How long can gonorrhea heal after treatment?

Gonorrhea or what in layman's language is often referred to as gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease caused by bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. If you diligently follow treatment and follow every doctor's recommendations, how long will it take for gonorrhea to heal completely? What are the characteristics of a recovered gonorrhea? Check out the answer below.

Can gonorrhea heal completely?

Yes, gonorrhea can be completely cured. Provided you are really painstaking in taking medication and comply with any instructions and restrictions directed by the doctor. The most common drugs prescribed by doctors to treat gonorrhea are antibiotics to kill the bacteria.

Gonorrhea can be cured by giving injectable antibiotics (Ceftriaxone) or drinking antibiotics (azithromycin). If you are prescribed antibiotics, the entire dose of the drug should be taken strictly as directed - even if you feel better or no longer have any symptoms of gonorrhea.

During therapy, you will usually be warned to stop having sex first to prevent transmission or re-infection. Since gonorrhea is a contagious disease, it is likely that your doctor will also ask your partner to take a venereal disease test to make sure the infection does not spread.

How long does it take for gonorrhea to heal after treatment?

The length of time it takes for gonorrhea to completely heal will depend on many things. For example, how long you had gonorrhea before being diagnosed and the severity of the disease (seen from the symptoms and risk of complications). These two factors will also help your doctor determine the type, dose, and duration of drug administration for you.

If detected at an early stage (e.g. only the urinary tract has been infected), symptoms will begin to subside within 24 hours and gonorrhea can resolve in about two days after treatment - although, again, you should continue to take your medication until the time limit is set. by a doctor.

If detected too late, the duration of treatment until recovery will certainly take longer. The reason is, the infection may have spread widely in the body and increase the risk of complications.

Especially if the antibiotics are not finished. Instead, your body will develop immunity to bacterial diseases, a condition known as antibiotic resistance. This condition will further cause the bacteria that cause gonorrhea to multiply and make your disease worse. When the body is already experiencing antibiotic resistance, there will be further treatment that you need to undergo. This makes the duration of gonorrhea treatment longer and more difficult to cure.

Like the characteristics of recovered gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea that has recovered is characterized by symptoms that subside and disappear completely. Gonorrhea in men is often characterized by symptoms of painful urination, increased frequency of urination, urination such as pus and swelling of the penis. Whereas in women the symptoms caused are vaginal discharge, pain during urination and sexual intercourse. When the gonorrhea has healed, these symptoms will no longer be felt.

Generally, doctors will ask you to check your health again in 1-2 weeks after your antibiotic therapy is finished. The doctor will return to perform laboratory tests with blood tests, genital fluid tests, or urine tests to determine whether bacteria are still residing in the body. Gonorrhea is said to be completely cured when the body fluid sample no longer shows the bacteria that causes gonorrhea.

But remember: Even though antibiotics stop the infection, the drugs for gonorrhea will not undo the permanent damage the disease has caused.