What is Gonorrhea? Know its symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
2024-06-11 00:00:00
Gonorrhea is one of the most common diseases transmitted from person to person during sexual activity. Gonorrhea is an infection caused by a sexually transmitted bacteria, Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It can infect both men and women. Gonorrhea often affects the urethra, rectum, or throat. It can also affect the cervix in women. Gonorrhea can cause PID (pelvic inflammatory disease), tubo-ovarian abscess and sterility. It is not spread by the toilet seat. Gonorrhea is most commonly spread during sexual intercourse. If the mother is infected, the baby can also get infected during delivery. Gonorrhea most commonly affects the eyes of babies. In many cases, there are no visible symptoms. You don't even know if you are infected. If you have any other STD, you have an increased risk of developing gonorrhea. Using condoms is the best way to prevent sexually transmitted infections. Gonorrhea is usually treated with antibiotic injections or antibiotics.
Symptoms of Gonorrhea
In both men and women, it takes a few weeks for the symptoms of gonorrhea to appear. In the case of men, some may not even develop symptoms. On the other hand, women develop mild or nearly identical symptoms to other diagnoses, making it difficult to diagnose in both cases. Even if symptoms appear a little later, certainly a week after transmission.
The main symptoms of gonorrhea in men are-
- Frequent, painful, or burning urination.
- Pus-like discharge which may be yellow, beige, white, or green in color.
- Persistent sore throat.
- Swelling or pain in the testicles and rectum.
The main symptoms of gonorrhea in women are-
- Vaginal discharge is watery, creamy or slightly green.
- Heavy periods or spotting.
- Fever and sore throat.
- Sharp pain in the lower abdomen, especially during intercourse.
- Frequent, painful, or burning urination.
They may appear as common vaginal yeast infections or bacterial infections, so a medical diagnosis is required to confirm the case.
Causes of Gonorrhea
This sexually transmitted disease (STD) is spread by a bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Even though it is transmitted through sex, a male does not need ejaculation to infect his sex partner. You can become infected with gonorrhea from any type of sexual contact, including vaginal intercourse and anal sex (both giving and receiving). Like other germs, you can become infected with gonorrhea bacteria. If you touch an infected part of another person, if you come into contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus of someone infected with this bacteria, you can get gonorrhea.
Prevention methods of Gonorrhea
To reduce the risk of gonorrhea, take the following steps:
Use a condom while having sex-
Abstaining from sex is the best way to prevent gonorrhea, but if you want to have sex, use a condom during any type of sexual contact (anal sex, oral sex, or vaginal sex).
Ask your partner to get tested for sexually transmitted infections-
Find out if your partner has been tested for sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea. If not, ask if he's ready to get tested.
Do not have sex with a person who has any unusual symptoms-
If your partner has signs or symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as a burning sensation when urinating or a rash or blister on the penis, do not have sex with that person.
Treatment of Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is usually treated with an antibiotic injection and an antibiotic pill. Most of your symptoms will begin to improve within a few days with effective treatment. You may be advised to go for a follow up appointment, usually a couple of weeks after the treatment. So that a second test can be started to find out if you have been cleared of the infection. You should avoid sex until you are fully recovered.