What Happens If an STD Goes Untreated?

It’s not always easy to talk about sexually transmitted diseases. Unfortunately, researchers have found that embarrassment and shame have led to low testing levels, especially in young adults.

Skipping an STD test opens the door to potentially undiagnosed and untreated STDs. At Dr. Bamba's Health and Medical Center, Dr. N'Dama Bamba, MD, MPH, wants you to know that STDs are common and that speaking up is the first step to getting the treatment you need.

Our compassionate and non-judgmental team is here to get you care.

In the meantime, take a look at what happens if an STD goes untreated and how we can help you get the testing you need.

Untreated STDs can lead to infertility 

Untreated STDs can affect your fertility in a few ways. They can contribute to:

Pelvic inflammatory disease and female infertility 

If left unchecked, chlamydia and gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease in women. Unfortunately, this risk is higher for women with two or more cases of chlamydia.

Pelvic inflammatory disease causes painful symptoms and impacts your reproductive system. It contributes to female infertility and increases your risk of ectopic pregnancy. 

Male infertility 

In men, these infections can cause painful inflammation of the prostate or testicles. Not only is this uncomfortable, but it can also contribute to male infertility. 

Untreated STDs can lead to pregnancy complications

STDs like syphilis and gonorrhea can cause severe complications during pregnancy, including miscarriage, stillbirth, or transmission of the infection to your baby. This is why STD testing is part of routine prenatal lab work. 

Untreated STDs can increase your risk of contracting other infections

If you have an untreated STD, you're more susceptible to contracting HIV due to the compromised immune system. For example, if you have an STD-related sore, bacteria and viruses can enter the sore.

This makes early detection and treatment of STDs even more important. 

Untreated STDs can impact your relationship

Untreated STDs can have a ripple effect on your relationships. By not seeking treatment, you risk unknowingly passing the infection to your partner, which can lead to significant emotional and physical consequences for both of you. 

Untreated STDs mean you’re stuck with your symptoms

Depending on the STD, you might experience anything from vaginal discharge and rashes to pelvic pain and pain when urinating. Unfortunately, the longer you wait to treat your STD, the longer you’re stuck with those symptoms.

Getting tested and starting on the recommended treatment is the only way to get lasting relief from those symptoms.

Untreated STDs can cause long-term health complications 

Untreated STDs can lead to long-term health problems in people of all genders. Complications from untreated STDs include:

Chronic pain

Some STDs, like herpes, can cause recurring outbreaks of painful sores. Others, like syphilis, can lead to nerve damage and severe pain in advanced stages.

Organ damage

Untreated syphilis can progress to a late stage (tertiary stage), which can lead to damage to your heart, brain, and other organs. According to the World Health Organization, the tertiary stage of syphilis can be fatal.

Get tested for STDs

If you have symptoms that are concerning, don’t postpone care. Getting tested and starting treatment can help you avoid the complications of untreated STDs. 

Even if you don’t have active symptoms, you might benefit from testing if you’re starting a new relationship, pregnant, or have multiple partners. At Dr. Bamba’s Health and Medical Center, we follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidelines for testing and can help you determine the right testing cadence for you.

Thanks to the on-site phlebotomist here in our lab, we can get you the answers you need all under one roof.

Give us a call at 443-493-7760 to schedule your STD tests, or simply click here to get started.