Gonorrhoea Symptoms to Solutions: A Guide to Understand

Gonorrhoea: Symptoms, Causes  and Treatment

Gonorrhoea is a type of STI (sexually transmitted infection), also known as "the clap." As per a 2020 report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), there were almost 8.24 million N. gonorrhoeae infections, especially in individuals aged between 15 and 49 years.

In several cases, the symptoms of gonorrhoea are often not visible, particularly in women. However, when they are present, they usually vary depending on your reproductive organs.

Keep reading this article to understand whether you or someone you know may have contracted gonorrhoea. If you believe you are infected, you should see your doctor. Prompt antibiotic treatment can help avoid long-term issues.

Table of Contents

What is gonorrhoea?
What are the Symptoms of Gonorrhoea?
What are the Causes of Gonorrhoea?
What If Gonorrhoea is Left Untreated?
What is the Impact of Gonorrhoea on Pregnancy?
How to Diagnose Gonorrhoea?
What is the treatment for gonorrhoea?
How to Prevent Gonorrhoea?
Frequently Asked Questions

What is gonorrhoea?

Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) is the bacterium that causes gonorrhoea, a common sexually transmitted infection (STI). Other names for it include "the clap" and "drip." Any age group that engages in sexual activity has the potential to get gonorrhoea and infect their partners. This disease can also infect an unborn child during childbirth.

Some of the characteristics of gonorrhoea are:

• Sexual fluids, such as semen and vaginal secretions, transmit gonorrhoea. It can be contracted by sexual contact, anal or oral sex, or exchanging sex toys with an infected individual.
• Gonorrhoea typically has no symptoms, so you may be unaware that you have it. This significantly increases the chances of unintentionally infecting your partner.
• You can lower your chance of infection by using dental dams or condoms during intercourse and getting tested for gonorrhoea if you engage in sexual activity.
• After chlamydia, gonorrhoea is the second most prevalent bacterial STI. People between the ages of 15 and 24 account for around half of these infections.
• Do not put off getting help if you think you have gonorrhoea. It can lead to long-term health issues if left untreated. To treat a gonorrhoea infection, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics.

What are the Symptoms of Gonorrhoea?

In numerous instances, gonorrhoea shows no symptoms. This is particularly true if you are a woman. If you do have symptoms, they will probably affect you differently depending on whether you have a penis or a vagina.

Gonorrhoea Symptoms in Females

Up to half of infected women may not have any symptoms. This increases the likelihood that your sexual partners will unintentionally contract the virus. If you engage in sexual activity or think you may have had intercourse with a partner who has gonorrhoea, you should get tested for the disease.

If symptoms appear, they could include:

• Discomfort in your pelvis or lower abdomen
• Unusual discharge from the vagina, typically yellow or white
• Dyspareunia (pain experienced during sexual activity)
• Bleeding in between menstruation
• Dysuria, or pain during urinating

Gonorrhoea Symptoms in Males

The likelihood of experiencing symptoms is higher in men. You can still unintentionally infect partners because you might not show any symptoms of sickness for weeks after exposure.

Symptoms could consist of:

• Burning or pain when urinating, which could be quite intense
• Fluid secretion from your penis that is white, yellow, or green coloured
• Enlarged testicles and testicular discomfort

Gonorrhoea Symptoms in Both Sexes

Anybody can develop gonorrhoea infections in their rectum (from anal intercourse) or throat (from oral sex). Compared to genital gonorrhoea, these infections are less frequent.

Here are the symptoms common to both sexes:

●  Anus

Pain, discharge, and itching during bowel movements

●  Throat

Scratchiness, itching, soreness, and difficulty swallowing

How Long Till Gonorrhoea Symptoms Start Showing?

Once the infection hits your body, you might not experience any gonorrhoea symptoms for a few weeks. It could take some time for your immune system to identify it as an infection. Most people often get symptoms in two weeks or 14 days.

What are the Causes of Gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhoea occurs when the gonorrhoea bacteria, i.e., N. gonorrhoeae, enter your body through sexual fluids like semen or vaginal fluid. This usually happens during unprotected sex. Your mouth, anus, vagina, or penis are all possible entry points for the germs.
The bacteria can spread without either you or your spouse having to ejaculate. Using sex toys that have not been cleaned or wrapped in a fresh condom can potentially spread gonorrhoea. Sexual contact with someone who is infected can expose you to gonorrhoea.
It does not matter what gender you are. You can contract the bacterium through vaginal sex, anal sex, oral sex, and sharing unclean or unprotected sex toys. You may also be exposed if you engage in close genital-to-genital touch without penetration.

What are the gonorrhoea risk factors?

Gonorrhoea is more likely to affect an individual if they:

• Avoid using condoms or dental dams every time they have sexual intercourse.
• Have an STI history
• Are younger than the age of 25
• A male who engages in sexual relations with other males
• Are engaging in sexual intercourse with multiple partners who have not had a recent gonorrhoea test done

The cervix is the most frequently infected region in women. Meanwhile, in men, infections begin in the urethra, the tube that removes urine from the body.

Things That Do Not Cause Gonorrhoea

Gonorrhoea cannot be contracted from:

• Sharing cutlery, food, or beverages
• Holding hands, kissing, or hugging
• Breathing in droplets following a cough or sneeze
• Using the bathroom after another person

What if Gonorrhoea is Left Untreated?

If it is not treated, gonorrhoea disease can spread throughout the body and lead to major complications. The type of issues one may encounter tends to differ based on your reproductive anatomy.

Complications If You Are a Woman

If left untreated, gonorrhoea in women can cause:

• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) spreads to other reproductive parts, such as your fallopian tubes and uterus.
• Eye issues which can lead to blindness in babies born from affected parents
• PID can lead to ectopic pregnancy and infertility.

Complications If You Are a Man

If left untreated, gonorrhoea in men can lead to:

• You may develop urethral scars.
• Infertility
• Irritation and soreness in the prostate
• Swelling in your testicles

Complications Common to Both Sexes

Over prolonged periods, untreated gonorrhoea causes:

• Brain damage
• Liver inflammation
• Enlarged and painful joints
• Damage to the heart valves

What is the Impact of Gonorrhoea on Pregnancy?

Pregnancy-related gonorrhoea can raise the risk of early birth and low birth weight for your unborn child. Additionally, after delivery, there is a chance that the disease may spread to the eyes of your newborn, i.e., gonococcal conjunctivitis. If antibiotics are not taken, this can result in blindness.

How to Diagnose Gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhoea can only be diagnosed by medical personnel. They will first enquire about your sexual history and symptoms. After that, your doctor will take a sample of your urine or other bodily fluids to test for the gonorrhoea-causing bacterium.
They might do the following:

• Collect a urine sample for testing.
• Examine your pelvis while collecting a cervical fluid sample for analysis.
• For testing, take a sample of your penis' fluid.
• To gather fluid for testing, swab your rectum or throat.

Your healthcare practitioner will suggest the optimal gonorrhoea tests, along with the fluid samples required. You might also be tested for chlamydia, as these infections frequently coexist.

Thus, you must be tested and treated for gonorrhoea before giving birth if you suspect you may have it while pregnant.

What is the treatment for gonorrhoea?

Antibiotics are required to treat gonorrhoea. Your spouse or partner will also require treatment. Ceftriaxone is usually administered as a single shot (injection). Your weight will be used by your provider to calculate your dosage.

Additionally, your healthcare practitioner may administer an oral antibiotic called azithromycin along with gentamicin if you have a ceftriaxone allergy.

To treat a co-infection with chlamydia, your doctor can recommend more medicine, such as doxycycline. Pay attention to your healthcare provider's advice regarding the medicines and their suggested timings.

It is critical to think about the potential and limitations of treatment. Therapy cannot:

• Repair any harm the illness may have caused to your body before treatment. 
• Shield yourself from gonorrhoea infections in the future.

Thus, to prevent reinfection following treatment, it is crucial to adopt preventive measures.

What is the duration of treatment?

After taking medications, a gonorrhoea infection goes away in 1 to 2 weeks. To ensure that the infection is eradicated, some medical professionals advise a second gonorrhoea test. To prevent spreading the illness, you should refrain from having intercourse during the first 7 days of treatment.

How to Prevent Gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhoea can only be avoided by abstaining from unprotected sexual activity. To lower your risk, do the following:

• Avoid having intercourse with someone who is exhibiting symptoms of gonorrhoea.
• Both you and your partners should get tested for gonorrhoea.
• When having sex, always use a dental dam or condom.
• Restrict the number of sexual partners you have and be transparent about your sexual activity.

For people engaging in sexual activity, gonorrhoea cannot be completely prevented by using protection. Condoms, for example, can tear. However, you can significantly lower your chance of infection by taking particular care during intercourse.

You should get checked immediately if you believe you may have gonorrhoea. Additionally, getting tested for STIs on a routine basis and discussing such aspects with your partner or partners before engaging in sexual activity is recommended.