Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). and an infection caused by a sexually transmitted bacterium that infects both males and females. You get it from having sex with someone who is infected with it. You may have heard people call it “the clap.” Both men and women can get it, though men get it more often than women.
Gonorrhea most often affects the urethra, rectum or throat.
In females, gonorrhea can also infect the cervix.
Gonorrhea is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
This common STI tends to target warm, moist areas of the body, including the:
female reproductive tract, which includes the fallopian tubes, cervix, and uterus Gonorrhea can affect people of any age or gender, but it’s particularly commonTrusted Source among teens and young adults between the ages of 15 and 24.
Untreated gonorrhea can lead to long-term health concerns and, in some cases, infertility. But treatment with antibiotics can cure the infection and help lower your chances of experiencing health complications
The bacteria that cause gonorrhoea are mainly found in discharge from the penis and in vaginal fluid.
Gonorrhoea is easily passed between people through:
The only way to completely avoid STDs is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. If you are sexually active, the following things can lower your chances of getting gonorrhea:
In many cases, gonorrhea infection causes no symptoms. Symptoms, however, can affect many sites in your body, but commonly appear in the genital tract.
Signs and symptoms of gonorrhea infection in men include:
Signs and symptoms of gonorrhea infection in women include:
Rectal symptoms may also occur if a person has anal sex. These may include:
Gonorrhea can also affect these parts of the body:
Signs and symptoms include anal itching, pus-like discharge from the rectum, spots of bright red blood on toilet tissue and having to strain during bowel movements.
Gonorrhea that affects your eyes can cause eye pain, sensitivity to light, and pus-like discharge from one or both eyes.
Signs and symptoms of a throat infection might include a sore throat and swollen lymph nodes in the neck.
If one or more joints become infected by bacteria (septic arthritis), the affected joints might be warm, red, swollen and extremely painful, especially during movement.
Untreated gonorrhea can lead to major complications, such as:
Make an appointment with your doctor if you notice any troubling signs or symptoms, such as a burning sensation when you urinate or a pus-like discharge from your penis, vagina or rectum.
Also make an appointment with your doctor if your partner has been diagnosed with gonorrhea. You may not experience signs or symptoms that prompt you to seek medical attention. But without treatment, you can reinfect your partner even after he or she has been treated for gonorrhea.
A person might receive a diagnosis of gonorrhea if they see a doctor because they have had symptoms or because they suspect that they have been exposed to the infection. The doctor will ask the person about their symptoms and medical history. They will also order a test, which might require a urine sample or a swab of the penis, cervix, urethra, anus, or throat.
that requires either a urine sample or a swab taken from the urethra (for men) or the cervix or vagina (for women). If a person has had anal or oral sex, and a rectal or pharyngeal infection is suspected, a swab specimen may be collected from the throat or the rectum for testing right up arrow.
The recommended method for gonorrhea testing is the nucleic acid amplification test, which detects the genetic material of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the urine or swab sample provided. In a second type of lab test, called a culture, the sample is placed in a container to see whether gonorrhea bacteria grow over several days.
If you think you may have gonorrhea, make an appointment to see your healthcare provider. Healthcare providers at public health or STD clinics and Planned Parenthood can also perform gonorrhea tests.
Since a person may have gonorrhea without displaying symptoms, regular testing can help to detect the disease before it causes complications. This is particularly important for people who are at increased risk of contracting the disease,
Recommends that the following groups of people get tested for gonorrhea regularly:
Modern antibiotics can cure gonorrhea, in most cases.
You can’t treat gonorrhea with over the counter or home remedies. If you think you could have gonorrhea, or a sexual partner receives a positive test result, you’ll need to get a diagnosis and treatment from a healthcare professional.
The recommended treatmentTrusted Source for gonorrhea is a one-time intramuscular injection of the antibiotic ceftriaxone. Typically, you’ll get this shot in the buttocks. A healthcare professional will likely also prescribe an oral medication, such as:
For oral gonorrhea, you’ll need to follow up with a healthcare professional 1 to 2 weeks laterTrusted Source to make sure the infection has cleared.
Antibiotics can cure gonorrhea. Still, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of gonorrheaTrusted Source poses some challenges for successful treatment.
That’s why you’ll generally receive both an injection and oral dose of antibiotics. If the first treatment approach doesn’t work, a healthcare professional will prescribe another antibiotic, which you’ll take once or twice a day for 7 days.
It’s important to take all of your medication to completely treat the infection, even if your symptoms go away before you finish your prescription.
If you continue to have symptoms after taking your antibiotics as prescribed, contact a healthcare professional as soon as possible so they can try a different treatment.
If you are pregnant and have gonorrhea, you can give the infection to your baby during delivery. This can cause serious health problems for your baby. If you are pregnant, talk to your healthcare provider so you get the correct examination, testing, and treatment, as necessary. Treating gonorrhea as soon as possible will make health problems for your baby less likely.
Wait seven days after finishing all medicine before having sex. You and your sex partner(s) should avoid having sex until you have each completed treatment and your symptoms are gone. This will help prevent you and your partner(s) from giving or getting gonorrhea again. Those with gonorrhea should be retested about three months after treatment of an initial infection, even if their partners received successful treatment.
If you’ve had gonorrhea and took medicine in the past, you can still get it again. This happens if you have sex without a condom with a person who has gonorrhea.
Untreated gonorrhea can cause serious and permanent health problems. In women, untreated gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Some of the complications of PID are:
In men, gonorrhea can cause a painful condition in the tubes attached to the testicles, which can, in rare cases, lead to infertility. Rarely, untreated gonorrhea can also spread to your blood or joints. This condition can be life-threatening. Untreated gonorrhea may also increase your chances of getting or giving HIV.
To reduce your gonorrhea risk:
Regular screening is also recommended for men who have sex with men, as well as their partners. To avoid getting gonorrhea again, abstain from sex until after you and your sex partner have completed treatment and after symptoms are gone.
Gonorrhea – CDC Fact Sheet https://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/stdfact-gonorrhea.htm
Gonorrhea https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gonorrhea/symptoms-causes/syc-20351774
Everything You Need to Know About Gonorrhea https://www.healthline.com/health/gonorrhea
Gonorrhea https://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/gonorrhea#1
What Is Gonorrhea? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
https://www.everydayhealth.com/gonorrhea/guide/
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