Wanted: Gonorrhea
By: Sophie Stancil
What is Gonorrhea?
Symptoms
Some men with gonorrhea may have no symptoms at all. However, common symptoms in men include a burning sensation when urinating, anal itching, and an abnormal discharge from the penis. Woman with gonorrhea often do not have any symptoms. Even when a woman has symptoms, they are often mild and can be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. Symptoms may include painful and frequent urination, abnormal vaginal discharge, genital itching, and lower abdominal pain.
Untreated
Untreated gonorrhea can cause serious and permanent health problems in both women and men. In women, gonorrhea can spread into the uterus and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). In men, gonorrhea can cause a painful condition called epididymitis
Effects in men and women
Gonorrhea in men, has infected the genitals and can lead to pain when urinating, pus-like discharge and pain or swelling in one testicle. In women, side effects include vaginal discharge, pain when urinating, vaginal bleeding between periods, vaginal bleeding after intercourse, abdominal pain and/or pelvic pain.
HIV?
Untreated gonorrhea can increase a person’s risk of transmitting HIV-the virus that causes AIDS.
To get it treated?
Gonorrhea is easily treated through antibiotics; however, the estimated cost of treating gonorrhea in the United States is $56 million each year
Location
Gonorrhea can grow and multiply easily in the warm, moist areas of the reproductive tract, including the cervix , uterus, and fallopian tubes in women, and in the urethra in women and men.
5 interesting facts
- 60% of gonorrhea infections occur in people ages 15-24.
- Gonorrhea is highly infectious and according to the CDC up to 700,000 new cases are diagnosed yearly in the U.S.
- Sore throat may also be an indicator of a gonorrhea throat infection
- Gonorrhea can cause arthritis, infertility in men and women and can lead to something called "Pelvic Inflammatory Disease" in women.
- Teens have higher rates of getting/having gonorrhea