Gonorrhea: Treatments

How is gonorrhea treated?

Gonorrhea is treatable, and prompt diagnosis and treatment can help to reduce the risk of developing serious complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility, and minimize the spread of the disease to others. You can treat gonorrhea by consistently following your treatment plan. Treatment plans generally include antibiotic medications and other treatments.

Antibiotic medications for gonorrhea include:

• Cefixime

• Ceftriaxone

• Silver nitrate eye drops may be used for an infant born to a mother with gonorrhea.

Other treatments for gonorrhea include:

• Abstaining from sexual activity until the infection is cured and your sexual partner(s) have been treated, regardless if symptoms existed

• Hospitalization for complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease and pelvic abscess

What are the possible complications of gonorrhea?

Complications of untreated gonorrhea can be serious. You can minimize the risk of serious complications by following the treatment plan you and your health care professional design specifically for you.

Serious complications of gonorrhea include:

• An increased risk for contracting HIV

• Ectopic pregnancy

• Epididymitis

• Infertility

• Pelvic inflammatory disease

• Prostatitis

• Scarring of the fallopian tubes

• Urethral stricture in men

Serious complication of prenatal gonorrhea

Newborn babies are at risk for complications if their mothers have gonorrhea during pregnancy. Complications to newborn babies include:

• Gonococcal conjunctivitis (neonatal ophthalmia)

• Loss of vision and blindness