STD Basics

STD Treatment

Is there a cure or a treatment for STDs?

Some infections can be cured and others are chronic, but treatable with medication. Here's a snapshot of the most common STDs that are curable or treatable:

Common curable STDs

These STDs can be completely healed if you take the prescribed medications correctly:

STDTreatment   
ChlamydiaAntibiotics
Crabs and scabiesOver-the-counter and prescription creams
GonorrheaAntibiotics
Non-Gonococcal Urethritis (NGU)Antibiotics
Shigella    Antibiotics
SyphilisAntibiotics
Trichomoniasis    Antibiotics
Molluscum contagiosum    Various

Common treatable STDs

These viruses can be treated and managed, but they cannot be cured:

STD    Treatment
Hepatitis A    Rest, fluid, vaccine
Hepatitis BAntiviral medications, vaccine
Hepatitis CAntiviral medications
Herpes (HSV)Antiviral medications
HIVAnti-retroviral therapy
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)Vaccine

Note: We provide testing and consultation for chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, herpes 1 & 2, HIV and syphilis. See your regular doctor to get tested and treated for other STDs that require a pelvic exam.

Last reviewed by Medical Director Lisa Oldson, MD, January 2011.

Lisa Oldson, MD

Medical Director, Analyte Physicians Group

The first thing I tell a patient about STDs is that if you're worried about one STD, you should probably worry about all STDs. In other words, if you had unprotected sex and you're worried about a possible HIV exposure, it's important to understand that hepatitis can be spread in the same fashion...ditto for chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes and syphilis.