Gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted disease that affects both men and women.
New gonorrhea infections are reported at more than 600,000 per year in the US alone, and of course many cases go unreported.
The disease is common and if left untreated it can be fatal.
So what exactly is it, how do you know if you have it, and how to treat and prevent it? Let’s find out.
Definition of gonorrhea
Caused by a bacterium known as Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which grows and spreads in the warm, moist areas of the reproductive organs, including the cervix, urethra, and fallopian tubes in women.
The bacteria also grow in the anus, mouth, throat, and eyes.
Gonorrhea How do you get it?
It is spread through contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus.
Contrary to what some people believe, ejaculation does not have to occur for gonorrhea to spread and infect a person.
gonorrhea symptoms
Men with gonorrhea sometimes do not have any symptoms, others have some signs or symptoms that appear up to five days after infection; symptoms may take up to a month to appear.
Symptoms include an intense burning sensation when urinating and a white, yellow, or green discharge. Sometimes men will also see their testicles swell.
However, most women who are infected have no obvious symptoms.
When a woman does have symptoms, they can be nonspecific and are often mistaken for an infection of the bladder or vagina.
Initial symptoms in women include a burning sensation when urinating, increased vaginal discharge, and vaginal bleeding.
Symptoms of anus infection in both men and women can include discharge, itching, pain, bleeding, or pain when going to the bathroom.
Rectal and anus infection may also not cause any symptoms.
In women, gonorrhea is a common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
PID can lead to internal abscesses and severe pelvic pain in the long term. PID can damage the fallopian tubes and cause infertility or increase the risk of entopic pregnancy, a life-threatening condition in which a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tubes.
In men, gonorrhea can cause epididymitis, a painful condition of the testicles that can lead to infertility.
Gonorrhea can also spread into the bloodstream and get into the joints and this can be fatal if left untreated.
Finally, people infected with gonorrhea are more likely to get the HIV virus that causes AIDS.
gonorrhea screening
Typically, a doctor will obtain a sample from parts of the body that are likely to be infected. Gonorrhea that is present in the cervix or urethra can be diagnosed by taking a urine sample.
gonorrhea cure
Various medications can be used to cure gonorrhea.
However, drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea, like many people with gonorrhea, also have chlamydia, another sexually transmitted disease.
Therefore, the antibiotics for both infections are given together.
Although the medications will stop the infection, they will not reverse any permanent damage caused.
People who have had gonorrhea and have been treated can get the disease again if they have sexual contact with people infected with gonorrhea.
gonorrhea prevention
It is a sexually transmitted disease, therefore it is advisable to know something about the sexual history of your partners and to make sure that they are not infected before having sexual intercourse.
Condoms can also reduce the risk of transmission of gonorrhea.
Consult your doctor
This is only a brief introduction to gonorrhea and anyone who thinks they have the disease should see their doctor.
Gonorrhea, as we have seen, can cause serious health problems and even lead to death, so be sure to see your doctor and get help as soon as possible.
