Treatment
Treatment is always necessary
If you have an STI, or you suspect you might have, go to the doctor. Even if the symptoms disappear or lessen, treatment is always necessary. Even a doctor only knows after an examination or test whether you have an STI and if so, which one. Your GP can refer you to a dermatologist or a gynaecologist.
Tell the doctor you think you have an STI so that he/she can do the right tests.
All doctors are required to observe professional secrecy. They may not give any information about you to others, not even to your parents.
Medicines
Most STIs respond very well to treatment. But there are some STIs that you will never get rid of once you have contracted them. Sometimes it is possible to suppress the symptoms, as with genital herpes and genital warts. Because the virus remains in your body, the symptoms may recur. This is often the case when your resistance is down - for example, when you are under a great deal of pressure, or when you have the flu.
Sex during the treatment?
The treatment the doctor prescribes for you depends on the STI. The duration of the treatment also varies per STI. You are usually advised not to have sex during the treatment. This gives your body a chance to recover, and prevents you from passing on the STI to your partner. If you want to have sex anyway, make sure you use a condom. It is important that your sexual partners are also treated to make sure that you don’t re-infect one another. You can get another STI every time you have unprotected sex.
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