Can STDs Go Away on Their Own?

Can STDs Go Away on Their Own?

People find STDs more revolting than just about any other type of ailment. As a society, we don’t like talking about STDs, thinking about STDs, and deep down, we all just wish they’d go away forever. But can they? Can STDs go away on their own if enough time passes? It’s a question a lot of people ask, and we understand why. It would be fantastic to know that an STD posed no more threat than a stuffy nose or a stomach bug. Unfortunately, STDs are not like other maladies, and leaving an STD untreated is much more dangerous than failing to take cold medicine. Here’s what happens when you leave an STD alone:

Bacterial and Viral STDs

Certain STDs remain in your system no matter what you do. Viral diseases like herpes and HIV aren’t curable, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother with testing or treatment if you contract a viral STD. In fact, just the opposite is true;  the sooner you get tested and treated, the better you can manage and mitigate the effects of a viral disease.

Bacterial STDs on the other hand are curable. Doctors can treat and cure chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis in a relatively straightforward manner. And that’s great news. The bad news is, some people then wrongly assume these diseases aren’t dangerous. That is a patently incorrect way of thinking, though. We’ll explain why below.

STD Worst-Case Scenarios

Every STD –– whether bacterial, viral, and parasitic –– demands attention and treatment. Left untreated, STDs can wreak all sorts of havoc in a myriad of ways. Syphilis, for instance, can cause paralysis, dementia, and lead to death if allowed to spread through the body. (In fact, the history of syphilis is littered with such cases. Fortunately for us, it can take thirty years for syphilis to become truly life-threatening –– but don’t wait that long to get tested for this disease!) What’s more, STDs left unchecked will often contribute to major fertility issues for both men and women. For a fuller look at STD worst-case scenarios, check out our blog here. As mentioned above, most of these sad eventualities are completely avoidable –– so long as you take an active role in maintaining your sexual well-being.

Appearance vs Reality

Lots of people who get an STD mistakenly believe that once their symptoms go away –– the disease follows. However, that’s simply not the case. Certain STDs remain asymptomatic for long periods of time, while others enter latent or dormant periods after an initial manifestation. (It is worth noting here that sometimes the human body can eradicate hepatitis B in “acute cases.”) Just because you don’t see any evidence of an STD doesn’t mean it’s gone. The only way to know for sure is to seek out professional medical counsel.