bjones
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As you probably already know, gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease. What you may not know is that besides sex, there is one other way to contract the disease – pregnant mothers can give it to their babies. Although it is embarrassing to reveal that you have gonorrhea, it is treatable and if you suspect you may have contracted it, you need to see a doctor immediately. It is also a fairly common disease. Over 700,000 people in the U.S. alone report a case of gonorrhea each year, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The symptoms of gonorrhea differ somewhat for men and for women. If you have the disease, you will experience one or more of the symptoms listed below that affect various parts of the body that may be used during sex. In men, symptoms are:
• Pain while urinating
• Discharge of pus from the penis (through the urethra)
• Painful or swollen testicles (usually affecting only one)
In women, symptoms are:
• Heavy discharge from the vagina
• Pain while urinating
• Bleeding from the vagina between periods of menstruation
• Pain in the abdomen or pelvis
Symptoms that affect specific body locations are as follows.
Rectum:
• Discharge of pus from the anus
• Itching of the anus
• Anal bleeding
• Painful bowel movements
Eye:
• Discharge of pus from the eye
• Eye pain
• Eye dilation/increased sensitivity to light
Throat:
• Sore throat
• Swollen glands in the neck (lymph nodes)
Once these signs are present, the most usual being pain while urinating, it is imperative to make an appointment with your doctor. If not treated early, gonorrhea can cause more serious problems such as infertility, and the spreading of the infection through the bloodstream. Once a diagnosis is confirmed, you doctor will advise you to abstain from sexual activity and to contact your recent sex partners to alert them of the problem. Whether they have symptoms or not, they should undergo testing and possible treatment. Your doctor will then prescribe for you a series of antibiotics that are known to efficiently kill the bacteria that causes gonorrhea.
To prevent gonorrhea in the future, limit your sexual partners, always use a condom, and consider undergoing regular STD screenings.
 Posted 5403 day ago
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