What is gonorrhoea?
Gonorrhoea, often known as the 'clap'
is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria Gonorrhoeae. The bacterium
grows and multiplies quickly in moist, warm areas of the body. Gonorrhoea
can infect areas of the body such as the cervix, urethra, anus, rectum or throat. In women the cervix is the most common site of infection.
The name gonorrhoea means 'flow of
seed'.
What causes gonorrhoea and how can I avoid catching
it?
Gonorrhoea is passed on through vaginal,
anal and oral
sex, though sometimes it only takes physical contact to spread. Gonorrhoea can
be passed on to a newborn from an infected mother during delivery, causing
eye infections in the baby, which could lead to blindness.
Like most sexually
transmitted diseases, gonorrhoea can be avoided by a consistent
and correct use of condoms during sexual activity.
What are the signs or symptoms of gonorrhoea?
The early symptoms of gonorrhoea are often mild,
and many women who are infected will have no symptoms. The symptoms
of infection may show up at anytime between 1 and 14 days after exposure.
Symptoms to look out for include:
In women:
- Pain or burning sensation on urinating.
- A change in vaginal discharge. This may be more
yellow or bloody and can have a strong smell.
- Abdominal pain.
- Irritation or discharge from the anus.
In men the symptoms are more noticeable and include:
If you have any symptoms that you are worried about,
you should visit your doctor. Or if you find that embarrassing, your
local G.U.M.
clinic, who are experienced in dealing with this type of
infection and you don’t even have to give your name if you don’t
want to.
How is gonorrhoea diagnosed?
The doctor will usually begin by examining your genital
area and he/she will take a sample from the area which might be infected.
The sample will then be analysed under a microscope to check for any
infection. The doctor will probably ask you to give a urine sample as
well. You may purchase a gonorrhoea urine test on this website, click
here for further information.
What treatment is available for gonorrhoea?
The treatment of gonorrhoea is usually with antibiotics,
taken by mouth. If you have gonorrhoea it is very important that your
partner is also tested and treated even if they have no symptoms, otherwise
you may find it will keep reoccurring.
A repeat test will usually be carried out after
treatment to ensure the infection has gone.
How will gonorrhoea affect me in the future?
The
most common complication of untreated gonorrhoea in women is infection
with Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (P.I.D.). This is a result of the disease
spreading to the uterus(womb)
and fallopian
tubes. P.I.D. is a serious infection of the female reproductive
organs, which can cause a woman to become infertile or have an ectopic
pregnancy.
In men the main complication of
untreated gonorrhoea is inflammation of the testes, which could lead
to infertility problems.
Rarely, untreated gonorrhoea can
spread to the bloodstream and infect the joints. Also if you are pregnant
and you have gonorrhoea you could pass the infection on to your baby
when it is born.
Related topics
G.U.M.
clinic
Infertility
Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease
Sexually
Transmitted Disease
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