Gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease (STD), is caused by bacteria that thrives and multiplies in warm, moist places. In both men and women, it can infect your:
- eyes
- anus
- throat
- mouth
- urethra
Additionally, in woman this bacteria may infect:
How you got gonorrhea was through contact with an infected individuals:
- anus
- penis
- mouth
- vagina
Also, gonorrhea can be spread during the process of delivery.
The signs of this bacterial infection for men include:
- no symptoms
- burning urination
- painful/swollen testicles
- white, yellow, or green penis discharge
These signs may appear anywhere from a within a week to as long as a month.
For women, the symptoms of gonorrhea are often mild or no symptoms at all. Those with symptoms routinely mistake them for a bladder, urinary or vaginal infection. These mistaken initial symptoms, when present, are:
In women, gonorrhea is a common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
Rectal gonorrhea infection symptoms, when present, may have you experience:
- bleeding
- soreness
- discharge
- anal itching
- painful bowel movements
When left untreated, gonorrhea has the potential to cause some very serious and permanent health problems. So how you get rid of it is by a visit to your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment.
Several antibiotics are available to successfully cure gonorrhea. And many with this infection have chlamydia as well, so antibiotics for both infections are typically treated together.
The best way to avoid getting gonorrhea, or any STD for that matter, is to abstain from sexual intercourse or by being sexually active with a “two-way-street” monogamous partner for the long haul. Condoms can play a role in reducing your risk to the extent they are used properly and consistently.
Any discharge, urination burning, sexual intercourse discomfort, unusual sore or rash is your glaring sign to stop having sex and pay a visit to your doctor immediately.
