What is Gonorrhea? Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Methods

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is one of the common health problems in many parts of the world. As a sexually transmitted infection, gonorrhea is an infection that can be transmitted from person to person through sexual organs or bodily fluids. Affecting both men and women, gonorrhea can cause different symptoms to manifest in each gender. Symptoms such as pain during urination and an increase in vaginal discharge may be observed in patients. Although gonorrhea initially affects the sexual organs, it can affect other parts of the body in the long term. It is a disease that must be treated to stop the progression of the infection and prevent transmission to others.

What is Gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Bacteria are usually transmitted from person to person during sexual intercourse. Bacterial transmission can occur regardless of whether the sexual intercourse is vaginal or oral. Aside from sexual intercourse, if the mother has gonorrhea, the baby can also contract the disease during childbirth. In the case of gonorrhea, it is necessary to consult a healthcare professional if any symptoms related to the disease are observed to prevent serious complications. People whose partners have been diagnosed with gonorrhea must consult a healthcare professional, even if they have no symptoms themselves. Since the disease does not show itself with symptoms at the beginning, if your partner has been diagnosed with gonorrhea, there is a high probability that the infection has been transmitted to you as well. Furthermore, if you do not undergo an examination and receive treatment, you may re-infect your partner even if their treatment has been completed. Therefore, it is very important that both partners receive treatment when a diagnosis is made.

It is possible to protect yourself from gonorrhea with certain precautions. Using a condom during sexual activity can prevent the spread of the disease. In a monogamous relationship, the risk of partners contracting the disease is minimal. For individuals who are sexually active with multiple partners, it is recommended to undergo regular annual gonorrhea screenings.

What Are the Symptoms of Gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea is a disease that often does not show symptoms and is detected during general sexual health screenings. However, in some individuals, the progression of the infection can bring about various symptoms. Gonorrhea can be noticed by the individual as a result of changes occurring in the genital system. The symptoms of the disease may vary between women and men.

Symptoms of gonorrhea in men include: feeling pain while urinating, seeing pus-like discharge from the tip of the penis, and feeling pain or swelling in one of the testicles.

Symptoms of gonorrhea in women may include: an increase in vaginal discharge, feeling pain while urinating, pain in the abdomen and pelvic region, and bleeding after vaginal intercourse.

With the entry of the Gonorrhoeae bacterium into the body, symptoms can also be observed in different parts of the body. If bacteria are transmitted to the baby during birth, infection of the eyes is usually encountered. In adults, the bacteria can also affect different areas such as the rectum and throat. If the bacteria spread to the rectum, symptoms such as itching in the relevant area, purulent discharge, and difficulty in bowel movements may develop. In cases where the eyes are affected, individuals may have complaints such as eye pain and sensitivity to light. Other areas affected by the Gonorrhoeae bacterium are the throat and joints. Swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck region or a sore throat can be a symptom of gonorrhea. In the joints, symptoms such as pain during movement, and the joint areas feeling warmer than the normal body temperature or appearing red, can be observed.

What Causes Gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea develops when you contract the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium from your partner as a result of contact with sexual organs or bodily fluids. Regardless of whether it is oral, vaginal, or anal intercourse, if the partner is infected, the probability of transmission to the other partner is very high. Some risk factors can increase the risk of encountering the gonorrhea bacterium. In the community, gonorrhea is most commonly found in people under the age of 25 who have an active sex life. Starting a relationship with a new partner, having a partner with multiple partners, or having different partners are factors that increase the risk of encountering gonorrhea.

How is Gonorrhea Diagnosed?

Various diagnostic methods are used when symptoms of gonorrhea are observed, in cases of suspicious intercourse, or during annual screening tests. In the examinations to be performed, cell samples taken by different methods are analyzed. These samples can be collected as follows;

Urinalysis: In a urinalysis, a small amount of urine sample is taken to determine whether there is gonorrhea bacteria in the sample. A urine test can be used to identify many different bacteria in the urethra.

Taking a tissue sample from the infected area: Since gonorrhea can spread to different parts of the body, fluid samples can be taken from the vagina, throat, urethra, or rectum during diagnostic methods. The samples examined in a laboratory environment are investigated for the presence of Gonorrhoeae bacteria.

In cases diagnosed with gonorrhea or suspected of having gonorrhea, the presence of other sexually transmitted diseases may also be evaluated. The risk of having other sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and HIV is higher in people diagnosed with gonorrhea. By obtaining the advantage of early diagnosis with general screening, serious complications of the diseases can be prevented and transmission to other people can be blocked.

How is Gonorrhea Treated?

If a diagnosis of gonorrhea is made after the screening tests, treatment should be started without delay. Antibiotics are mostly used for the treatment of gonorrhea in adults. Antibiotic treatment performed via injection destroys the bacterial population in the body. After the initial antibiotic treatment, individuals can transmit the infection to another person for seven days. It is recommended to abstain from sexual intercourse until the treatment process is completed to prevent the spread of the disease. Three months after the completion of the treatment, a gonorrhea screening is performed again. With this screening, it is evaluated whether the patient has been re-infected with bacteria due to a different sex partner.

Antibiotic treatment is also applied for gonorrhea seen in infants. If gonorrhea is diagnosed in an infant, complications such as blindness, sores on the scalp, and the development of infection in many parts of the body may occur. To prevent all these complications, it is extremely important that the treatment is carried out without interruption and that it is ensured that the infection is terminated.

If gonorrhea treatment is neglected, the infection in the body may progress and cause serious health problems. Some of these are as follows:

In women, the progression of gonorrhea can negatively affect the genital system and cause the development of inflammatory disease in the uterus and fallopian tubes. This disease, known as PID, can cause scarring in the fallopian tubes and increase the risk of complications during pregnancy. Since it will leave irreversible damage to female reproductive health in the long term, it can result in infertility. If PID is diagnosed, it must be treated immediately.

In cases where men are not treated, inflammation can be seen in the coiled tubes that play a role in the storage and transport of sperm located in the testicles. This inflammation problem, called epididymitis, can result in infertility in the long term.

There are also common complication risks that affect both women and men. If the gonorrhea bacterium spreads to other parts of the body, the development of infection in various regions may occur. Complications such as skin sores, joint pain, and fever may develop as a result.

Gonorrhea can cause you to become susceptible to HIV, known as the human immunodeficiency virus. This condition, which turns into AIDS in the long term, can become life-threatening. Therefore, if the person you have had sexual intercourse with in the last 60 days has been diagnosed with gonorrhea, you may also need treatment. It is beneficial to get screened even if you do not feel any symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions

In the treatment of gonorrhea, antibiotics are mostly used via injection. The question of how many days it takes for gonorrhea to heal is one of the questions frequently asked by patients. It takes at least seven days for antibiotics to take effect and for the person to lose their infectivity. Symptoms that develop due to the disease decrease and disappear within about two weeks. The Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium that causes gonorrhea can be destroyed with certain antibiotics. With the antibiotic treatment to be applied, it is possible to eliminate the bacteria and the infection it causes. Gonorrhea can be tested with a urinalysis or a fluid sample taken from the area where symptoms are observed. The gonorrhea test from a urinalysis is in the form of evaluating whether there is Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria in the sample during laboratory examinations. Among the symptoms that develop in men due to gonorrhea is testicular pain. In addition to this, different symptoms such as seeing purulent discharge from the tip of the penis, swelling in the testicles, or feeling pain when urinating may also be in question. Gonorrhea is one of the sexually transmitted diseases that can affect both men and women. Gonorrhea can be transmitted in both women and men as a result of sexual intercourse with an infected person. For general screening for gonorrhea, evaluation of existing symptoms, or the treatment process, women can apply to the gynecology and obstetrics unit, and men can apply to the urology unit. For the planning of the treatment process and ensuring patient follow-up, individuals may be referred to the infectious diseases and clinical microbiology unit.

Gonorrhea can lead to serious health problems if left untreated. If you are experiencing symptoms or if there is a suspicious situation, consult a specialist without delay. Our Hisar Hospital Infectious Diseases and Urology specialists are with you in the diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted infections. To get more information or to create an appointment, you can visit our contact page or make an appointment immediately.