There are different testing options for gonorrhea such as urine or swab tests. Since symptoms may not be present, the only way for a person who has been at risk for gonorrhea to tell whether they’re infected is to be tested. A culture test is used to determine if gonorrhea is causing these symptoms. Gonorrhea infections of the mouth and throat also usually have no symptoms, but a person may experience soreness and redness in the mouth or throat. If there are symptoms, they may include anal or rectal itching, discharge, and pain during defecation (pooping). In about 90% of cases, there are no symptoms.

It is possible to have a rectal or anal gonorrhea infection. Others may have one or more of the following symptoms, which can be a sign that the infection has progressed to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID): lower abdominal pain, lower back pain, pain during intercourse, bleeding between menstrual periods, nausea, fever. When the infection spreads to the fallopian tubes, some women still have no signs or symptoms. Abnormal discharge from the vagina that is yellow and sometimes bloody.Women are usually asymptomatic, but might experience: Yellowish-white discharge from the penis.In females, symptoms develop within 10 days of infection. If there are symptoms, they typically show in two days to five days in males, with a possible range of one to 30 days. Many people with gonorrhea are asymptomatic, which means they don’t show any symptoms of infection. This is important to avoid spreading the infection.Sometimes, there are no symptoms. DON’T have unprotected sex until you finish treatment, are tested again, and your health care provider says that you can.DO call your health care provider if you were told that a sexual contact has gonorrhea.DO call your health care provider if you get fever, chills, and abdominal pain after treatment starts.DO remember that follow-up cultures should be done.DO wash hands thoroughly and often after using the bathroom.Your health care provider will also test you for other STDs. DO realize that gonorrhea is often diagnosed with other STDs.DO make sure your sexual partner visits a health care provider to check for infection.

Use condoms if you think that there’s any chance of catching an STD. Uncomplicated gonorrhea is usually treated with one dose of antibiotics. The antibiotic is either given by injection or taken by mouth. Treatment with antibiotics cures gonorrhea in 1 to 2 weeks. Throat, rectum, or eye discharges may also be tested. A sample of discharge from the penis or cervix may be taken and sent to a laboratory for study. Tests for bacterial genes (DNA) can be done from a urine sample. Blood and urine tests and tests for STDs will be done. How Is Gonorrhea Diagnosed?įor diagnosis, the health care provider asks about symptoms and sexual activity and examines the sexual organs, including the pelvic area for women.

Other symptoms may include sore throat, low-grade fever tender lower abdomen (belly) pain in knees, ankles, or elbows and a rash on the palms of the hands. Symptoms in women include pain or burning when urinating, yellow or green vaginal discharge that can be bloody, bleeding between periods, and pain during sex. They include creamy green-yellow discharge from the penis, pain when urinating, and painful and swollen testicles. Symptoms in men usually start within 2 weeks after exposure. They often don’t know that they have gonorrhea until they have other problems. Most men have symptoms when first infected, but many women may have very mild or no symptoms. It spreads very easily by having sex with an infected person. The cause is a type of bacteria named Neisseria gonorrhoeae. More than half a million people in the United States get gonorrhea every year. Epididymitis is inflammation or infection of the epididymis, a long tube above and behind each testicle. Urethritis is inflammation (swelling, redness) of the urethra, the tube that carries urine and semen through the penis. In men, it can cause infections called urethritis and epididymitis. In women, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and can be passed from pregnant women to their babies during birth. Untreated gonorrhea can lead to serious problems, including pharyngitis, tonsillitis, severe arthritis, and bloodstream infection. It usually affects the sex organs but may also occur in other parts of the body, such as the eyes, throat, and joints. Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is caused by bacteria.

Gonorrhea symptoms in females