You can get treated for STDs at a wide range of places: your regular doctor’s office, sexual health clinics, community health centers, urgent care facilities, Planned Parenthood locations, college health centers, and even through telehealth platforms that send prescriptions to your local pharmacy. The best option depends on your insurance situation, how quickly you need care, and how much privacy matters to you.
Your Primary Care Doctor
If you already have a doctor you see for checkups, that’s often the simplest starting point. Primary care providers routinely test for and treat common STDs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. They can order lab work, write prescriptions, and handle follow-up visits. The visit is typically billed through your insurance like any other appointment, and your copay or out-of-pocket cost will depend on your plan.
The main downside: scheduling can take days or weeks depending on your provider’s availability. If you’re experiencing symptoms now and can’t wait, other options may get you treated faster.
Sexual Health and Public Health Clinics
Public health clinics, often run by city or county health departments, specialize in STD testing and treatment. Many offer walk-in hours, and services are frequently low-cost or free. These clinics see high volumes of STD cases, so the staff is experienced and the process is usually fast and straightforward.
To find one near you, search your state or county health department website, or use the CDC’s “Get Tested” locator tool at gettested.cdc.gov. You can search by zip code and filter for free testing sites.
Planned Parenthood and Title X Clinics
Planned Parenthood health centers provide STD testing, treatment, and vaccination at locations across the country. They accept most insurance plans, and if you’re uninsured, you may qualify for financial assistance on a sliding scale based on your income.
Beyond Planned Parenthood, the federal Title X family planning program funds more than 4,000 clinics nationwide. These clinics are required to provide STD counseling, testing, and treatment. Services are confidential, voluntary, and available regardless of your ability to pay. Low-income patients may pay nothing. You can find Title X clinics through the Office of Population Affairs website.
Urgent Care Centers
Most urgent care clinics can test for common STDs and prescribe treatment on the spot. They’re a good option if you need same-day care and your doctor isn’t available. Wait times are typically shorter than an emergency room, and many accept walk-ins during evening and weekend hours.
Costs vary. With insurance, you’ll pay your standard urgent care copay. Without insurance, expect to pay for both the visit and any lab tests, which can add up. Call ahead to confirm the location offers STD services, since not every urgent care handles them.
Telehealth Platforms
Several telehealth services now offer STD care remotely. Planned Parenthood, for example, lets you connect with a nurse or doctor by video, phone, or messaging. After discussing your symptoms and history, the provider can order at-home test kits mailed to you or send a prescription to a pharmacy for pickup.
Telehealth works best when you already have test results confirming an infection, or when a provider can reasonably diagnose based on your symptoms and exposure history. For infections that require a physical exam or blood draw, you’ll likely need an in-person visit.
College and University Health Centers
If you’re a student, your campus health center is one of the most convenient and affordable options. Most university clinics provide confidential STD testing and treatment, often at reduced cost or covered by student health fees you’ve already paid. Staff at these clinics are accustomed to seeing students for sexual health concerns, and visits are typically private from parents and other university staff.
What Happens During Treatment
For most common bacterial STDs, treatment is straightforward. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are typically cured with antibiotics, sometimes a single dose taken at the clinic. Syphilis requires an injection. You’ll be advised to avoid sexual contact until treatment is complete and any follow-up tests confirm the infection has cleared.
Viral STDs like herpes and HIV aren’t curable but are highly manageable with ongoing medication. A provider will walk you through what daily treatment looks like and how to reduce transmission to partners.
One option worth knowing about: expedited partner therapy. For chlamydia and gonorrhea specifically, your provider may be able to give you a prescription or medication to bring directly to your sexual partner, so they can be treated without a separate clinic visit. The CDC supports this approach as a practical way to prevent reinfection, and it’s legal in most states.
Privacy for Minors
Every U.S. state has some legal provision allowing minors to consent to STD testing and treatment without a parent’s permission. The specifics vary. Twelve states set minimum age requirements, commonly 12 or 13. A handful of states allow minors to consent to testing but not treatment. And about 20 states permit providers to inform a parent or guardian, even when the minor consented independently.
If you’re under 18 and concerned about privacy, public health clinics and Title X clinics tend to be the most confidential options. Their services are designed to be private by default, and staff are trained to handle these situations.
How to Choose the Right Option
- If you have insurance and a regular doctor: Start there. It’s the most seamless path to treatment and follow-up.
- If you’re uninsured or cost is a concern: Look for a Title X clinic, public health department clinic, or Planned Parenthood. Sliding-scale fees mean you may pay very little.
- If you need care today: Urgent care or a walk-in sexual health clinic will see you fastest.
- If privacy is your top priority: Public health clinics and Title X clinics offer confidential services. Telehealth platforms also keep visits off shared insurance statements in some cases.
- If you’re a student: Your campus health center is likely the cheapest and most convenient option.
Getting treated promptly matters. Untreated chlamydia and gonorrhea can cause fertility problems over time, and syphilis progresses through increasingly serious stages if left alone. Most bacterial STDs clear completely with a short course of antibiotics, so the sooner you’re seen, the simpler the process.