Do I Have Gonorrhea? Signs and Symptoms of Gonorrhea
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Gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted infection that often has no symptoms, can leave a woman unable to have children, and can be passed from the mother to child during childbirth. Having an active gonorrhea infection increases the risk you will get HIV or give it to someone else.[1] HIV is incurable and can be fatal. Gonorrhea can be diagnosed with a test and can usually be cured with antibiotics. However, there is currently a worrisome increase in strains of gonorrhea that are resistant to antibiotics.[2]
You can have gonorrhea without knowing it. If you think you may have been exposed to or infected with any sexually transmitted infection, see a doctor and get tested whether or not you have any symptoms. All pregnant women should be checked for syphilis, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections.[3] [4]
Gonorrhea is transmitted by vaginal, oral or anal sexual contact.[5] Gonorrhea can also be transmitted from mother to child during delivery.[6]
Most women with gonorrhea, and some men, will have no symptoms.[7]
When a woman has symptoms of a gonorrhea infection in her vagina or urinary tract, they are often mild, may "be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection,"[8] and may include:
á "painful or burning sensation when urinating"[9]
á "increased vaginal discharge"[10]
á "vaginal bleeding between periods"[11]
When a man has a gonorrhea infection in his penis or urinary tract, he may have symptoms that begin from one to fourteen days after infection including:[12]
á "burning sensation when urinating"[13]
á "a white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis"[14]
á "painful or swollen testicles"[15]
"Symptoms of rectal [gonorrhea] infection in both men and women may include:"[16]
á "discharge"[17]
á "anal itching"[18]
á "soreness"[19]
á "bleeding"[20]
á "painful bowel movements"[21]
Gonorrhea "infections in the throat may cause a sore throat, but usually" cause no symptoms.[22]
Both men and women can be tested for gonorrhea through a urine sample. Men can be tested by swabbing a sample from inside the penis. Women can be tested by swabbing a sample from inside their vagina.[23]
Testing for rectal gonorrhea requires a swab of the rectum. Testing for gonorrhea of the throat requires a swab of the throat.[24] Studies of men who have sex with men have shown that if you only test for genital gonorrhea infection, most gonorrhea infections will be missed.[25] [26] Therefore, testing a person for gonorrhea at all sites where they may have been exposed--genital, oral, and rectal--is important to ensure that a person does not have gonorrhea.[27] [28] [29]
When not treated, gonorrhea can cause a woman to develop pelvic inflammatory disease, which in turn can cause:
á abdominal pain[30]
á fever[31]
á "chronic pelvic pain"[32]
á infertility[33] (inability to have a baby)
á ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus, which can be fatal) [34]
If you are a woman who is pregnant or who may become pregnant, it is important that you be tested for sexually transmitted infections. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all pregnant women be tested for sexually transmitted infections including HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, and Hepatitis B[35] and that pregnant women who are at risk for gonorrhea or live where it is common be tested for gonorrhea.[36] The World Health Organization recommends that all pregnant women be tested for HIV and syphilis and checked for symptoms of other sexually transmitted infections.[37]
If you are pregnant, have gonorrhea, and don't get treated, your baby may contract gonorrhea and have problems including:[38]
á blindness
á joint infection
á blood infection, which can be fatal
By getting tested for gonorrhea and treated if you need it, you can protect your own health and your baby's health too. So if you are pregnant, talk to your doctor right away, get tested for sexually transmitted infections, and follow the doctor's instructions.
Gonorrhea is treated with antibiotics.[39] Anytime your doctor gives you antibiotics, it's vital that you take them on schedule until they are gone. If you don't, it increases the risk that you won't be cured and that you will develop an infection that is harder to cure.
People who have gonorrhea often have another sexually transmitted infection called chlamydia. So your doctor also may give you antibiotics that will treat chlamydia.[40] To learn more about chlamydia, see our video "Do I Have Chlamydia? Signs and Symptoms of Chlamydia."
Do not have sex until your doctor tells you that you are cured.
If you have a sexually transmitted infection, it is important that all of your current and recent sexual partners be tested and treated as well. Don't resume having sex until you and all your partners have been tested and, if necessary, treated. Otherwise, they may infect you again or infect others. If you aren't comfortable telling a current or recent sexual partner that you were diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection, in many places, you can give the public health service the names and contact information of your partners and the public health service will ask your partners to get tested without revealing your name.
The best ways to prevent gonorrhea are to:[41]
á abstain from sex
á be mutually faithful with a partner who has been tested and is known not to have gonorrhea
á use a latex condom correctly every time you have sex because it will reduce the risk of transmitting gonorrhea.
Watching a video is no substitute for seeing a doctor and being evaluated in person. If you are feeling ill, have any signs or symptoms of disease, or think you may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted infection, see a doctor and be evaluated in person.
For AIDSvideos.org, this is [PRESENTER NAME].
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TO LEARN MORE:
http://cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/
www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonorrhea
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/rtis/gonorrhea/en/
http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/guide/gonorrhea
This script was reviewed for accuracy and approved by Becky Kuhn, M.D. on January 2, 2012.
Works Cited:
California STD/HIV Prevention Training Center. "Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Treatment Guidelines: Recommended Treatment for STDs in HIV-Infected Adults." Updated November 2011.
Kent, Charlotte K., et al. "Prevalence of Rectal, Urethral, and Pharyngeal
Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Detected in 2 Clinical Settings among Men Who Have Sex with Men: San Francisco, California, 2003." Clinical Infectious Diseases 2005; 41:67–74. http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/41/1/67.full.pdf Accessed 2 January 2012.
Marcus, Julia L., et al. "Infections Missed by Urethral-Only Screening for
Chlamydia or Gonorrhea Detection Among Men
Who Have Sex With Men." Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Volume 38, Number 10: 922-924. DOI: 10.1097/OLQ.0b013e31822a2b2e Accessed 2 January 2012.
United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Chlamydia - CDC Fact Sheet." http://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/STDFact-Chlamydia.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet." http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2010: Special Populations." http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2010/specialpops.htm. Accessed 2 January 2012.
United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "STDs & Pregnancy - CDC Fact Sheet." http://www.cdc.gov/std/pregnancy/STDFact-Pregnancy.htm. Accessed 25 Nov 2011.
World Health Organization. "Standards for Maternal and Neonatal Care: Prevention and management of sexually transmitted and reproductive tract infections." http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/maternal_perinatal_health/prevention_mngt_stis.pdf, p.1. Accessed 25 Nov 2011.
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[1] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[2] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[3] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "STDs & Pregnancy - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/pregnancy/STDFact-Pregnancy.htm. Accessed 25 Nov 2011.
[4] World Health Organization, "Standards for Maternal and Neonatal Care: Prevention and management of sexually transmitted and reproductive tract infections," http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/maternal_perinatal_health/prevention_mngt_stis.pdf, p.1. Accessed 25 Nov 2011.
[5] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[6] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[7] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[8] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[9] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[10] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[11] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[12] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[13] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[14] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[15] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[16] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[17] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[18] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[19] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[20] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[21] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[22] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[23] California STD/HIV Prevention Training Center, "Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Treatment Guidelines: Recommended Treatment for STDs in HIV-Infected Adults." Updated November 2011.
[24] California STD/HIV Prevention Training Center, "Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Treatment Guidelines: Recommended Treatment for STDs in HIV-Infected Adults." Updated November 2011.
[25] Charlotte K. Kent et al, "Prevalence of Rectal, Urethral, and Pharyngeal
Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Detected in 2 Clinical Settings among Men Who Have Sex with Men: San Francisco, California, 2003," Clinical Infectious Diseases 2005; 41:67–74. http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/41/1/67.full.pdf Accessed 2 January 2012.
[26] Marcus, Julia L., et al, "Infections Missed by Urethral-Only Screening for
Chlamydia or Gonorrhea Detection Among Men
Who Have Sex With Men," Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Volume 38, Number 10: 922-924. DOI: 10.1097/OLQ.0b013e31822a2b2e Accessed 2 January 2012.
[27] Charlotte K. Kent et al, "Prevalence of Rectal, Urethral, and Pharyngeal Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Detected in 2 Clinical Settings among Men Who Have Sex with Men: San Francisco, California, 2003," Clinical Infectious Diseases 2005; 41:67–74. http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/41/1/67.full.pdf Accessed 2 January 2012.
[28] Marcus, Julia L., et al, "Infections Missed by Urethral-Only Screening for
Chlamydia or Gonorrhea Detection Among Men Who Have Sex With Men," Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Volume 38, Number 10: 922-924. DOI: 10.1097/OLQ.0b013e31822a2b2e Accessed 2 January 2012.
[29] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2010: Special Populations." http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2010/specialpops.htm Accessed 2 January 2012.
[30] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[31] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[32] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[33] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[34] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[35] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "STDs & Pregnancy - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/pregnancy/STDFact-Pregnancy.htm. Accessed 25 Nov 2011.
[36] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2010: Special Populations," http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2010/specialpops.htm. Accessed 28 Nov 2011.
[37] World Health Organization, "Standards for Maternal and Neonatal Care: Prevention and management of sexually transmitted and reproductive tract infections." http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/maternal_perinatal_health/prevention_mngt_stis.pdf, p.1. Accessed 25 Nov 2011.
[38] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.
[39] California STD/HIV Prevention Training Center, "Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Treatment Guidelines: Recommended Treatment for STDs in HIV-Infected Adults." Updated November 2011.
[40] California STD/HIV Prevention Training Center, "Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Treatment Guidelines: Recommended Treatment for STDs in HIV-Infected Adults." Updated November 2011.
[41] United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet," http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm. Accessed 27 Nov 2011.