If you’re asking yourself, “how do I know if I have gonorrhea?” unfortunately, the answer may not be easy to find. Gonorrhea is one of the most common STDs in the US, with the CDC estimating 820,000 cases of gonorrhea annually. The number of reported cases of gonorrhea has increased every year since 2015. Because gonorrhea is so common and may have no symptoms, it can be difficult to know if you have gonorrhea. This article addresses some frequently asked questions about gonorrhea.
What is gonorrhea?
As mentioned above, gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted bacterial infection. Any sexually active person can become infected with gonorrhea. In the US, the CDC reports that nearly 70% of annual cases occur among youth aged 15 to 24.
Gonorrhea is spread through sexual contact, including vaginal, anal and oral sex. Ejaculation does not have to occur to transmit or acquire gonorrhea. Gonorrhea can also be transmitted to babies during vaginal delivery.
Although safer sex practices, such as condom use, can reduce the risk of contracting gonorrhea or passing it on to a partner, the best way to protect yourself from gonorrhea is to know your status by getting tested and making sure your partners have recently been tested and do so. STD free.
If gonorrhea is left untreated, it can lead to more serious health problems. Untreated gonorrhea in women can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, which can cause infertility, long-term pelvic and abdominal pain, scar tissue formation in the fallopian tubes, and ectopic pregnancy. Untreated gonorrhea in men can cause inflammation of the prostate, infection of the testicles, scarring of the urethra and infertility.
There is a cure for gonorrhea, but it can only be cured with medications prescribed by a doctor or testing center. Antibiotics cure gonorrhea 95-99% of the time. However, strains of gonorrhea are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. When undergoing treatment, it is important to take the antibiotic as prescribed, avoid any sexual interaction, and advise your current or former partners to be tested and treated if necessary. After completing treatment, you should get tested again to make sure you are cured and not reinfected.
How do I know if I have symptoms of gonorrhea?
Although gonorrhea is often asymptomatic, it can also cause symptoms. Symptoms of gonorrhea usually appear 2 to 10 days after infection, but can take up to a month to appear, if at all.
Symptoms of gonorrhea include:
- Painful urination
- Pain during sex
- Nausea
- Fever
- Bleeding between menstrual cycles
- Yellowish or greenish discharge from the vagina or penis
Gonorrhea can also infect the eye or rectum and exhibit various symptoms. Symptoms of an eye infection often include burning, itching, or eye discharge. Symptoms of a rectal infection may include discharge, itching and painful bowel movements.
If you experience any of the above symptoms, you should get tested immediately. Even if you don’t have gonorrhea, these symptoms could be signs of another STD or infection.
So, how do I know if I have gonorrhea?
Because gonorrhea can be asymptomatic or the symptoms of gonorrhea can resemble other symptoms of infection, the only way to find out is to get tested for gonorrhea. If you experience symptoms that you think may be related to gonorrhea, you should get tested as soon as possible. You should always get tested if you discover that a partner or former partner has been diagnosed with gonorrhea. Getting tested regularly as part of safer sex practices is key to knowing if you have gonorrhea and ensuring you don’t spread it to your partners.