Gonorrhea

What is gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea is sometimes referred to as the `clap.' It is caused by a bacteria called, Neisseria gonorrhea. It is one of the commonest STDs and usually affects sexually active people between the ages of 16 and 25. It can occur in the vagina, penis, throat and rectum.

What causes it?
Gonorrhea is almost always sexually transmitted. Genital sex will cause gonorrhea of the genitals. Anal sex can transmit gonorrhea to the rectum. Oral sex can cause gonorrhea of the throat.

Gonorrhea eye infections are usually found in infants who have picked it up in the birth canal, but adults may get eye infections if they touch the infected area and then rub their eyes.

What are the symptoms?

Many women are symptom-free. In those who do have symptoms, there is usually:

Painful urination
A creamy or coloured vaginal discharge
Low abdominal pain and pain when having intercourse.

In men,

Urination becomes painful and more frequent.
There may be a creamy or greenish pus-like discharge from the penis, with irritation around the penis opening (the urethra)
A dull pain in the testicles which may also swell in size.
The opening of the penis may be red and swollen.
Some people with gonorrhea have symptoms involving the rectum such as itching and discharge or possibly painful bowel movements.

If you do have any of these symptoms you should contact your doctor immediately.

While women feel fewer symptoms, they are far more vulnerable to serious complications of gonorrhea. Left untreated, gonorrhea can work its way up the urethra and cervix to other pelvic organs. The result is pelvic inflammatory disease

Other complications of gonorrhea occur when the bacteria gets into the bloodstream. They can cause inflammation and pain in the joints (arthritis) and liver (perihepatitis) and a potentially serious inflammation of the lining of the heart (endocarditis).
Gonorrhea of the throat is usually asymptomatic but sometimes causes a sore throat and difficulty swallowing.
Gonorrhea in the eyes is serious - it can cause blindness if left untreated.

Diagnosis
The bacteria can be detected through obtaining a smear from the urethra, the neck of the uterus, the throat or the rectum then examining it under a microscope.

Treatment
Gonorrhea is treated with antibiotics. A variety of treatments are available for gonorrhea that involve a single injection, a single pill, or a week-long course of pills. The pills are used if the doctor suspects you also have chlamydia. People with gonorrhea often have chlamydia as well. A follow-up check is recommended to make sure that all the symptoms have gone, and no new ones have appeared.

You should not have sex until you are giving the all clear usually about three weeks.

Prevention and self-care

The only sure way of not contracting gonorrhea or any other STD is by not having sex, or you could:

Use condoms for vaginal, oral and anal intercourse
Limit your number of sexual partners, since the risk of acquiring an STD increases with the number of sexual contacts you have.
Stay clean and looking after yourself and having regular checkups