We explain what gonorrhea is, what are the symptoms of this sexually transmitted disease and the treatments to fight it.
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What is gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease that causes infections of the genitals, throat and rectum . This disease is usually common in men and women and is curable diagnosed in time.
Being a sexually transmitted disease, the way to prevent this disease is to use a barrier method such as condoms. This disease can also be transmitted to a baby , in case a woman is sick and pregnant.
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What are your symptoms?
Symptoms vary according to the sex of the person. Men may have no symptoms, but usually the disease is identified if the man:
- Feel burning when you urinate.
- Feel pain in the testicles or have become inflamed.
- If you have white, yellow or green discharge from your penis.
As for women, the symptoms are often confused with those that present a urinary infection. The symptoms are:
- Burning sensation or pain when urinating.
- Increased vaginal discharge
- Irregular vaginal bleeding, between menstrual periods.
Regarding a rectal infection, the symptoms may be:
- Itching in the anus area.
- Bleeding or secretions
- Pain when defecating
The way to detect if a patient has this disease is by urinalysis . In case it happens at the level of the throat or rectum, a swab can be used.
Symptoms usually appear between 2 and 21 days after contracting the disease.
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Does gonorrhea have a cure?
Yes, with the right treatment. The doctor will prescribe the corresponding medications to stop the infection. Once you have finished with the medications, you should wait a week to have sex again.
In case of not obtaining adequate treatment, some complications may arise:
- In women it can generate an ectopic pregnancy, that is, outside the uterus, infertility, chronic pain in the abdomen or scar tissue formation that causes an obstruction in the fallopian tubes.
- In men, it can generate chronic pain in the testicles. In isolated cases it can cause infertility.
- If the disease spreads to the joints or the blood can be deadly or increase the chances of contracting the HIV virus.
