Don’t try to cure yourself of a sexually transmitted disease. These diseases are contagious and dangerous. You must see a doctor.
STIs can be treated with antibiotics if treatment is started early enough. STIs cannot be cured, but you can control symptoms with medication. There is a hepatitis B vaccine, but it won’t help if you’re already infected.
If you have been given antibiotics to treat an STD, it is important that you take all of the medicines prescribed to you, even if your symptoms disappear. Also, do not take someone else’s medication to treat your injury; It may make it more difficult to treat.
Here are some specific treatments for STDs:
1. HIV/AIDS
Because AIDS is incurable, treatment focuses on keeping HIV levels under control. Antiretroviral medicines are the standard treatment for HIV infection, and you will usually be given several medicines to take, which is called a ‘cocktail’. The question of when to start antiretroviral therapy for HIV remains a matter of debate. Some doctors believe there is an early start to better manage HIV, while others believe it is best to wait because medications can cause unpleasant side effects and drug resistance may develop. Talk to your doctor about when to start antiretroviral therapy.
2. Chlamydia and the gonorrhea
These STDs are treated with antibiotics. You should start taking it if tests show you have chlamydia or gonorrhea or if you have been exposed to them, even though you may not have symptoms. Your sexual partners will also need to be treated regardless of whether or not they have symptoms. Certain strains of gonorrhea have become resistant to some antibiotics, so you may have to take more than one medication to combat gonorrhea. Make sure your partner also seeks treatment. The test should be repeated after three months to make sure the infection has cleared, even if your partner has been treated. Failure to treat chlamydia or gonorrhea can result in permanent damage to the reproductive organs and the inability to become pregnant.
3. Syphilis
Penicillin is the preferred treatment for syphilis. Early treatment is critical to prevent bacteria from spreading and damaging other organs.
Genital herpes: Once you have genital herpes, the virus remains in your body for life. After the first outbreak, herpes may flare up several times a year, but these episodes may lessen over time. Antiviral medications (such as Famvir, Valtrex, and Zovirax) can help reduce the length and severity of initial and subsequent herpes outbreaks. If you have frequent outbreaks, you may want to use suppressive therapy. In suppressive therapy, your doctor prescribes medication to take every day, to prevent herpes outbreaks.
4. Genital warts
There is no standard for treating genital warts. Most genital warts go away without treatment, so your doctor may choose to do nothing. However, you will still carry the virus that causes warts and can still pass it on to your sex partners. If you choose to treat genital warts, you have several options. Freezing warts or applying medication directly to them is often the first option. If the genital warts do not respond to these options, surgery may be the necessary to remove them. Keep in mind that treatment does not get rid of the infection, and you can still pass it on to others.
5. Hepatitis B
The goal of hepatitis B treatment is to stop liver damage by preventing the spread of the virus. There are now five drugs approved for the use in hepatitis B: adefovir, entecavir, interferon alpha, lamivudine, and pegylated interferon. Each has its pros and cons that you should discuss with your doctor. If you develop the significant liver damage from the hepatitis B, a liver transplant may be necessary.
6. Trichomoniasis
Infection with this organism is treated with metronidazole, and the cure rate is about 90%. If you are pregnant, you can take the medicine. Your partner should also be treated. The test is repeated after three months to ensure that the infection has cleared. Do this even if your partner has also been treated.