Gonorrhea Symptoms

Gonorrhea is one of the more common sexually transmitted diseases (STD) in the world today. A type of bacterium known as Neisseria gonorrhea is the known cause of this disease. This bacterium thrives in the warm and moist parts of the reproductive tract.

There are several options for gonorrhea prevention and treatment. Like all types of sexually transmitted diseases, abstaining from sexual intercourse is the best and surest way to gonorrhea prevention. An alternative method is to engage in a monogamous relationship with a partner who is not infected with the disease.

Gonorrhea prevention is also possible through the correct and consistent use of latex condoms. Studies show that with the proper use of condoms, the risks of gonorrhea infection — as well as other sexually transmitted diseases — can be greatly reduced.

Also, it is best to keep in mind that even individuals who have been infected with gonorrhea before and are already treated and cured can still be infected again. So, steps on gonorrhea prevention should still be applied by the aforementioned individuals.

Once the symptoms of the disease have manifested themselves, the individual should contact a doctor or health care provider immediately. Once diagnosed with the disease, the individual should also abstain from having sex to reduce the risk of transmitting the disease to other people. The individual’s sex partners should also be notified immediately.

Because of the rapid spread of gonorrhea, national gonorrhea prevention and control programs have been implemented in the past. As of 2004, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that of 100,000 individuals, 113.5 are infected with gonorrhea. Since 1999, a slight decrease in the gonorrhea infection rate has been reported.

If left untreated, gonorrhea can cause serious complications and health problems to the patient. Both men and women are at risk from this disease. Individuals with gonorrhea are more prone to HIV infection which could eventually lead to AIDS. The blood or joints are also at risk. Once gonorrhea has spread to the individual’s blood or joints, a life threatening condition may occur.

Women who have gonorrhea are also more prone to having pelvic inflammatory disease or PID. Symptoms may not appear in some cases, but once they appear, these symptoms can be distressing for the patient. For men, gonorrhea can be a cause for a painful condition known as epidymitis. If not treated, this can eventually lead to infertility.

All of these symptoms and complications can be avoided if proper steps for gonorrhea prevention are taken.

Tags: sexually transmitted disease, Clap, Gonorrhea, Chalmydia, Symptoms