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Antibiotic medications are administered to halt the growth of bacteria. The unchecked growth of microbes – like bacteria – can lead to infectious conditions. Needless to state – timely intake of drugs can stop infections from turning severe. However, intake of anti-bacterial meds for conditions triggered by fungi/yeast or viral strands may have no remedial effects. You also run the risk of developing resistance to such meds. Metronidazole is a commonly used antibiotic; but can metronidazole treat chlamydia and gonorrhea? It pays to know more about this.

Antibiotics are widely prescribed to treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics – mainly those of the broad-spectrum genre – treat infections of the vaginal tract, gastric region, skin, and a few other organs. These meds are also taken for treating sexually transmitted infections/diseases (STDs, in short).

What is metronidazole?

This is an antibacterial drug – used for treating skin conditions and a few forms of infections in your gastric tract. It becomes a key thing to remember that it is unsafe to give it to children or to teenagers. Moreover, girls yet to attain puberty / those who do are yet to commence their menstrual cycles must not take this drug; especially, to treat infections of the vaginal tract. This antibacterial is not consumed through over the counter (OTC) route. It is essential to take it under the clinical supervision of a qualified healthcare professional.

Can metronidazole treat chlamydia and gonorrhea?

Metronidazole is not used for the treatment of chlamydia; however, this antibiotic is offered to suppress symptoms of chlamydia – if they persist soon after completing a course of drugs like levofloxacin, azithromycin or doxycycline.

Instead, azithromycin is administered for treating chlamydia and gonorrhea. This is an antibacterial drug that arrests bacterial progression. Its key chemicals treat a wide-range of conditions like inner-ear infections, eye-related infectious conditions and sexually transmitted infections. For STIs, your doctor may also use ceftriaxone; this med is a first-line treatment for such infections.

On the other hand, metronidazole is used for the treatment of symptomatic-trichomoniasis (this is a sexually transmitted condition / infection – i.e., STI) among adults; chiefly those who have it confirmed by wet-smear or culture test. As an extended use, the drug is used for treating asymptomatic trichomoniasis among women, upon witnessing a few changes in their cervix.

Safety precautions you need to be aware of while using metronidazole

Foremost of all, tell your caregiver of all your pre-existing clinical conditions such as liver problems (hepatitis / swelling of liver or conditions like cirrhosis), faster heartbeat (also known as arrhythmia), onset of fungal / yeast infections – if any, a marked drop in red cells of blood (due to incidence of anemia) as well as a reduction in count of white blood cells. If you are living with one or more of these conditions, your caregiver is likely to prescribe safer-alternatives to treat underlying infections.

Also, consumption of alcoholic drinks while using metronidazole can lead to adverse outcomes. Owing to this potential risk, your caregiver will seek details about your lifestyle – especially drinking habits. On the same note, metronidazole is never given to those who have recently consumed an alcoholic drink. Mixing of alcohol and the key chemicals of this antibiotic may lead to muscular problems like spasms, stomach-related conditions like nausea, indigestion and vomiting. Upon noticing any of these signs, contact your physician without much delay.

You are likely to witness a few undesired side effects of metronidazole; adverse outcomes like migraine/headache, muscular spasticity or stiffness, being weak or feeling very tired must all be informed to your caregiving team on a top priority basis. In such cases, those living in US must call 911 on an emergency basis. People in Canada must contact Health Canada or rush to a poison control center.

Disclaimer

 

Information provided here are only of supplementary nature. Information shared here does not substitute a qualified doctor’s advice. This website is not suggesting intake of this drug as safe or appropriate. Hence it is advised to talk to your doctor before consuming this med or any other drug.