Many sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are asymptomatic, which means you may not have any symptoms. Still, testing for STIs is important.

At AFC Urgent Care Waltham, we can test you for all STIs and help you get treated immediately. Our board-certified medical providers are here to help.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. It can cause a serious infection in women called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

In men, chlamydia usually doesn’t cause any symptoms. But if it does, symptoms can be mild or severe.

The most effective way to prevent chlamydia is to avoid sex with an infected partner. Also, using condoms and staying in a long-term monogamous relationship can reduce your risk.

If you get chlamydia, you need to take a course of antibiotics to treat the infection and make sure it is gone. This can take up to 7 days.

It’s always best to test regularly for chlamydia and other STDs. This is especially important if you have unprotected sex. A simple panel test can give you a quick understanding of your sexual health, and ensure that you don’t have any sexually transmitted diseases.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease that can infect your throat, genitals and anus (infected men only) or rectum (infected women only). The infection is caused by bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

It can be spread by unprotected sex, including vaginal or anal sex and mouth sex. You can also get it from using a toilet after someone else has used it.

Symptoms are usually mild and can include itching, discharge or pain when you pee or poop. It’s important to see a doctor for treatment as soon as possible.

Treatment with antibiotics can help clear the infection. It’s especially important to take the medications exactly as directed. It can take up to a week after taking these drugs for your symptoms to stop and for the infection to be completely gone.

Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Without treatment, the infection can last for months or even years.

Trichomoniasis can cause genital inflammation and make it easier to get infected with the HIV virus, or to pass the HIV virus on to a sex partner. It can also increase the risk of infertility.

Treatment for trichomoniasis is usually a course of antibiotics, called metronidazole. You take one or two tablets a day for 5 to 7 days, depending on how severe your infection is.

Your doctor may also check for trichomoniasis with cultures, which let health professionals grow the parasite in a laboratory and see if it is active. Cultures can accurately detect trichomoniasis in 70 to 85% of patients, but results take about three to seven days.

Treatment should start as early as possible, and a condom must be used during all sex. Your sexual partners should be tested for trich and treated, too.

Herpes

Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STI) that causes sores and blisters. It is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).

Herpes can be spread through skin-to-skin contact during sex. It is most commonly transmitted through vaginal, anal, and oral sex.

Your doctor may prescribe antiviral medications to help ease symptoms and limit outbreaks. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen can also be used to reduce the discomfort of herpes outbreaks.

Symptoms of herpes usually start with a blister or sore that is red, swollen, and painful. The sores will then heal in about a week.

Herpes is very contagious during the first stage of the infection, called the shedding phase. During this phase, the herpes virus starts to multiply in your nerve endings. This can lead to a fever, body aches, and headaches. It may also cause blisters to form around your mouth and nose.