11/3/2016

GonorrheaCauses,Diagnosis,andSymptomsinMenandWomen

Gonorrhea
Alsocalledthe"clap"or"drip,"gonorrheaisacontagiousdisease transmittedmost
oftenthroughsexualcontactwithaninfectedperson.Gonorrheamayalsobespread
bycontactwithinfectedbodilyfluids,sothatamothercouldpassontheinfectionto
hernewbornduringchildbirth.Bothmenandwomencangetgonorrhea.Theinfection
iseasilyspreadandoccursmostofteninpeoplewhohavemanysexpartners.
What Causes Gonorrhea?

GonorrheaiscausedbyNeisseriagonorrhoeae,abacteriumthatcangrowand
multiplyeasilyinmucusmembranesofthebody.Gonorrheabacteriacangrowinthe
warm,moistareasofthereproductivetract,includingthecervix(openingtothewomb),
uterus(womb),andfallopiantubes(eggcanals)inwomen,andintheurethra(thetube
thatcarriesurinefromthebladdertooutsidethebody)inwomenandmen.The
bacteriacanalsogrowinthemouth,throat,andanus.
How Common Is Gonorrhea?

GonorrheaisaverycommoninfectiousdiseaseintheU.S.Eachyear,accordingtothe
CDC,thereareasmanyas700,000newcases,withlessthanhalfofthemreportedto
theCDC.Therewere334,826reportedcasesofgonorrheaintheU.S.in2012.
Sexuallyactiveteenagershaveoneofthehighestratesofreportedinfections.
How Do I Know If I Have Gonorrhea?

Notallpeopleinfectedwithgonorrheahavesymptoms,soknowingwhentoseek
treatmentcanbetricky.Whensymptomsdooccur,theyareoftenwithintwoto10days
afterexposure,buttheycantakeupto30daystodevelopandincludethefollowing:
Gonorrheasymptomsinwomen
Greenishyelloworwhitishdischargefromthevagina
Lowerabdominalorpelvicpain
Burningwhenurinating
Conjunctivitis(red,itchyeyes)
Bleedingbetweenperiods
Spottingafterintercourse
Swellingofthevulva(vulvitis)
Burninginthethroat(duetooralsex )
Swollenglandsinthethroat(duetooralsex)
Insomewomen,symptomsaresomildthattheygounnoticed.
Manywomenwithgonorrheadischargethinktheyhaveayeastinfectionandselftreat
withoverthecounteryeastinfection drug.Becausevaginaldischargecanbeasign
ofanumberofdifferentproblems,itisbesttoalwaysseektheadviceofadoctorto
ensureproperdiagnosisandtreatment. SUBSCRIBE
SEARCH

An Ov...

http://www.webmd.com/sexualconditions/guide/gonorrhea?print=true

1/4

11/3/2016

GonorrheaCauses,Diagnosis,andSymptomsinMenandWomen

Gonorrheasymptomsinmen
Greenishyelloworwhitishdischargefromthepenis
Burningwhenurinating
Burninginthethroat(duetooralsex)
Painfulorswollentesticles
Swollenglandsinthethroat(duetooralsex)
Inmen,symptomsusuallyappeartwoto14daysafterinfection.
How Is Gonorrhea Diagnosed?

Todiagnosegonorrhea,yourdoctorwilluseaswabtotakeasampleoffluidfromthe
urethrainmenorfromthecervixinwomen.Thespecimenwillthenbesenttoalabto
beanalyzed.Youalsomaybegivenathroatoranalculturetoseeiftheinfectionisin
yourthroatoranus.Thereareothertestswhichcheckaurinesampleforthepresence
ofthebacteria.Youmayneedtowaitforseveraldaysforyourteststocomebackfrom
thelab.
Gonorrheaandchlamydia,anothercommonsexuallytransmitteddisease,oftenoccur
together,soyoumaybetestedandtreatedforboth.
Can Gonorrhea Be Cured?

Yes.Gonorrheacanbetreatedandcured.
How Is Gonorrhea Treated?

Tocureagonorrheainfection,yourdoctorwillgiveyoueitheranoralorinjectable
antibiotic.Yourpartnershouldalsobetreatedatthesametimetopreventreinfection
andfurtherspreadofthedisease.
Itisimportanttotakeallofyourantibiotics evenifyoufeelbetter.Also,nevertake
someoneelse'smedicationtotreatyourillness.Bydoingso,youmaymakethe
infectionmoredifficulttotreat.Inaddition,
Tellanyoneyouhavehadsexwithrecentlythatyouareinfected.Thisis
importantbecausegonorrheamayhavenosymptoms.Women,especially,may
nothavesymptomsandmaynotseektestingortreatmentunlessalertedbytheir
sexpartners.
Don'thavesexuntilyouhavecompletedtakingallofyourmedicine.
Alwaysusecondomswhenhavingsex.
What Happens if I Don't Treat Gonorrhea?

Untreatedgonorrheacancauseseriousandpermanentproblemsinbothwomenand
men.
Inwomen,ifleftuntreated,theinfectioncancausepelvicinflammatorydisease,which
maydamagethefallopiantubes(thetubesconnectingtheovariestotheuterus)or
evenleadtoinfertility.Anduntreatedgonorrheainfectioncouldincreasetheriskof
ectopicpregnancy,aconditioninwhichthefertilizedeggdevelopsoutsidetheuterus.
Thisisadangerousconditionforbothmotherandbaby.

An Ov...

Inmen,gonorrheacancauseepididymitis,apainfulconditionofthetesticlesthatcan
SUBSCRIBE
SEARCH
sometimesleadtoinfertilityifleftuntreated.Withoutprompttreatment,gonorrheacan

http://www.webmd.com/sexualconditions/guide/gonorrhea?print=true

2/4

11/3/2016

GonorrheaCauses,Diagnosis,andSymptomsinMenandWomen

alsoaffecttheprostateandcanleadtoscarringinsidetheurethra,makingurination
difficult.
Gonorrheacanspreadtothebloodorjoints.Thisconditioncanbelifethreatening.
Also,peoplewithgonorrheacanmoreeasilycontractHIV,thevirusthatcausesAIDS.
PeoplewithHIV infectionandgonorrheaaremorelikelythanpeoplewithHIV
infectionalonetotransmitHIVtosomeoneelse.
How Does Gonorrhea Aect Pregnancy and Childbirth?

Gonorrheainapregnantwomancancauseprematuredeliveryorspontaneous
abortion.Theinfectedmothermaygivetheinfectiontoherinfant asthebaby
passesthroughthebirthcanalduringdelivery.Thiscancauseblindness,jointinfection,
oralifethreateningbloodinfectioninthebaby.Treatmentofgonorrheaassoonasitis
detectedinpregnantwomenwilllessentheriskofthesecomplications.Pregnant
womenshouldconsultadoctorforappropriatemedications.
How Can I Prevent Gonorrhea Infection?

Toreduceyourriskofgonorrheainfection:
Usecondoms correctlyeverytimeyouhavesex.
Limitthenumberofsexpartners,anddonotgobackandforthbetweenpartners.
Practicesexualabstinence,orlimitsexualcontacttooneuninfectedpartner.
Ifyouthinkyouareinfected,avoidsexualcontactandseeadoctor.
Anygenitalsymptomssuchasdischargeorburningduringurinationoranunusual
soreorrashshouldbeasignaltostophavingsexandtoconsultadoctorimmediately.
IfyouaretoldyouhavegonorrheaoranyotherSTDandreceivetreatment,youshould
notifyallofyourrecentsexpartnerssothattheycanseeadoctorandbetreated.

NEXT ARTICLE
Syphilis

Sexual Conditions Guide

1

Basic Facts

Prevention

Types & Causes

Finding Help

Treatments

http://www.webmd.com/sexualconditions/guide/gonorrhea?print=true

3/4

11/3/2016

GonorrheaCauses,Diagnosis,andSymptomsinMenandWomen

http://www.webmd.com/sexualconditions/guide/gonorrhea?print=true

4/4