What
is gonorrhea?
How
do I get gonorrhea?
What
does gonorrhea do to
my body?
Is there
a cure for gonorrhea?
How do I find out
if I have gonorrhea?
How can I reduce
my risk of getting gonorrhea?
How do I
learn more about gonorrhea?
What is gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea is a disease
caused by bacteria that live and grow in wet areas such as the
penis, vagina, eyes, mouth, throat or anus.
How do I get gonorrhea?
You can get gonorrhea through vaginal,
oral or anal sex. A mother can also pass
it to her baby during childbirth.
What does gonorrhea do
to my body?
Guys/Men
Gonorrhea signs may never appear, or
can appear within 1-30 days of infection.
You might experience:
- Burning or pain when peeing or defecating
(pooping)
- Unusual white, yellow or
green discharge (strange liquid)
from your penis
- Painful or swollen
testicles (balls)
- Frequent peeing
Girls/Women
Most girls won't have any symptoms, so
they won't know that they are infected.
If you do have symptoms, you might
notice:
- Burning or pain when peeing
- Painful bowel movements
- A lot more vaginal discharge
that is sometimes yellow or bloody
- Vaginal bleeding between periods
- Abdominal
(stomach) pain, lower back
pain, pain during sex or a fever,
which may mean that gonorrhea has
become worse and turned into Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID) (link
to PID)
If gonorrhea affects your eye, you may experience
discharge, itching, redness and/or swelling.
If gonorrhea affects
your mouth or throat, you may experience a sore throat, and/or
redness in the mouth and throat area.
A newborn can get gonorrhea during delivery from her mother.
This may cause:
- Blindness
- Joint infections
- Blood disease that is
deadly
Is there a Cure for gonorrhea?
Yes, Gonorrhea
can be cured with antibiotics. Talk
with your doctor to decide what medicine
is best for you. People with gonorrhea
often also have Chlamydia, so you might
need more than one medicine.
Note: If you are pregnant or might be
pregnant, ask your doctor about medicines
which will not hurt the baby.
If you do not treat gonorrhea you
may experience:
Guys/Men
- Infertility (not being able to have
children)
- Redness or swelling of
the penis and testicles (balls)
Girls/Women
- PID (link)
- Infertility (not being
able to have children)
- Irregular
(not on time) periods, and long lasting
period problems
- Miscarriages (baby
dies before it is born), if you are
pregnant
You may also get Disseminated Gonococcal Infection
(DGI), a disease that occurs when untreated
gonorrhea spreads to the skin, heart, blood, and joints. This
can cause other problems like arthritis, blood infections, skin
lesions, meningitis, and swelling of the lining of the heart.
How do I find
out if I have gonorrhea?
Many people with gonorrhea do not show
any signs of it. The only way to find
out if you have it is to get tested.
How can
I reduce my risk of getting gonorrhea?
- Don't Have Sex
The best way to avoid gonorrhea or
any sexually transmitted infection
(STI) is to not have anal, vaginal
or oral sex.
- Protect Yourself
Use a latex condom, plastic wrap, dental
dams or any other
protective object throughout sex.
- Get Tested
Remember that most people with an STI
don't know they have it. The only
way to know for sure is to get tested at your doctor's office
or a clinic.
- Talk with Your Partner
Ask your partner if he/she has any
STI. Do not have sex with him/her until you know for sure and
both of you are tested.
- Limit the Number of Partners
You Have
The fewer people you have sex with,
the safer you will be. Limit yourself to one partner who you
know does not have an STI.
How do I learn more about gonorrhea?
To learn more about gonorrhea and other STIs call:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
800-232-4636
Hotline is open 24 hours a day, 7
days a week.
Information is available in Spanish
as well
For Information for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing call
1-888-232-6348
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