What is gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea is a curable sexually transmitted infection (STI), and is caused by a bacteria.
How is gonorrhea spread?
Gonorrhea can be passed on through bodily fluids, which can be spread during oral, vaginal and anal sex.
What are the symptoms of gonorrhea?
Most men show symptoms for gonorrhea but many women do not. For men, symptoms usually appear between 2-5 days but there is a possibility there won’t be signs for a month. This includes urinating more often, burning or pain when urinating, and pain or swelling of the testicles. Most women don’t show symptoms at all and find out they have gonorrhea during a GYN exam. When there are signs, they are usually mild and can be mistaken for a bladder infection or some other vaginal infection and usually appear within 10 days. These signs can be burning while urinating, unusual vaginal discharge or bleeding between menstrual periods. Some of these symptoms may be due to another condition or illness so it is important to see your doctor.
How can gonorrhea be diagnosed?
Gonorrhea can be diagnosed by a urine test or by taking a sample with a swab (like a Q-Tip)from the infected area. Make an appointment with your doctor to be tested; make STI and HIV testing part of your annual physical or GYN exam.
Is gonorrhea curable and/or treatable?
Yes! The good news is that gonorrhea can be cured with antibiotics because it is a bacterial infection. You can get the right antibiotics from your doctor. Make sure to take them exactly as directed and follow up in about a month with an appointment to be re-tested.
What can happen if gonorrhea isn’t treated?
If gonorrhea is not treated, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which is an infection of the female reproductive organs. This infection can lead to infertility or ectopic pregnancy in women. Untreated gonorrhea can also lead to infertility in men. This means they may not be able (or it might be difficult) to get pregnant or get a woman pregnant. This is why it’s really important for men and women to get tested and treated for STIs and to use condoms.
How can gonorrhea be prevented?
The surest way to prevent contracting an STI is to avoid any sexual contact (genital-to-genital or mouth-to-genital). Using latex or polyurethane condoms and dental dams for oral, anal and vaginal sex reduces the risk of getting gonorrhea. It is important to use a condom or dental dam from the very beginning of sexual contact (not just before ejaculation) because gonorrhea can be spread any time fluids from an infected person are passed to a partner..
How can you and your partner stay healthy together?
It is important to avoid any sexual contact while being treated for gonorrhea with antibiotics. It’s a good idea for partners to be tested and treated as well; otherwise couples can pass it back and forth to each other.