Gonorrhea is classified as a Sexually Transmitted Disease --STD-- which is cause by the Neisseria gonorrhea, a bacterium that can grow and then multiply in the warm moist areas of the reproductive tract. In women it can also infect the cervix, uterus and the fallopian tubes and in men can infect the urethra. This bacterium can also infect the mouth, throat, eyes and anus.
Gonorrhea may be spread through contact with the penis, vagina, mouth or anus. In men ejaculation doesn’t have to occur for gonorrhea to be transmitted or acquired. There is also the risk with women that gonorrhea can be passed from mother to the baby during birth.
Gonorrhea Symptoms
Men have been known to have gonorrhea without showing any symptoms at all, though some show gonorrhea symptoms appearing 2 to 5 days after infection while other s will not show symptoms until as long as 30 days.
The gonorrhea symptoms and signs will include a stinging sensation during urination or a white, yellow or green discharge coming from the penis. Another symptom in some men will show up as painful or swollen testicles.
Women the gonorrhea symptoms are often mild as most women who have been infected show no symptoms. When a woman does show gonorrhea symptoms they can be often mistaken for a bladder or a vaginal infection.
The initial signs of gonorrhea in women are a painful or burning sensation during urination, increasing vagina discharges or having vaginal bleeding between periods. Women who have gonorrhea are at risk of developing quite serious complications from the infection, regardless of the presence or severity of gonorrhea symptoms.
Men and women who show gonorrhea symptoms of anal infection will show symptoms that include anal itching, bleeding, soreness and quite painful bowel movements. With infections of the throat they may cause a sore throat but usually shows no symptoms.
Complications from Gonorrhea
In women, gonorrhea is major cause of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease --PID--. Women who have PID necessarily do not have symptoms, though if they do show symptoms they will be very severe and can include abdominal pain and fever. PID can also damage the fallopian tubes enough to cause infertility or may increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
With men gonorrhea can cause epididymitis which is a painful condition of the testicles which can lead to causing infertility if left untreated.
In both men and women gonorrhea can also spread to the blood or joints and this condition can be life threatening. People who have gonorrhea are more likely to contact HIV the virus that causes AIDS. Those that are HIV infected with gonorrhea are more than likely transmit HIV to another person.
Gonorrhea Treatments
There are several antibiotics that have been used successfully to cure gonorrhea in both adolescents and adults. They are finding throughout the world now that gonorrhea treatment is getting more difficult. They find that many people who get gonorrhea also get Chlamydia and must receive the antibiotics for both infections together. If you are infected with gonorrhea should be tested for other STD infections.
Gonorrhea Prevention
For prevention of gonorrhea as well as other STD’s is to practice safe sex with your sex partner. The use of condoms decreases the probability of contracting a sexually transmitted disease. Having one sex partner is a lot safer these days than having multiple partners to have sexual intercourse with. It is always safer to have a monogamous relationship with one partner instead of frequenting multiple sex partners who you may be unsure of.
