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Learning more about gonorrhea in general and how to treat gonorrhea at home is not the worst of ideas for any sexually active individual.
In this article, we are going to tackle any misconceptions regarding how to cure gonorrhea without going to the doctor, and offer other tips for treatment for gonorrhea.
How to Treat Gonorrhea at Home
The fastest and most effective treatment for gonorrhea involves going to the doctor and getting a prescription for antibiotics. Unfortunately, many people avoid seeking medical treatment due to the social stigma surrounding STIs. As a result, they may not seek treatment of any kind. Most experts agree that gonorrhea can only be cured with a round of antibiotics. Not treating gonorrhea can lead to disastrous consequences like pelvic inflammatory disease in women, and inflammation of the prostate and epididymis in men.
The following are a few supplementary ways to help treat and prevent gonorrhea symptoms at home. From using tea tree oil to olive leaf extract, we’ll give you plenty of options on how to treat your gonorrhea at home.
1. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is used in many home remedies due to its various antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-fungal properties. The oil itself is derived from the narrow-leaved tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), which can be found in Australia.
However, tea tree oil is very strong stuff and should not be used internally. Use it as a topical remedy only. In this case, tea tree oil can be used on the gonorrhea infections that are visible. Mix three drops of tea tree oil with three drops of coconut oil and place the mixture on a clean bandage. Place the bandage on the infected area and change the bandage at least once a day if not twice. Alternatively, taking a warm bath with a few drops of tea tree oil can also help with gonorrhea.
2. Garlic
You may have heard rumors of how to cure gonorrhea with garlic. Garlic contains allicin, a compound that is great as an antibacterial agent, and there is even some evidence that it may be able to help with bacterial infections that are resistant to antibiotics. In the case of gonorrhea, you can easily use garlic in a few different ways. The first is by adding more garlic to your diet, especially raw garlic.
If eating a raw garlic clove is a little bit on the rough side for you, chop it up and mix it with a tablespoon of honey to allow the garlic to go down easier. You can also use garlic as part of a paste to use on gonorrhea. Take a few cloves of garlic and crush them into a paste (you may have to use a little bit of water or an oil in order to get the garlic into a paste configuration). Apply the paste directly to the area affected.
3. Echinacea
You may be familiar with Echinacea, as it is commonly used as a natural way to prevent colds. Echinacea is a plant-based supplement that could activate the body’s defenses against inflammation. It also contains chemicals that may directly attack fungal infections and yeast. Taking a natural Echinacea supplement might help clear a gonorrhea infection.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar
Another common home remedy, apple cider vinegar is often linked to remedies for weight loss, lowering blood pressure, and acid reflux, but it could also help relieve gonorrhea symptoms. Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid, probiotics, and enzymes that could help heal the body as well as clean out infections. The acetic acid, in particular, is good at fighting bacteria including those that make up gonorrhea.
You can use it as part of your bath. Mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per one cup of water in your bath. Soak in the bath for 15 to 20 minutes at least and repeat this throughout the week while dealing with gonorrhea. Another route that you can take it is to apply the apple cider vinegar directly to gonorrhea. This can be done by placing a few drops of apple cider vinegar along with a few drops of coconut oil on a bandage. Place the bandage on the affected area. Do this at least once or twice a day.
5. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a great home remedy ingredient, as it contains a number of antimicrobial compounds like barbaloin, anthracene, emodin, and anthrone-C-glycosides and chromones, as well as salicylic acid, which is a good antibacterial agent. The easiest way is to apply the gel directly to the affected area. Take a few aloe vera leaves and place them in the fridge for a few hours, overnight if possible. Take the leaves out of the fridge and snip off the ends of the leaves. Squeeze out the gel and rub it into the affected area. Allow it to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before washing it off with warm water.
6. Honey
Honey is another popular home remedy due to its antibacterial properties and its viscosity. Natural honey has a compound that, for all intents and purposes, is a natural form of hydrogen peroxide, which has antibacterial and antiseptic properties. The viscosity of honey also makes it ideal for applying to an area of the body where bandages may be hard to use. Apply honey to the area of the body affected by gonorrhea. Allow it to sit for 15 to 20 minutes and then wash off completely with warm water.
7. Kanji
Kanji is the water that you have left over after you have cooked rice. While this may sound like a strange home remedy, kanji can have a positive impact on your health, and may be able to help relieve the symptoms of gonorrhea. As the rice is cooking in the water, it releases the starch of the rice into the water. This starch contains a number of amino acids that could help remove the bacteria of gonorrhea when consumed orally.
8. Olive Leaf Extract
Olive leaf extract, or OLE, has a strong antibacterial component called oleuropein. Oleuropein is thought to be particularly good at dealing with the bacteria that produce STIs like syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. Essentially, oleuropein reduces the bacteria’s ability to feed off of other cells, which causes the bacteria to starve to death. Olive leaf extract might also be able to help you build immunity to these and other bacteria. Olive leaf extract is best taken as a natural pill supplement.
These natural treatments could potentially help you clear up gonorrhea infections—or even prevent them from occurring in the first place. But, there are other methods to help treat or prevent gonorrhea, including possible changes to your diet.
Diet Tips for Gonorrhea
There are many dietary changes you can make that may help you when fighting gonorrhea and perhaps reduce your risk of contracting it in the first place. The below foods and nutrients can be added, avoided, or altered in intake.
1. Avoid Fried Foods
This is good advice on a whole, as fried foods are often filled with harmful trans fats and sodium, but in the case of gonorrhea, avoiding these foods could also help minimize inflammation of the bacteria.
2. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a great nutrient to have on hand when battling gonorrhea, as the vitamin could help your body fight inflammation and illness. You can up your vitamin C intake by taking supplements or just by eating more fruit that is high in vitamin C like oranges and pineapple.
3. Celery and Parsley
Celery and parsley contain phytonutrients like vitamin P (flavonoids) and citrin. These phytonutrients have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties that may help prevent gonorrhea from taking hold. The nice thing about both celery and parsley is that they are easily integrated into many different types of meals and foods.
4. Guyabano Fruit
Guyabano fruits are filled with vitamins B1, B12, and C, which may be able to help treat gonorrhea. They also have a number of antibacterial and diuretic properties that could not only help with gonorrhea, but could also help calm symptoms like the burning sensation when urinating.
5. Turmeric
A spice that has been long used to help with various bodily afflictions, turmeric might also help your body get rid of gonorrhea. Turmeric contains a chemical called curcumin, which gives turmeric its color and also gives the spice numerous antibacterial properties. Turmeric can easily be used as part of food recipes and can even be added to drinks like warm milk or teas.
6. Sunflower and Sesame Seeds
Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and peanuts each contain phytosterols (similar to animal-based cholesterols) that are known to help ease the symptoms of gonorrhea.
As always, be mindful of allergies and possible drug interactions when trying any herbal remedies.
So, now you know more about natural treatments and dietary changes you can make that may improve your ability to fight off gonorrhea infections and related symptoms. Are there other lifestyle changes and tips to consider when dealing with gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea Prevention: Tips to Follow
The following tips are meant to help you prevent gonorrhea or, at the very least, help you avoid future infection it happens to catch you unawares.
1. Safe Sex
As with most STDs and STIs, the best prevention method is to be responsible when it comes to sexual activity. Always be aware of your and your partner’s sexual history. Use protection every time. This can help you prevent gonorrhea from occurring in the first place. If you are suffering from gonorrhea, abstain from sexual activities, as it can stop you from transmitting gonorrhea to your partner. You also won’t have to experience the potential pain that sex can cause when you have gonorrhea.
2. Exercise and Healthy Diet
Keeping your body fit through regular exercise and maintaining a balanced diet of whole, unprocessed foods is essential for good overall health and well-being. And, it can help boost your immune system and prevent gonorrhea.
Gonorrhea Should Always Be Treated
Gonorrhea can be a painful and extremely uncomfortable infection, and it might even be embarrassing. But at the end of the day, it is better to get it checked out and treated early, before it causes damage to your sexual organs. Antibiotics are the only form of treatment proven to cure gonorrhea. But, if you cannot make it to a doctor right away or simply want to help speed up the process of healing, the treatments, dietary changes, and lifestyle tips we’ve listed in this article may be able to help you out. Hopefully, your adventure with gonorrhea will be a short one.
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