Treatment for Gonorrhea: An Overview
Treatment for
gonorrhea generally involves taking antibiotics. Several antibiotics can successfully cure gonorrhea in adolescents and adults. However, drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea are increasing in many areas of the world, including the United States, and successful treatment for gonorrhea is becoming more difficult.
Many people with gonorrhea also have
chlamydia, which is another sexually transmitted infection (STI). Therefore, antibiotics for both infections are usually given together. It is important for people with gonorrhea to be tested for other sexually transmitted infections.
Instructions for Treatment of Gonorrhea
It is important to take all of the medication prescribed by your doctor to cure gonorrhea. Although medication will stop the infection, it will not repair any permanent damage caused by it. If you have gonorrhea, you should talk with all of your sexual partners, because they should get tested for gonorrhea, too, even if they do not have any
gonorrhea symptoms. If you have gonorrhea, you should avoid sexual contact until you and your partner(s) have been treated and cured.
People who have had gonorrhea and have been treated can get the infection again if they have sexual contact with people who have the disease. If a person's symptoms continue even after receiving treatment, he or she should return to the doctor to be reevaluated.
What Happens Without Treatment for Gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea that is left untreated can cause serious complications, which include:
- Increased risk of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) or spreading the virus to others
- Widespread infection to other parts of the body, like the blood, joints, or heart
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women.
PID is an infection in a woman's pelvic organs, such as the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. Women with PID do not necessarily have symptoms. However, when symptoms of PID are present, they can be severe and include:
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Backache
- Irregular periods
- Pain during sex
- Vaginal discharge.
This infection can lead to infertility, and it can also cause
ectopic pregnancy, in which an egg implants in the fallopian tube. This can cause miscarriage and possibly the death of the mother. PID can also cause long-lasting, chronic pelvic pain.
