Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection that although many people are aware of, but the extent of its gravity is not always fully understood.
Caused by bacteria, gonorrhea is not limited in its impact to just the reproductive system, but also leads to problems in the other parts of the body as well.
It can spread as far as the eyes and the throat, meriting urgent intervention of your general physician lahore.
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Causes of gonorrhea
The cause of this infection is bacteria, but the spread is due to sexual contact. Having oral, vaginal, or anal sex with can infected person can cause the transmission of the bacteria.
Moreover, gonorrhea can also be transmitted from the mother to the baby during delivery. Also, having a history of the infection also increases the risk of contracting it again.
Symptoms of gonorrhea
Gonorrhea that originates from the oral cavity can lead to sore throat, and is usually chronic. Moreover, since it is an infection, it also causes the lymph nodes in the neck to become swollen alongside causing fever.
Similarly, there is also the problem of inflammation and redness in the throat. There is also the chance that gonorrhea makes it to your eyes, but that is low since one has to touch the site of infection, usually the genitals and then the eyes to physically transfer the bacterium. However, it is entirely possible that the condition be asymptomatic initially.
Other symptoms of gonorrhea tend to vary in males and females, due to the anatomical differences of their reproductive organs.
In females, the symptoms can take more time to develop, which makes the infection dangerous.
The symptoms tend to be similar to a UTI or yeast infection. Females have urination problems including painful urination, burning sensation during urination, the urge to frequently urinate.
Moreover, it also leads to problems with the bowels. There can be pain and soreness in the anus. Passing stools may become difficult due to the pain. There also might be bleeding or discharge from the anus.
Similarly, having vaginal bleeding, or spotting that is not periods, or getting heavier periods are also signs of gonorrhea. Pain during penetrative sex is another sign of gonorrhea.
Males also have some symptoms pertaining to passing stools and urinating similar to women, including the pain and burning sensation. There might also be discharge from the penis. It may look like pus, as it is after all, an infection.
Furthermore, there might also be swelling alongside discoloration at the tip of the penis. Testes also come under the knife; there might be testicular swelling and pain.
Treatment of gonorrhea
Once your doctor has ascertained it to be a case of gonorrhea via culture test or urine test, the next step is starting the treatment.
Unfortunately, because of the resistant strains of bacteria, the treatment might take some time in certain people. Patients are often administered a shot of the anti-biotic and alongside oral antibiotics.
Often, the course runs for a week, but it might take longer to clear in some patients. Therefore, if the symptoms persist after taking the required antibiotics, patients should immediately report to the doctor.
Untreated gonorrhea can lead to infertility, heart valve damage, arthritis etc., hence, treatment should not be taken lightly.
Preventing gonorrhea
Completely averting the risk of ever getting gonorrhea, with not even a tiny modicum of possibility, is only through abstinence, which naturally is not an option for most of the people.
You can, however, lower your risk of getting the infection. One way is by using barrier contraceptives, namely, condom, but that won’t entirely eliminate the risk, but surely, decrease it.
Another method to lower your chances is by being monogamous. Promiscuity can lead to increased risk of gonorrhea.
Moreover, before starting sexual relationships, and after their ending, get your doctor at Iqra Medical Complex to test you for any STDs.
