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Gonorrhea Symptoms

What is Gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). It’s caused by infection with the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It generally infects warm and moist area of the body which is

  • Penis: Urethra, the part or track that passes urine from penis
  • vagina : the fallopian tubes, cervix, and uterus
  • eyes
  • throat
  • vagina
  • anus

It is a contagious disease and can pass from person to person through unprotected oral, vaginal or anal sex. Needless to say people not using protection and with more than one sexual partner is at higher risk of infection.

Also see: What does gonorrhea discharge look like in images?

What are the symptoms of Gonorrhea in men?

Compared to symptoms of Chlamydia , symptoms of Gonorrhea are visible in two days to two weeks after being exposed. In some cases, the symptoms don’t show up. In men, it can be visible in 1st week of transmission as they may feel burning sensation while urinating.

As it advances further, the patient may show following symptoms

  • Frequent urination
  • Discharge through penis (often yellow, greenish)
  • Swelling and pain inside of the penis and testicles
  • sore throat

 

What can happen if the Gonorrhea goes untreated?

In men, it can lead to epididymitis a painful condition of testicles which can cause loss of fertility. Besides, it can also lead to the condition of prostate and can lead to scarring inside the urethra, making urination difficult.

Also see :  25 STD Home remedies using Herbal ingredients form you kitchen / garden

How is Gonorrhea diagnosis in men ?

This process can be painful in men as doctor may use the swab for collecting samples, to check the fluid from urethra in men. You also may be given a throat or anal culture to see if the infection is in your throat or anus. There are some special painfree tests which only requires your urine samples to detect the presence of gonorrhea bacteria.

How Is Gonorrhea Treated?

It requires an antibiotic in oral or injectable form.Here, during this stage even the partner is advised to get tested and treated to avoid reinfection of the disease.

Gonorrhoea is caused by bacteria which can rapidly develop resistance to all known antibiotics—commonly called ‘superbugs‘. Therefore, Gonorrhea is treated only with the ceftriaxone injection in combination with either azithromycin or doxycycline.

 

How to Prevent yourself from Gonorrhea?

  • Sexual Abstinence
  • monogamy (sex with only one partner)
  • Use of condom
  • Absitinence from sex until successful completion of treatment.


Gonorrhea symptoms in women

In some cases, the symptoms are so mild that they go unnoticed. In many women with Gonorrhea, the discharge appears as yeast infection and so attempted to be treated at home or over the counter medicines is observed. Some other symptoms are as follows

  • Vaginal discharge (greenish, whitish)
  • Painful urination
  • Pelvic pain
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Bleeding in between periods

What can happen if the Gonorrhea goes untreated ?

In women, when Gonorrhea left untreated it may lead to diseases related to female reproductory system like

  • Loss of fertility
  • Pelvic Inflammatory diseases
  • An abscess in or near the ovaries (tubo-ovarian abscess)
  • Spreading to the rest of the body, including your joints and bloodstream.
  • Can increase your risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV/ AIDS

Gonorrhea treatment in women ?

Testing is done in some laboratories by swabbing the infected area (including rectum, throat, cervix) and identified by other means like culturing of the material from the swab (growing the bacteria) or identification of the genetic material from the bacteria etc. While some std testing laboratories only requires urine or blood samples to identify or diagnose sexual transmitted diseases.

How to Prevent yourself from Gonorrhea?

To reduce the risk of contraction and passing it to the other person always make sure to put following things into practice.

  • Use safe sexual Practice (use condoms)
  • Limit sexual partners
  • Avoid touching eyes when you suspect that you have been infected
  • Wait to have sex until after treatment

Also read : How often to get tested for STDs to be sure