Can CBD Help Treat Gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea is a sexually-transmitted, bacterial infection that can affect the throat, rectum, urethra, and/or cervix. Gonorrhea is typically transmitted by vaginal, oral, or anal sex, although babies of mothers who have gonorrhea can be infected as well. It affects both men and women. Understanding what causes gonorrhea, its symptoms, and how to diagnose and treat it are essential to recovery.

What Are the Symptoms of Gonorrhea?

Common symptoms of gonorrhea infection include the following:

• Discharge from the penis or vagina
• Painful urination
• Pain in one testicle
• Vaginal bleeding apart from menstruation, and abdominal pain
• (In the throat) — a sore throat and/or swollen lymph nodes
• (In the rectum) — itching, discharge, and blood in stool
• In some cases, however, gonorrhea may cause little to no symptoms.

How Is Gonorrhea Treated?

Treatment for gonorrhea first requires diagnosis by a doctor. It can be diagnosed by a swab, or by a urine test. 

In most cases, gonorrhea can be fairly quickly treated with antibiotics.

What Are Complications of Gonorrhea?

If untreated, gonorrhea can lead to significant complications, including the following:

• Untreated gonorrhea can produce infertility in both men and women.
• If untreated, gonorrhea can spread to other parts of the body, including joints.
• Gonorrhea can cause blindness and infections in babies.
• Gonorrhea can increase the risk of HIV/AIDS.

Can CBD Be Used to Treat Gonorrhea?

There is some evidence that CBD can effectively kill certain types of gonorrhea, including antibiotic-resistant strains. However, evidence for this is fairly new, and CBD is certainly not a standard treatment for gonorrhea.

There is abundant evidence that CBD reduces pain, and so use of CBD for pain-related symptoms of gonorrhea or related infections may be a reasonable treatment. However, this does not address the underlying bacterial cause of gonorrhea.

Ultimately, gonorrhea must be addressed by a medical professional, and almost certainly treated by a course of antibiotics. Any use of CBD will likely be secondary, and should be recommended by a doctor. It is also important to note that women who are pregnant and being treated for gonorrhea should not use CBD, as it can affect fetal development.