Sexually Transmitted Infections: Treatment

Treatment is available for all Reference sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Opens New Window, no matter what the cause, to relieve symptoms, even if a cure is not possible. Some, but not all, STIs are treated with antibiotics.

• Some of the most common STIs—Reference chlamydia Opens New Window, Reference gonorrhea Opens New Window, and Reference syphilis Opens New Window—are caused by bacteria and are treated and cured with antibiotics.
• STIs caused by viruses, such as Reference genital herpes Opens New Window and Reference genital warts Opens New Window, are not cured with antibiotics, but treatments are available to relieve symptoms.
• Reference Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Opens New Window, which causes AIDS, is a sexually transmitted virus that is treated with many medicines but is not cured.

If you think that you have been exposed to an STI, it is important to be evaluated promptly by a health professional. This will help prevent serious health problems for yourself and reduce the risk of transmitting the infection to others.

• Do not have sexual contact while waiting for your appointment.
• Do not douche unless instructed to do so by your health professional. Douching may flush an infection up into the Reference uterus Opens New Window or Reference fallopian tubes Opens New Window and cause Reference pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) Opens New Window.

Many STI symptoms will go away or change quickly. This does not mean that the STI has gone away. It will be harder for your health professional to diagnose your STI after the symptoms have changed. A delay in being evaluated may lead to a more serious illness.

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