Table of Contents
What causes gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by infection with the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium. N. gonorrhoeae infects the mucous membranes of the reproductive tract, including the cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes in women, and the urethra in women and men.
What does gonorrhea do to a man?
In men, gonorrhea can cause a painful condition in the tubes attached to the testicles. In rare cases, this may cause a man to be sterile, or prevent him from being able to father a child. Rarely, untreated gonorrhea can also spread to your blood or joints. This condition can be life-threatening.
What does gonorrhea look like on a woman?
Gonorrhea symptoms can appear much like common vaginal yeast or bacterial infections. Symptoms include: discharge from the vagina (watery, creamy, or slightly green)
How does a woman get gonorrhea?
The main ways people get gonorrhea are from having vaginal sex, anal sex, or oral sex. You can also get gonorrhea by touching your eye if you have infected fluids on your hand. Gonorrhea can also be spread to a baby during birth if the mother has it.
What do you really need to know about gonorrhea?
In both men and women, depending on the location of infection, gonorrhea symptoms may include: a sore throat and swollen lymph nodes an itchy anus, a sore anus, pus-like discharge from the rectum, and straining, pain and/or blood spotting during bowel movements eye sensitivity to light, eye pain, and pus-like discharge from the eye (s)
How dangerous is gonorrhea?
Why Gonorrhea Is Harmful. If gonorrhea is treated early, it can be cured fairly easily. If it is not treated, gonorrhea can cause serious damage in both males and females. It can spread through the blood and cause damage to joints, the heart muscle or the brain.
How long can gonorrhea be left untreated?
Gonorrhea if left untreated may last for weeks or months with higher risks of complications. One of the complications of gonorrhea is systemic dissemination resulting in skin pustules or petechia, septic arthritis, meningitis, or endocarditis .
What are the side effects of gonorrhea?
When gonorrhea affects the cervix or urethra in women, side effects are similar to the symptoms in men. The Mayo Clinic describes the side effects as an increase in vaginal discharge, pain when urinating, vaginal bleeding between periods, vaginal bleeding after intercourse, abdominal pain and/or pelvic pain.