What is Gonorrhoea: Symptoms, Causes and Prevention for most common disease in India
What Is Gonorrhea?
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| Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (Photo: New York Post) |
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). 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.
Gonorrhoea Symptoms and Signs
Symptoms associated with gonorrhoea usually occur within two to 14 days after a person has been infected.
In men, symptoms of gonorrhoea typically begin to show a week after the person has been infected. Some common ones include:
• A burning sensation while urinating
• Greater frequency or urgency of urination
• A pus-like discharge from the genitals
• Swelling of or redness in the penis and testicles
Some men may not develop noticeable symptoms. However, the infection is still contagious and may spread from the infected person to a partner who may not be aware of the infection due to a lack of obvious signs and symptoms.
Often, women with gonorrhoea do not develop any obvious symptoms of gonorrhoea. However, when symptoms do occur, they can cause a lot of distress. Some symptoms that women may experience include:
• A burning sensation while urinating
• Greater frequency or urgency of urination
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Sharp pains in the lower abdomen
• General irritation in the outer area of the vagina
• Increased vaginal discharge and vaginal bleeding between periods
• A fever
Rectal and throat infection may occur in both men and women infected with gonnorhoea. With rectal infection, the person may experience anal itching, discharge, bleeding or painful bowel movements, cites healthhub.
Gonorrhea Causes
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| Photo: News Medical |
This STD comes from bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It’s spread through sex, but a man doesn’t have to ejaculate in order to pass it on to their partner.
You can get gonorrhea from any kind of sexual contact, including:
- Anal intercourse
- Oral intercourse (both giving and receiving)
- Vaginal intercourse
As with other germs, you can get the bacteria that cause gonorrhea just from touching an infected area on another person. If you come into contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus of someone with gonorrhea, you could get it.
Women who have gonorrhea can pass it to their baby during a vaginal delivery. Babies born by C-section can’t get it from their mother.
These germs can’t live very long outside the body, so you can’t get gonorrhea by touching objects like toilet seats or clothes.
Gonorrhea Risk Factors
The surest way to keep from getting gonorrhea is to not have sex. You have a lower risk if you’re in a long-term sexual relationship with one person and you’re their only partner, according to webmd.
Your risk for gonorrhea is higher if you:
- Are young
- Are having sex with a new partner
- Are having sex with someone who is having sex with other people
- Have multiple sex partners
- Have had gonorrhea before
- Have had other STDs
Gonorrhea Complications
If left untreated, gonorrhoea can cause serious complications.
Women infected with gonorrhoea may develop pelvic inflammatory disease, which can damage the fallopian tubes. When this happens, the woman may become infertile or face a higher risk of an ectopic pregnancy, in which a fertilised egg grows outside the womb.
Men infected with gonorrhoea may experience epididymitis, an inflammation of the tube located at the back of the testicles that stores sperm, which can lead to infertility.
The infection can also spread through the bloodstream and infect other parts of the body including the joints, brain and heart. Having gonorrhoea also makes you more susceptible to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that can lead to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). A person infected with both HIV and gonorrhoea can readily transmit these infections to their partners.
Gonorrhea Treatment
Your doctor will give you antibiotics to kill the bacteria. Some strains are becoming immune to certain antibiotics, so you’ll probably get two types of drugs: an injection and pills. Be sure to take all of your medication, even if you feel better quickly.
If you’re pregnant and have gonorrhea, talk to your doctor so you can get the right treatment. This STD can cause health problems for babies, so it’s important to treat the disease as soon as possible to help lower your baby’s risk for complications.
With the right treatment, gonorrhea is curable. But one successful treatment won’t protect you for life. You’ll need to keep practicing safe sex to keep from getting it again.
Gonorrhea Prevention
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| Photo: The Independent |
Take these steps to protect yourself from gonorrhea:
Use condoms . They help keep you from getting STDs. They act as a barrier and keep bacteria from infecting you. Spermicide won’t prevent you from getting gonorrhea.
Have your sexual partners get tested. Ask them whether they’ve been checked for gonorrhea. If they haven’t, talk to them about getting tested.
Don't have sex with someone who has symptoms of gonorrhea. Has your partner complained of a burning feeling while peeing or sores in their genital area? Take a break from sexual activity until they get their symptoms checked (and you should get checked, too).
Get regular screenings. Get tested for gonorrhea once a year if you’re:
- A man who has sex with men
- A sexually active woman under age 25
- A woman who has a new sex partner, multiple partners, or a partner with an STD
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