Gonorrhea is one of the most common bacterial sexually transmitted diseases. In common language, it is known as ‘clap’ or ‘drip’. The most common cause of acquiring gonorrhea is having sexual relationship with multiple partners. Besides, gonorrhea can also spread through contact with infected body fluids and therefore an infected mother can pass on the infection to the newborn during delivery. The infection is caused by a bacterium called, Neisseria gonorrhea. It quickly multiplies in mucus membranes of the human body. The bacteria can grow and transmit from reproductive tract organs like cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes in women and in urethra in men and women. Besides, the bacteria can also grow in other moist parts of body like mouth, throat, anus, etc. Both men and women, who are sexually active and have multiple partners, are susceptible to the infection. The disease can be cured fully under medical supervision.
Causes
Gonorrhea is caused by the bacteria, Neisseria gonorrhea, which is capable of growing and propagating rapidly in the mucous membranes of a human being. The bacteria is mainly found in vaginal and seminal fluids of men and women who are infected but the bacteria can also survive in the eye, rectum, mouth, penis, throat or vagina of the infected person. Gonorrhea can be easily passed from one person to other through sexual contact. Anyone who is leading a sexually active life can be infected and pass it on to the partner. It is not necessary that you get gonorrhea only when you have multiple sexual partners.
Symptoms
Gonorrhea symptoms are not easily visible among all people, especially among women and hence treatment for gonorrhea can be quite tricky. The symptoms are visible in two to ten days and can take as much as 30 days to become visible. Gonorrhea symptoms in women are as following:
- Unusual whitish curd like or greenish discharge from vagina which can be either thin or watery
- Pain in lower abdomen or in pelvic region
- Burning sensation at the time of urination
- Sometimes bleeding between two menstrual cycles or alternatively heavier bleeding
- Blood spotting after intercourse
Symptoms in men
- Greenish yellow or whitish discharge from penis
- Burning sensation during urination
- Sometimes swollen and painful testicles
- Inflammation of the foreskin, though this is rare
Symptoms in both men and women
- Infection in rectum – It can be painful without any symptoms and can cause pain, discharge, and discomfort.
- Infection in throat – Generally does not have any symptoms.
- Infection in eyes – It can cause pain, redness, and swelling similar to the one in conjunctivitis.
Diagnosis
For diagnosis of the disease, a health professional takes a sample of discharge either from urethra of men or cervix of women and conduct lab tests on them. In case, the symptoms suggest a spread of infection, then the professional may also take throat and anal cultures. The health worker will test on samples for both gonorrhea and Chlamydia since mostly the two sexually transmitted diseases appear together.
Treatment
Gonorrhea can be treated and can be fully cured. The infection is treated through antibiotics and it is 95 percent effective. Once the doctor diagnoses the disease, he either will administer a liquid dose of antibiotic or will give you oral medicine as part of early treatment for the infection. If there are high chances of infection, then the doctor can start the treatment before the test results come. It is very important that the sexual partners of the patient are also treated simultaneously; otherwise, the infection will reoccur and spread fast. In addition, it is important for the patient to complete the entire course of antibiotics even when one begins to feel better midway through the treatment. The antibiotics given for gonorrhea treatment interfere with contraceptive pills, so if you take them, then share this with your doctor. So far, there is no scientific evidence that there is any treatment available for gonorrhea in alternate therapies.
Prevention
For minimizing the chances of gonorrhea infection, do the following:
- Always use condom during sex.
- Do not be engaged in sexual activity with multiple partners and do not go back and forth among partners.
- If you think you are infected, avoid sexual contact and immediately see the doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What happens if gonorrhea is left untreated?
If left untreated, it can cause severe problems in men and women. In women, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can further lead to infertility or can lead to ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy mostly leads to death of mother and child.
In men, it can cause epididymitis, an infection of testicles that can lead to infertility. It can also affect the prostate glands in men and can cause problems in urination.
If the infection spreads to blood or joints of the body, then it can be a life threatening condition. Besides, people infected with gonorrhea are more susceptible to HIV infection.
2. What are the effects of gonorrhea on pregnancy and childbirth?
Gonorrhea can cause many problems in pregnant women. It can cause premature delivery or spontaneous abortion in women. The baby can get the infection from mother during delivery when passing though the birth canal. This can cause blindness and blood infection that can be life threatening and can lead to joints infection in the baby. Pregnant women should consult doctor for appropriate medication.
3. What does the gonorrhea test involve?
In women, swab may be used for collecting cells from the cervix or from the vagina. In men, a urine sample is taken. Before test, men are advised not to urinate for at least a couple of hours.