wide resistance to antibiotics in many strains. 

If the patient’s symptoms persist after completing the treatment course, or if the patient receives treatment for oral gonorrhea, they should show up for a test of cure seven to 14 days after treatment. Since reinfection is common, patients should come in for retesting after three months. 

Syphilis

Treatment recommendations for syphilis depend on the stage of diagnosis. In the initial stages (primary and secondary, and the early latent phase), the CDC recommends treating syphilis with a single dose of long-acting benzathine penicillin G. 

For the late latent phase, or if the patient doesn’t know when they may have contracted syphilis, the recommended medication is long-acting benzathine penicillin G, administered three doses a week apart. Other treatment options are available for patients who are allergic to penicillin.

Patients should avoid sexual contact until any sores go away completely. Their sex partners should also undergo testing and receive treatment, if necessary. 

Trichomoniasis

The recommended treatment for trichomoniasis is metronidazole or tinidazole, both nitroimidazoles. People hypersensitive to such antibiotics usually undergo metronidazole desensitization after consulting an allergy specialist. 

Individuals with trichomoniasis should abstain from sexual activity until they complete treatment and their sexual partners also undergo testing (and, if necessary, a treatment course). Trichomoniasis reinfection rate is high, especially in women, who may be advised to retest three months after completing the initial treatment.

Further options exist for individuals with persistent or recurring trichomoniasis. The healthcare provider may recommend testing for drug resistance and give guidance for alternative treatment.

Testing for STDs

Here’s what you should keep in mind about sexually transmitted diseases: Even easily curable STDs can lead to permanent, grave health consequences without early detection and treatment. A course of antibiotics can remove an STD but won’t undo the damage that has already occurred. 

It’s vital to understand the connection between STDs and women’s health. Women who suffer from undetected STDs could develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which may ultimately lead to fallopian tube scarring, infertility, or ectopic pregnancies. 

Babies born to mothers with an undiagnosed STD also face increased risks. STDs can pass from the mother to the baby and cause serious complications like premature birth, severe infections, and even stillbirth. All expectant mothers should undergo STD screening and follow treatment recommendations to protect their babies. 

Bacterial STDs won’t go away on their own. An STD may stay dormant for a long time, or symptoms may be so non-specific that you don’t suspect you have one, but the longer you go untreated, the more your health will suffer. Thankfully, Rapid STD Testing offers convenient same-day STD testing in thousands of locations across the U.S. 

STD screening may involve blood tests, urine tests, or swabs. Learn more in our comprehensive guide to STD testing. 

So, which STDs should you get screened for? Check out this brief overview of testing recommendations: 

• Sexually active women under 25 should get chlamydia and gonorrhea screening once a year. The same recommendation applies to women with multiple or STD-infected sex partners. 
• Teens and adults aged 13 to 64 should undergo at least one HIV screening. People with risky sexual behaviors and those who share injection equipment may need HIV testing once a year. 
• Pregnant women should test for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B and C. High-risk women may also need testing for gonorrhea and chlamydia. 
• Gay and bisexual men should test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV once a year. More frequent testing (every three to six months) may be advisable for people with multiple partners. 

If you are in a long-term monogamous relationship and intend to stop using protection and/or are planning a pregnancy, discuss STD testing with your partner for your mutual safety.

Stay Safe: Get Tested for STDs Today

Even if you practice safe sex and notice no specific symptoms of sexually transmitted infections, you may unknowingly carry STDs. Testing is the only way to protect your sexual health and prevent transmission.

The comprehensive 10-panel STD test by Rapid STD Testing covers all the most common STDs, including curable infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Gain safety and peace of mind by ordering your testing panel today, or call (866) 872-1888 to learn more about our testing options.