If itching, unusual discharge, burning, or other symptoms disappear, it may be tempting to assume the infection is gone, too. However, symptoms alone cannot tell you whether you still have a sexually transmitted infection or disease (STI/STD).
Some infections may clear without treatment, but others remain until treated or stay in the body permanently. During that time, an STI/STD may still be transmitted or affect your health, even when you feel fine.
If you are unexpectedly pregnant or think you might be, True Care Women’s Resource Center offers no-cost, confidential pregnancy testing. We can also arrange STI/STD testing and treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis.
Request an appointment to get started.
No Symptoms Does Not Mean No Infection
According to the CDC, many STIs cause mild symptoms or none at all. Symptoms may also come and go while the infection remains present.
Chlamydia often causes no symptoms, and most women with gonorrhea do not notice any symptoms. About 70 percent of people with trichomoniasis have no symptoms, and an untreated infection may remain for months or years.
Testing is the only way to know for sure whether many of these infections are present.
Do any STIs/STDs Clear Without Treatment?
Certain types of HPV may become undetectable without treatment. Persistent HPV can cause genital warts or certain cancers, so appropriate screening and medical follow-up still matter.
Other infections require treatment. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis are curable with the appropriate prescribed drugs, but disappearing symptoms do not mean an infection has cleared. Viral infections such as herpes and HIV do not currently have a cure, although treatment can help manage them.
What Can Happen Without Treatment?
Untreated chlamydia or gonorrhea can spread into a woman’s reproductive organs and cause pelvic inflammatory disease. PID may lead to chronic pelvic pain, scarring, infertility, or an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy. An untreated infection may also be passed to a partner without either person realizing it.
Ask About STI/STD Testing at True Care
True Care Women’s Resource Center provides no-cost testing and treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis if you are unexpectedly pregnant or think you might be. These services are offered through True Care’s pregnancy services rather than as stand-alone STI/STD testing.
Request a confidential, judgment-free appointment for no-cost pregnancy testing, and we can arrange your STI/STD testing.