There are many sexually transmitted diseases, and there is a possibility you don’t know all of them. But, some are common, like gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes simplex virus, chlamydia, HIV, trichomoniasis, human papillomavirus, and hepatitis B, which I’m sure you’ve heard of.
Most of them are transmitted through oral, vaginal, or anal sex, while others are through skin-skin contact. STDs mainly affect sexually active individuals, most aged between 15-24. They are common because most of them rarely show signs and symptoms, and most people pass them to their partners without knowing.
STDs are mostly due to bacterial and virus infections. Most of them are curable, especially those due to bacterial infections, while some are incurable. Fortunately, you can treat and manage even the incurable ones if you have STD test results. Read on to learn more about incurable STDs.
[lwptoc]
Incurable STDs
You can cure most STDs with antibiotics or antiviral medications, depending on the cause. Still, there are some STDs you cannot cure even with these medications; the best you can do is to manage their symptoms. There are four incurable STDs, and they include:
Human immunodeficiency virus
HIV is a common STD and a chronic disease that has terrorized the world for many years. Once you are infected with this virus, it cannot leave the body. Fortunately, due to advancements in medicine, most people living with HIV can live healthy and long lives without the risk of infecting their partners through sex. You cannot cure HIV, but you can treat and reduce the amount of virus in your blood using antiretroviral therapy.
Herpes
Herpes is another chronic viral STD that is very common, and it is due to the herpes simplex virus. There are two types of HSV; HVS-1 and HSV-2; hence the two forms of herpes; are cold sores and genital herpes.
Herpes spreads through skin-skin contact, and in most cases, it doesn’t show symptoms; therefore, most people spread it without knowing, and this is why you should regularly go for STD testing. But when they show symptoms, they manifest in painful blisters that burst after some days to form sores.
Fortunately, you can treat these symptoms using antiviral medications, which help reduce the outbreaks and transmission rate.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a common STD caused by the hepatitis B virus and is one of the causes of liver cancer. You can transmit this virus through sexual contact or sharing piercing objects, and there is a vaccine against hepatitis B for babies. Hepatitis B rarely shows symptoms though most adults fight this infection on their own through their immune systems.
Human papillomavirus
HPV is the most common STD, according to CDC. HPV is an incurable infection that sometimes leads to genital warts, cervical cancer, and oral cancer. Most children get HPV vaccination to protect them against the infection. You can remove genital warts from HPV through surgery, creams, or liquid nitrogen.
Conclusion
Most STDs are curable, but you can still treat and manage their symptoms, even with incurable ones. Most STDs don’t show symptoms, and the safest way to stay clean is to for regular STD testing together with your partner.