Find Out More About Symptom Of Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a highly contagious sexually transmitted STD bacterial infection, sometimes referred to as the clap. The nickname of the clap refers to a treatment that used to clear the blockage in the urethra from gonorrhea pus, where the penis would be 'clapped' on both sides simultaneously. This gonorrhea treatment is rarely used today, however the nomenclature remains. Gonorrhea is characterized by thick discharge from the penis or vagina. In addition to male reproductive organs & female genital tract, gonorrhea may infect the rectum, throat, eyes, blood, skin, & joints.

Gonorrhea spreads through semen or vaginal fluids during unprotected sexual contact, heterosexual or homosexual, with an infected partner :
# vaginal or anal sex with an infected partner
# oral sex, although this is less common
# sharing sex toys
# touching parts of the body with fingers (for example, touching the private parts and then the eyes)
# any very close physical contact
# the bacteria can be passed from hand to hand (very rare isolated cases)
# from a mother to her baby at birth
You can NOT catch it from simple kissing, sharing baths, towels, cups, or from toilet seats.

Symptoms in women
In women, the early symptoms are sometimes so mild that they are mistaken for a bladder infection or vaginal infection. Symptoms may include :
# Painful or frequent urination.
# Anal itching, discomfort, bleeding, or discharge.
# Abnormal vaginal discharge.
# Abnormal vaginal bleeding during or after sex or between periods.
# Genital itching.
# Irregular menstrual bleeding.
# Lower abdominal (belly) pain.
# Fever and general tiredness.
# Swollen and painful glands at the opening of the vagina (Bartholin glands).
# Painful sexual intercourse.
# Sore throat (rare).
# Pinkeye (conjunctivitis) (rare).

Symptoms in men
In men, symptoms are usually obvious enough that they will cause a man to seek medical treatment before complications occur. But some men have mild or no symptoms and can unknowingly transmit gonorrhea infections to their sex partners. Symptoms may include :
# Abnormal discharge from the penis (clear or milky at first, and then yellow, creamy, and excessive, sometimes blood-tinged).
# Painful or frequent urination or urethritis.
# Anal itching, discomfort, bleeding, or discharge.
# Sore throat (rare).
# Pinkeye (conjunctivitis) (rare).

Although any sexually active person can get gonorrhea, it is most prevalent among those from 15 to 30. Women who have vaginal intercourse with an infected man have a 60 to 90 percent chance of becoming infected; while men who have vaginal sex with an infected woman have a significantly lower 30 to 50 percent chance of becoming infected by this sexually transmitted disease.
Condoms provide your best protection against gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted diseases. Of course you have to know how to use a male condom , or you can choose to use the female condom-- just don't try using both a male and female condom at the same time. Remember, everyone who is not in a monogamous long-term relationship needs to protect themselves by practicing safe sex routinely and get tested if any symptoms occured.