Treatment For Gonorrhea: An Overview!

Did you know? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2020, it was estimated that 374 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were acquired around the world. Out of which 82 million cases were due to gonorrhea.¹ This high prevalence is due to the fact that most people are unaware they have the infection as the symptoms are usually non-specific.

And if left untreated or undiagnosed, these STIs can have a serious impact on the reproductive health of an infected person.¹ Having said that, it’s important to remember that timely diagnosis and the right treatment can help the infected person beat gonorrhea!²

Now if you are wondering about how long it takes to fully recover from the infection or what your treatment options are, then continue to read this blog and find answers to all your questions!

What Is The Treatment For Gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea can be cured with the right treatment. Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection. 

Antibiotics are usually recommended if:²

• Your tests confirm the gonorrhea infection
• There's a very high chance you have the infection, even though your test results have not come back yet
• Your partner has been diagnosed with the infection

However, due to emerging strains of drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae, CDC now recommends that uncomplicated gonorrhea be treated with antibiotics, usually given as an injection.³

For pregnant or breastfeeding women, your doctor may prescribe a different antibiotic treatment.

If you’re treated for gonorrhea, it’s really important for your sexual partners to get treated also. Otherwise, you may pass the infection back and forth, or to other people.⁴ Sometimes your doctor will give you medicine for both you and your partner.

Things To Keep In Mind While Getting Treated For Gonorrhea

If you’re getting treated for gonorrhea:

• Take your medicine in the prescribed manner. Remember, that even if your symptoms go away, the infection stays in your body until you finish the complete course of antibiotics.
• Since re-infection is common, men and women with gonorrhea should re-test after 3 months of the initial infection, regardless of whether they believe that their sexual partners were successfully treated.⁴
• You and your partner should avoid having sex until you both have completed the entire course of treatment and till you no longer have symptoms.⁴
• If you still have symptoms after you finish your treatment, please consult your doctor.⁴

Conclusion

It's important to remember that even if you finish your treatment and the gonorrhea infection is totally cured, it’s possible to get infected again. Gonorrhea isn’t a one-time-only deal. So use condoms regularly.⁴

Moreover, proactive testing for gonorrhea is the best way to safeguard not just your health but your loved ones too!

Infact, CDC recommends testing for gonorrhea every year for all sexually active men & women.⁵ And so do we!

With LifeCell's Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea Test - Male and Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea Test - Female you can monitor your sexual health status from the comfort of your home! This enables you & your partner to discreetly test for gonorrhea in simple steps. Just order the kit, self-collect the sample & schedule a sample pickup to get personalized recommendations based on your report.