GONORRHEA: HOW CAN I KNOW AS A WOMAN IF I HAVE IT
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It’s caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhea. It tends to target warm, moist areas of the body, including the urethra (the tube that drains urine from the bladder), eyes throat, penis and anus. It can be transmitted from person to person through oral, anal, or vaginal sex without a condom or other barrier method. The best protections against transmission are abstinence and proper condom or barrier method usage. Many people with a vagina don’t develop any overt symptoms of gonorrhea. When they do develop symptoms, they tend to be mild or similar to other diagnoses, making them more difficult to identify. Its symptoms can appear much like common vaginal yeast or bacterial infections.
SYMPTOMS OF GONORRHEA IN FEMALES AND THOSE WITH A VAGINA
- Discharge from the vagina (watery, creamy, or slightly green)
- Pain or burning sensation while urinating
- Urge to urinate more frequently
- Heavier periods or spotting
- Sore throat
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Sharp pain in the lower abdomen
- Fever
Gonorrhea infection in your rectum, or rear end, may cause:
- Bleeding
- Discharge
- Itching
- Pain when you poop
- Soreness
GONORRHEA COMPLICATIONS IN FEMALES
If you do not get treatment, it can cause serious and long-lasting problems, including; increased chance of getting HIV, infection in other parts of your body like your skin or joints and infertility.
PREVENTION
The safest way to prevent gonorrhea or other STIs is through abstinence. If you do engage in sexual activities, always use a condom or other barrier method. It’s important to be open with your sexual partners, get regular testing, and find out if they’ve been tested. If your partner is showing any symptoms, avoid any sexual contact. Ask them to seek medical attention to rule out any possible conditions that could be passed on.
You are at a higher risk for acquiring gonorrhea if you’ve already had it or any other STIs. You’re also at a higher risk if you have multiple sexual partners or a new partner. Limit your number of sex partners because being in a monogamous relationship in which neither partner has sex with anyone else can lower your risk and be sure you and your partner are tested for sexually transmitted infections. Before you have sex, get tested and share your results with each other.
Consider regular gonorrhea screening. Annual screening is recommended for sexually active women younger than 25 and for older women at increased risk of infection. This includes women who have a new sex partner, more than one sex partner, a sex partner with other partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted infection.
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