Gonorrhea is an infection that mainly impacts both males and females, with more instances observed in the former case. This medical infection is also known as ‘the clap.’ Based upon the finding of a study carried out by WHO, studies concluded that nearly 30.6 million gonorrhea disease cases occur worldwide.
Men and women affected with Gonorrhea show certain symptoms in most cases that help the medical specialists identify and diagnose the condition. In some cases, patients do not have any symptoms, yet are affected by Gonorrhea.
Gonorrhea symptoms in men may include the following:
- Burning sensation during urination
- Increased frequency of urination (urge to urinate)
- Swollen and painful testicles
- Gonorrhea discharge from the penis (colour – yellow, white, or green)
- Pain during bowel movements
- Rectal discharge and/or bleeding
- Penis opening swells
Gonorrhea symptoms in women might include the following:
- Burning sensation with pain during urination
- Unnecessary bleeding in between period days
- Increased vaginal discharge
- Pain in the abdominal area
- Pain at the time of sexual activities
- Soreness
- Itching, especially in cases of occurrence of gonorrhea infection, in the area of the rectum or rear end.
Some Gonorrhea symptoms can also be seen in other parts of the body in affected patients, such as:
- Eyes: When Gonorrhea affects the eyes, it leads to pain and light sensitivity in the eyes. Some patients also experience pus discharge from either or both eyes.
- Throat: Patients affected with Gonorrhea in the throat area experience swollen lymph nodes in the neck with a sore throat.
- Joints: Patients with septic arthritis often experience symptoms such as warmth, pain, swelling, and redness during movements.
The bacteria responsible for causing Gonorrhea is known as the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhea. Some of the significant Gonorrhea causes include the following:
- Anal intercourse
- Oral sexual contact
- Congenital transfer, i.e., it can pass on from the mother to baby during the tenure of pregnancy
Once the symptoms are visible, it is important to visit the physician to undergo gonorrhea diagnosis consultation and tests for result-oriented medical treatment.
Gonorrhea diagnosis can be successfully made with the following methods:
- Urine test: A urine test helps to diagnose the presence of Gonorrhea causing bacteria in the urethra.
- Swab test: A swab from the throat, urethra, rectum, or vagina, i.e., the affected region, helps identify the presence of Gonorrhea. This is one of the most useful Gonorrhea tests in the present times.
Home test kits are available to test Gonorrhea at home at one’s convenience. The test taker receives the test results within the next few hours to days, depending on the features of the respective home test kit.
Therefore, one must not overthink and be proactive towards taking Gonorrhea tests to ensure timely treatment.
In rare cases, patients with Gonorrhea might suffer from severe complications such as heart valve damage and bone problems such as arthritis. In other cases these are the commonly observed complications from Gonorrhea:
For males:
- Scarring of the urethra
- Inflammation around testicles
- Painful abscess in the penis
For females:
- Pelvic Inflammatory disease (PID)
- Difficulty in a successful pregnancy
- Increased chances of ectopic pregnancy
- Treatment for adults: Adults diagnosed with Gonorrhea are treated with oral medications and intramuscular injections depending on the area affected by Gonorrhea.
- Treatment for babies: Newborns who are born to mothers diagnosed with Gonorrhea are treated with antibiotics.
Within a few days of taking the recommended gonorrhea treatment options, patients can experience improvement in their respective areas. Adults must take a break from sexual activities to avoid the further spread of the infection.
A complete gonorrhea cure is possible. Patients must remember that all the prescribed dosages must be taken without missing any dosages to ensure that all symptoms vanish in a week.
One can take certain preventive measures to avoid the occurrence of Gonorrhea to a great extent:
- Prioritize using a condom: Condoms prove to be beneficial for adults as they act as a barrier and protect both individuals from being affected by the Gonorrhea bacteria.
- Get tested: Yes, you heard that right! It is wise to ask the individual if they have got tested for Gonorrhea so that it is safe to have sex.
- Avoid having sex with those with symptoms: You must be smart enough to educate yourself and recognize the symptoms associated with Gonorrhea.
- Prefer routine checkups: Yearly testing of Gonorrhea is recommended if an individual has routine sex with multiple partners, aged below 25 years, and has sex with men.
Gonorrhea is a major infection that can impact the overall patient’s well-being. Therefore, one must take routine tests to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment of this infection.
In case of doubts or queries, it is important to consult an experienced medical specialist for the best guidance. We at the CK Birla Hospital (R) ensure that patients speak to our best medical experts at the hospital to get the best medical advice today. Reach out to us today and book an appointment with Dr. Archana Pathak
