Symptoms of gonorrhea in women and men
Gonorrhea is an infectious disease transmitted sexually. The causative agent of gonorrhea is the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The disease spreads through sexual contact with an infected person. Gonorrhea can be contracted during vaginal, oral and anal sex. It is also passed from mother to child during childbirth. A person does not have innate or acquired immunity to gonococcal infection, so repeated infections are possible.
About 0.8% of women and 0.6% of men suffer from gonorrhea. According to statistics, from 33 to 106 million new cases of the disease are registered every year. Gonorrhea is the second most common sexually transmitted infection.How gonorrhea manifests itself
The incubation period is from 2 to 14 days. Usually, the first signs of gonorrhea appear 2-6 days after infection. 50% of infected women have no symptoms of the disease. They may not know they are infected and therefore not seek medical attention. This increases both the risk of complications and the likelihood of infection spreading.
Symptoms of gonorrhea in women:
- pain during urination;
- discharge from the vagina;
- pain during intercourse;
- high temperature and pain in the lower abdomen (when the infection spreads).
Symptoms of gonorrhea in men:
- painful and frequent urination;
- discharge from the urethra;
- redness and swelling of the external opening of the urethra.
The disease can cause skin lesions, arthritis, endocarditis, meningitis.
Gonorrhea can also be contracted during oral sex with an infected partner. How is infection with gonorrhea manifested by oral contact? Such an infection in 90% of people does not cause symptoms. The remaining patients experience a sore throat (gonococcal pharyngitis).
Test for genital gonorrhea
The diagnosis of "gonorrhea" is made based on the results of tests and the clinical picture of the disease. Annual testing of women and men who frequently change sexual partners is recommended.
Laboratory tests for gonococcal infection:
- smear for gonorrhea;
- seeding of secretions from the vagina, cervical canal, rectum, urethra;
- PCR.
Diagnosis of chronic gonorrhea is carried out with pyrogenal provocation. Patients must be warned about the reaction to the drug: fever, muscle pain, weakness.
Analysis of genital gonorrhea by conducting a microscopic study of secretions by the Gram method does not give an accurate result in the diagnosis of pathology in women. The sensitivity of the method is about 30-50%. Therefore, PCR and culture are more often used for laboratory diagnosis of gonorrhea in women.
How to treat gonorrhea
Antibacterial drugs are used to treat gonococcal infection. The reception schedule is prescribed by the doctor. This can be either a single shock dose of an oral antibiotic or a standard dosage for seven days. The drugs of choice are ceftriaxone (solution for injection) and azithromycin (capsules, tablets). Treatment of gonorrhea in men and women is carried out according to the same scheme.
After a course of antibacterial therapy, it is necessary to take a test for gonococcus. Retesting is recommended three months after treatment.
How to treat gonorrhea depends on the form of the disease. A course of antibiotics is usually enough to treat acute gonorrhea. If the infectious process has spread and or the disease has turned into a chronic form, long-term treatment is required. In addition to antibiotics, immunomodulators, hepatoprotectors, and vitamins are prescribed.
Gonorrhea is called "hussar's runny nose". But the disease is actually harmful and in the absence or incorrect treatment threatens with serious complications.
Possible complications of gonorrhea in women:
- erosion of the cervix;
- Bartholinitis;
- joint damage;
- obstruction of fallopian tubes;
- chronic pain in the pelvis;
- irregular menstrual cycle;
- ectopic pregnancy;
- infertility;
- miscarriage, premature birth;
- infection of the child during childbirth.
The main complications of gonorrhea in men are narrowing of the urethra, abscess, prostatitis, infertility. A history of gonorrhea increases the risk of developing prostate cancer.
Prevention is the best defense against disease
Gonorrhea prevention is similar to other STDs. Read more about STD prevention on our website https://dobrobut.com. Avoiding casual sexual contact is the only sure way to "not catch" the infection.
Safe sex means taking measures that prevent the transmission of infection from one partner to another before and during sexual contact. The practice of safe sex includes screening for STDs of all sexual partners, using condoms, and reducing the number of sexual contacts.
The probability of developing gonorrhea increases:
- if there are several sexual partners;
- if the permanent partner has already been treated for STDs;
- when abusing alcohol or narcotic substances;
- if a condom is not used during sex.
To avoid infection, you should follow the rules of intimate hygiene, regularly take tests for STDs and undergo examinations by a doctor. At the slightest suspicion of infection, and even more so when any deviations from the norm are detected, it is necessary to immediately contact a medical institution.
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