Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, gonorrhea is easily cured with appropriate antibiotic treatment. 

Without the proper prescription medication, a gonorrhea infection is likely to get worse. It can also spread to other parts of the body and cause severe damage to your reproductive system. Blood and joint conditions can develop and become fatal. Untreated gonorrhea is more likely to be spread to others through sexual activity as well.

Note that douching cannot eliminate gonorrhea. Douching, which involves flushing out the inside of the vagina with fluid, is not an effective treatment for any sexually transmitted infection, including gonorrhea. In fact, washing the vagina can disrupt the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina, potentially worsening the infection and increasing the risk of developing other infections.

To test for gonorrhea, healthcare providers typically use a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) on a urine sample or swabs from the affected area, such as the throat, urethra, cervix, or rectum. This test detects the genetic material of the gonorrhea bacteria, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, making it highly accurate. For men, a urine test is common, while women may undergo a swab test. It's important to get tested if you suspect exposure or experience symptoms, as early detection allows for timely treatment.

Both are transmitted in the same manner, so co-infections are not uncommon. The symptoms are similar as well; however, gonorrhea is more likely to spread beyond the reproductive organs to other parts of the body.

While not all STDs are transmitted this way, gonorrhea can be transmitted by giving or receiving oral sex. If you aren’t sure if you have gonorrhea, explain your symptoms in detail and we will help provide the right STD treatment plan.

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease, or STD, caused by a bacterial infection known as Chlamydia trachomatis. It is spread through sexual contact and occurs in both men and women.

Symptoms aren’t limited to the genital or pelvic region. You can get oral chlamydia and experience soreness or redness in the throat. Untreated infections can lead to infertility and reproductive

With the proper treatment, the infection can be cured, eliminating symptoms of chlamydia and the risk for long-term complications.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting a prescription for treating chlamydia. CallonDoc has made it easy to treat an STI online with same-day appointments with board-certified doctors. We can create a treatment plan for you, fill a prescription for chlamydia medication, refill a prescription, and more, during your online doctor consultation. 

Treatment for chlamydia involves oral antibiotics treatment. Medications like azithromycin, doxycycline, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, or clarithromycin are typically used for mild infections. They are usually taken for 7-14 days.

Trichomoniasis is one of many common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). It is a parasitic infection transferred by having unprotected sex. Birth control methods do not protect against STDs. One of the only options that offer protection from most STDs is condoms.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 70% of people who have trichomoniasis may not experience any symptoms. It is, therefore, possible for you or your partner to have had the infection from a previous sexual relationship without realizing it. The best way to prevent this is to get regular tests done as long as you are sexually active with new or changing partners.

It’s very unlikely for trichomoniasis to go away on its own. The best way to cure the condition and manage the symptoms is to treat trichomoniasis with doctor-prescribed medication. The most common medication used is prescription antibiotics. You can get trichomoniasis treatment online. Start an STI consultation now to connect with a CallonDoc physician.

The best way to manage trichomoniasis is if it is caught early on through testing. Early treatment is essential, especially for pregnant women or women looking to get pregnant in the future. Left untreated, trichomoniasis can spread to other organs and cause premature births for expecting women and infertility in men. Having untreated trichomoniasis can also increase your risk of contracting the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Trichomoniasis is typically treated with antibiotics. The two most common antibiotics used are metronidazole and tinidazole. These antibiotics may take anywhere between a few days to a few weeks to clear up the infection, depending on how severe the condition is. For the best results, both you and your partner should take an antibiotic as they may have trichomoniasis without showing STI symptoms. With CallonDoc, you can get half-off STI care for your partner with CallonDoc’s Expedited Partner Treatment.

Yes, syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease, although it can also be passed from mother to unborn baby.

Syphilis is primarily transmitted through sexual intercourse. However, exposure to an ulcer or sore caused by syphilis could transfer the bacteria through the skin. Due to this, condoms cannot 100% prevent the transmission of syphilis. Nonetheless, use of condoms can sharply reduce the likelihood of transmission compared to unprotected sex. Syphilis can also be transferred through oral sex.

An individual can be infected with syphilis for years without noticing any symptoms. Therefore, testing regularly is essential if you are sexually active. Syphilis is usually diagnosed by a lab order blood test. There are two types of testing that can be done for syphilis: screening and confirmatory testing. 

With syphilis screening, if you test positive, it does not necessarily mean a person has syphilis. If tested positive in a screening, a person could have syphilis or something else; however, you will need confirmatory testing to get proper treatment. If treated for syphilis and you experience other similar symptoms after treatment, a person could also have a UTI or something else. It is important to not only get treatment, but also get a syphilis test to ensure cure.

There are three main stages of syphilis: primary (first stage), secondary (second stage), and tertiary (third stage). People are usually more infectious during the early stages of the condition. Primary syphilis typically occurs around three to four weeks after first contracting the bacteria. The most common, mild symptoms at this stage of syphilis are sores around the mouth, genitals, and rectum, and swollen lymph nodes. These sores can stick around for up to six weeks before disappearing. 

Secondary syphilis can happen at any point after the primary stage. The two most common symptoms are skin rashes and a sore throat. As a result of the relatively general nature of the symptoms, secondary syphilis is often mistaken for other skin conditions like psoriasis.

An additional stage is sometimes referred to between secondary and tertiary syphilis. It’s known as latent syphilis and refers to a period of time where the infection becomes dormant again, and people experience little to no symptoms. Tertiary syphilis is the most advanced stage of the disease and could lead to major health problems like blindness, hearing loss, heart disease, and even death.

The duration for Mycoplasma genitalium to clear after antibiotic treatment begins can vary, but symptoms often improve within a few days to a week of starting treatment.

Without appropriate treatment, a Mycoplasma genitalium infection can persist for months or even years. The duration of the infection can vary widely among individuals, depending on factors such as the body's immune response and the presence of other co-existing infections or conditions. Mycoplasma genitalium is known for its capacity to evade the immune system, allowing it to establish long-term infections in the host. 

Mycoplasma hominis (M. hominis) is another common species of Mycoplasma. It has symptoms very similar to M. genitalium, such as pelvic inflammatory disease. However, it often causes no symptoms at all.

Genital herpes is one of the world’s most common STDs, transmitted during unprotected sex. However, some forms of herpes, including oral herpes, can be transferred through skin-to-skin contact or kissing. Genital herpes causes painful blisters to form around your genitalia and may be accompanied by several uncomfortable symptoms related to the blisters.

Most people only get diagnosed with genital herpes years after they’re infected. That’s because the virus can remain dormant for a long time before manifesting symptoms. Some of the first signs of genital herpes are small white or red fluid-filled blisters appearing on or around your genital or rectal area.

There is currently no cure for herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections. However, there are effective treatments for outbreaks. Antiviral medications like can be used to treat outbreaks as they occur or can be taken daily as suppressive therapy to reduce outbreak frequency. Despite the lack of a cure, people living with herpes can lead healthy and fulfilling lives by managing their condition, maintaining open communication with partners, and adopting lifestyle choices that support their overall well being and reduce outbreak triggers.

Although there is no known cure for herpes, there are effective treatment options for herpes outbreaks. The best way to treat genital herpes is to take daily suppressive therapy medications. The most common drugs used include acyclovir and famciclovir. They are antiviral medications that can help reduce the severity and frequency of herpes outbreaks. CallonDoc offers online herpes medicine prescriptions and consultations with board-certified doctors. This can help you quickly and affordably access the right medication for you.

The medication for oral and genital herpes is the same because both conditions are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), with HSV-1 typically causing oral herpes (cold sores) and HSV-2 commonly leading to genital herpes. However, both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can cause infections in either location. The antiviral medications used, such as acyclovir and valacyclovir, target the replication process of the herpes virus, regardless of its type or the location of the infection. The effectiveness of these antiviral drugs against both HSV-1 and HSV-2 makes them suitable for treating both oral and genital herpes infections.

No, urethritis and a urinary tract infection (UTI) are two different conditions, although symptoms of a UTI and urethritis may be similar (such as pain while urinating). Urethritis refers to inflammation caused by a bacterial infection in the urethra. A urinary tract infection refers to the infection of the urinary tract. While both conditions affect parts of the urinary system, their causes, treatment, and prevention strategies can differ. Despite this difference, it is possible to have a UTI and urethritis simultaneously, which can make the two conditions difficult to distinguish. 

One way to ensure proper treatment or clearance of an STD is through testing to confirm your diagnosis and cure. CallonDoc can provide both treatment and testing as well as a test of cure. 

Urethritis is primarily caused by bacterial and viral infections. Non-infectious causes of urethritis can include physical injury, chemical irritation from products like soaps or spermicides, and procedures such as catheterization. It's important to identify the specific cause to determine the appropriate treatment.

Urethritis is most commonly caused by an infection from bacteria. The most common bacterial causes are sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, responsible for chlamydia and gonorrhea, respectively. Bacteria affecting the bladder or kidneys may spread to the lining of the urethra. In other cases, bacteria found in the genital area may also cause inflammation leading to urethritis.

Urethritis is most commonly diagnosed during a medical consultation, where a discussion of symptoms can help a doctor determine whether you have the condition or not. If the symptoms don’t offer a clear diagnosis, a doctor may order a urine test to confirm the presence of bacteria.

Urethritis can be cleared up by treating the source of the infection that caused your urethra to be inflamed. A board-certified doctor may recommend varying treatments depending on the cause of the urethritis. If your condition was caused by a virus, an antiviral medication will be prescribed according to treatment protocols recommended by the American Board of Medical Specialties. If your urethritis was caused by a bacterial infection, a course of antibiotics might be prescribed to clear up the condition. 

The most commonly prescribed medicine to treat urethritis include:

• Azithromycin 
• Doxycycline 
• Erythromycin 
• Ofloxacin