Gonorrhea Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

Gonorrhea (Gonorrhea)

Medical specialist	Skin and genital specialist
Symptoms	Pus discharge from the penis, and vagina; burning sensation and pain during urination
risk factor	Young age, history of unsafe sex, history of gonorrhea
diagnosis	Medical interview, physical examination, supporting examination (examination of body fluid samples)
Treatment	Drugs
Drug	Ceftriaxone, cefixime, azithromycin, doxycycline
Complications	Infertility in both men and women, infections in other organs, HIV/AIDS, problems with pregnancy
When to see a doctor?	When experiencing symptoms of gonorrhea; a partner diagnosed with gonorrhea

Symptoms

In general, symptoms of gonorrhea cause symptoms in the genital area. However, symptoms in women and men can be different.

Often, the symptoms of gonorrhea in women are non-specific or even cause no symptoms.

Symptoms of gonorrhea in men include:

• pus discharge at the tip of the penis (sometimes accompanied by blood)
• itching and burning sensation around the tip of the penis
• swelling and pain in one of the testicles
• pain or burning sensation when urinating
• pain during erection
• presence of enlarged lymph nodes in the groin

The symptoms of gonorrhea in women include:

• vaginal discharge continuously
• pain when urinating
• frequency of urination is more frequent
• abnormal bleeding from the vagina, for example after intercourse or when you are not menstruating
• Menstruation is longer or heavier than usual
• have abdominal or pelvic pain
• pain during intercourse

In addition, gonorrhea can also cause complaints in other organs such as:

• in the anus, signs, and symptoms that appear can be itching around the anus accompanied by pus or blood discharge from the anus
• In the eyes, gonorrhea can cause symptoms in the form of pain in the eyes, sensitivity to light, and discharge or pus from one or both eyes.
• in the throat, symptoms that appear can be a sore throat and swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck
• in the joints, symptoms that arise are arthritis which is characterized by swollen, reddish, and painful joints

Gonorrhea can also appear in newborns. 

Symptoms of gonorrhea that appear in newborns include red and swollen eyes, and pus appearing from the eyes.

This condition needs immediate treatment because if left unchecked it can cause complications in the form of corneal ulcers, panophthalmitis, and even blindness.

Risk Factors

In general, gonorrhea is transmitted through sexual intercourse.

This disease is more common in adolescents and young adults and occurs more often in men than women.

In addition, several risk factors that increase the occurrence of gonorrhea are as follows:

• someone who has multiple sexual partners
• sex workers
• having sex without knowing their health status or history
• Do not use protection such as condoms
• have a history of gonorrhea or other sexually transmitted diseases

In addition, babies can also be infected with Gonococcus bacteria. This can happen if when the baby is born, the mother is suffering from gonorrhea or gonorrhea.

In infants who have gonorrhea infection in the eye can be at risk of experiencing blindness.

Reason

Gonorrhea is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae or Gonococcus.

These bacteria usually infect mucous membranes, such as: on the genitals, anus, eyes, and throat.

The bacteria that cause gonorrhea can be transmitted through sexual intercourse (both oral sex and anal or vaginal sex).

Diagnosis

To determine the diagnosis of gonorrhea, the doctor will conduct an examination in the form of a medical interview, physical examination and supporting examinations.

The supporting examination is carried out by taking fluid or pus from the genitals (vagina or penis) which will then be examined in the laboratory. Here’s an explanation.

1. Medical Interview

The doctor will ask the patient about the complaints and symptoms they are experiencing, such as when did the complaint appear, what is the history of sexual activity (changing partners, using condoms), and the previous history of gonorrhea.

2. Physical Examination

A physical examination is carried out by a special doctor in the genital area. 

In men, the doctor will assess whether there is redness and swelling in the testicle area, pain around the penis, and also whether or not there is fluid pus in the penis.

In women, the doctor can assess the external genitalia area, such as the clitoris and labia, whether there is swelling, pain, and the presence or absence of discharge.

Examination of the vaginal wall and cervix can also be done using an inspector.

Usually in gonorrhea found vaginal walls that appear reddish, fluid that sticks around the vaginal walls, cervical redness, and erosive.

3. Supporting Examination

Supporting examinations that doctors do can be in the form of:

1. Examination of Duh Samples or Body Fluids

The doctor will take samples of body fluids by way of a swab such as from the vagina, penis, anus, or throat. 

Later this sample of body duh will be examined in the laboratory to see whether or not the gonorrhea bacteria are present.

2. Tes Urine

In addition, a urine test can also be done. This examination is to help identify the presence or absence of bacteria in the urethra.

Treatment

Gonorrhea can be treated with antibiotics for a certain period of time. 

If the gonorrhea experienced has a severe degree of severity, the treatment may take longer.

Related Drugs

Antibiotics can be given in the form of oral or injection drugs. In general, the gonorrhea medication used is:

• ceftriaxone
• cefixime
• ampicillin and amoxicillin
• azithromycin
• gentamicin
• doxycycline
• erythromycin

Before using these drugs, make sure you have consulted a doctor. Use the drug according to the doctor’s advice.

Not only sufferers who get treatment, sexual partners of sufferers also need to get treatment even though they are asymptomatic.

If sexual partners do not receive treatment, it is highly likely that the patient will experience reinfection and the treatment will become ineffective.

Prevention

Considering that sexually transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea, can be prevented, here are steps to prevent gonorrhea that can be done, such as:

• always use a condom when having sex
• Do not share in using sex toys
• faithful to one partner only, avoid changing sexual partners
• ensuring the health of partners, including ensuring partners do not have gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted diseases
• not have sex with a partner who is being treated for gonorrhea or sexually transmitted diseases
• screen for sexually transmitted diseases regularly

If you are diagnosed with gonorrhea or other sexually transmitted infections, immediately carry out treatment until it is complete. 

Also, avoid having sex until you recover. This is useful for preventing the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases to other people. 

If a pregnant woman is infected with gonorrhea bacteria, consult a doctor immediately to get the right treatment.

This will later be useful to prevent complications in the fetus and transmission of gonorrhea to the baby at birth.

Complications

Gonorrhea that is not treated will increase the risk of complications in the form of:

1. Complications in Women

• Chronic pelvic pain
• Infertility in women. Gonorrhea infection can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes. If this infection spreads, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease.

Pelvic inflammatory disease increases the risk of scarring of the fallopian tubes. If not treated, it can increase complications in pregnancy and infertility or infertility in women. 

2. Complications during Pregnancy

• Gonorrhea infections that occur during pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and complications to the fetus. 

There are also complications in the fetus that can be in the form of a risk of blindness and various infections that attack the body.

Complications in men

• Infertility in men. Gonorrhea can cause epididymitis. This condition is an inflammation of the epididymis, which is the tube that connects the testicles and the vas deferens.

If the epididymitis condition is not treated properly, it increases the risk of infertility in men. 

• Pain in the testicles and prostate gland.

In addition, in both women and men, the gonorrhea bacterial infection can spread and affect other organs. 

This can happen because the gonorrhea bacteria spread through the bloodstream. Several organs that may be affected, such as joints, heart, to the brain.  

Not only that, sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea also increase the risk of sufferers experiencing HIV/ AIDS in the future.

When to See a Doctor?

Immediately consult a doctor if complaints arise, such as a burning feeling when urinating accompanied by pus appearing from the penis, vagina or anus.

Don’t hesitate to consult a doctor if your partner is diagnosed with gonorrhea.