Gonorrhea refers to a sexually transmitted illness (STD), sometimes known as an STI. A bacteria that affects both sexes causes gonorrhea. Most frequently, gonorrhea affects the throat, urethra, or rectum. Gonorrhea can also infect the cervix in females.
Gonnorhea is most frequently transmitted during vaginal, oral, or anal sex. Kids of infected moms can contract the disease during birth. Gonorrhea most frequently damages the eyes in infants. The greatest defense against STIs is to avoid having sex altogether, use a condom when you do, and maintain a mutually monogamous relationship.
Symptoms
Gonorrhea infection frequently has no symptoms. However, while symptoms can occur everywhere in your body, they often manifest in the genital tract.
Men who have contracted gonorrhea may exhibit the following symptoms:
- Uncomfortable urination
- A pus-like discharge coming from the penis’s tip
- One testicle may be painful or swollen.
Women who have gonorrhea may have the following signs and symptoms:
- Increased vulvar leaking
- Unpleasant urination
- Bleeding from the cervix after sex and between periods
- Pelvic or abdominal pain.
Diagnosis
Your doctor will examine a sample of cells to discover if you have gonorrhea. You can gather samples by using the following:
A urine test: this may be useful in locating germs in your urethra.
A swab from the impacted area: bacteria can be gathered from a swab of your throat, urethra, vagina, or rectum and identified in a lab.
Women can purchase home test kits for gonorrhea. They include self-testing vaginal swabs forwarded to a particular lab for analysis. You can receive an email or text notification when your results are ready. Then you can also seek a gonorrhea treatment online.
Treatment
Adult Treatment
The treatment for gonorrhea in adults is antibiotics. It is advisable to use ceftriaxone as an injectable to treat uncomplicated gonorrhea due to the emergence of drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains.
You could still infect others for up to seven days after receiving the antibiotic. Therefore, refrain from sexual activity for at least seven days.
Treatment for partners’ gonorrhea
Even if they show no symptoms, your recent sexual partner(s) must also be checked and treated. You risk contracting the infection again through sexual intercourse if they don’t get treatment for their gonorrhea while you do. Wait seven days after your partner receives treatment before engaging in sexual activity.
Infant gonorrhea therapy
Antibiotics effectively treat the infection in babies born to moms with gonorrhea.
When to visit the doctor
Schedule an appointment with your doctor if you experience unsettling symptoms or signs, such as a burning feeling when urinating or a pus-like discharge from your penis, vagina, or rectum.
Schedule a visit with your doctor as well if your spouse has gonorrhea. It’s possible that you won’t have any symptoms or indicators that would make you want to consult a doctor. However, even after your spouse has received gonorrhea therapy, you could re-infect them if you don’t get treatment.
Conclusion
The most effective strategy to prevent gonorrhea is to avoid having intercourse. But if you do decide to engage in sexual activity, use a condom for all forms of sex, including anal, oral, and vaginal.
