What is Gonorrhea?
Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a bacteria that is passed during sexual contact. It can infect the penis, vagina, cervix, anus, urethra, or throat.
What are the symptoms of Gonorrhea?
- Often, gonorrhoea has no symptoms, hence many people do not realise they have an infection. For those who do get gonorrhoea symptoms, they may begin in as little as 1-14 days after infection.
- When men have symptoms, they experience discharges from the penis, pain or burning while urinating and more frequent urination than usual.
- When women have symptoms, they experience abdominal pain, bleeding between periods, fever, menstrual irregularities, painful intercourse, painful urination, swelling or tenderness of the vulva, the urge to urinate more than usual, throwing up, yellowish or yellow-green vaginal discharge.
- In both women and men, gonorrhoea may result in anal itching. It can also result in a discharge and painful bowel movements.
- Itching and soreness of the throat with trouble swallowing may be symptoms of an oral infection.
How do I know if I have gonorrhoea?
A doctor can diagnose gonorrhoea from a laboratory testing of urine.
What is the treatment for gonorrhoea?
Several antibiotics can cure gonorrhoea in adolescents and adults.
Persons with gonorrhoea should abstain from sexual intercourse until they and their sex partners have completed treatment, otherwise re-infection is possible.
Although medication will stop the infection, it will not repair any permanent damage done by the disease.
What complications can arise from untreated gonorrhoea?
Untreated gonorrhoea can cause serious and permanent health problems in both women and men.
- In men, gonorrhoea can cause epididymitis, a painful condition that leads to infertility.
- In women, gonorrhoea is a common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which can damage the fallopian tubes to cause infertility or increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
- Gonorrhoea can spread to the blood or joints. People with gonorrhoea can more easily contract HIV.
- Ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening condition.
How is gonorrhoea prevented?
Using condoms consistently and correctly can reduce the risk of transmission of gonorrhoea.
