Published on Mar 09, 2021 | 2:52 PM
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Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It primarily spreads through sexual contact and can affect both men and women. Symptoms of gonorrhea can include painful urination, genital discharge, and in some cases, it may cause more serious health complications if left untreated.
Covered in our CallonDoc Guide to Gonorrhea, gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can infect both men and women. It is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria Gonorrhoeae. It can cause infections in the genitals, rectum, and throat. It is a very common infection, especially among young people ages 15-24 years.
There are many cases where Gonorrhea shows no symptoms. However, when they do, they frequently appear in the genital tract of the reproductive system and can be different between men and women.
These are the usual symptoms for male:
For females, on the other hand:
These are the symptoms of Gonorrhea for both men and women in other parts of the body:
You can get Gonorrhea by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has Gonorrhea. A pregnant woman with Gonorrhea can give the infection to her baby during childbirth.
The use of condoms during intercourse reduces the chances of transmitting the infection due to indirect contact. Although, it’s still likely to acquire the infection even without ejaculation. Just like other germs, this bacteria can easily transfer through touch. Direct skin contact with the infected areas can easily cause anyone to acquire the infection.
For women, they can also transmit the bacteria to their offspring upon normal birth. But, babies who are born through Cesarean section procedure will not acquire the infection from their mothers.
You can’t acquire the infection by touching contaminated surfaces. Outside the body, the germs that cause Gonorrhea are less likely to survive.
It’s rare for Gonorrhea to go away simply, and that might even take a long time. Generally, no, it won’t go away on its own. You can’t just cross your fingers and hope for it to be gone the next day. Even without the symptoms, an infected person can still pass it on.
But, since it’s non-viral, it is treatable. It requires medicinal treatment, which your doctor can officially and legally prescribe. Only a medical professional can guarantee help in fighting the infection away from your system.
What you need to worry more about is what happens if Gonorrhea doesn’t get treated. Prolonged exposure to the infection may increase the risk of HIV transmission. For women, it might even lead to pelvic inflammatory disease.
Pregnant women who still have Gonorrhea may not only risk infecting the child, but it may cause an ectopic pregnancy. Others may find it hard to get pregnant due to the damage to the reproductive system.
For men, Gonorrhea can cause blockage on sperm movement due to scarring, which might further cause epididymitis. It’s often associated with chronic scrotal pain, testicular shrinkage, and infertility.
It’s highly advisable for anyone who has a new sexual partner to get tested after two weeks of the first intercourse. Even without the symptoms, knowing that they don’t always naturally show, you need to get tested anyway.
When you get to the health clinic or the hospital, the medical professionals will take care of the testing after getting samples. Those who test positive for Gonorrhea are usually treated with antibiotics. The results of the tests will help the doctors identify the best kind of antibiotic to prescribe.
Gonorrhea and other STDs can be prevented. It’s absolutely possible if people will regularly use protection or exercise abstinence from multiple partners and practice monogamy.
Prevention can start by encouraging infected people to seek proper treatment before having intercourse with other people. Sexually active individuals who are not infected should take extra precautions by getting tested whenever they get a new sexual partner.
It’s best if you can also practice transparency with your sexual partners about your sexual health. By doing this, you can help each other address pressing medical issues that are still treatable before they become entirely life-threatening.
Easy and exceedingly private to do, getting tested for gonorrhea not only allows you further information about your condition but also lowers your chances of getting a worse infection. You have to act on it because it won’t just go away in an instant. Remember, the most important thing is that Gonorrhea is treatable. If you feel ashamed, you can find the right support system to help you get through the process.
There’s an advantage to our latest medical protocols nowadays. The first step is usually the hardest. But now, you can schedule appointments online and even have your first consultation virtually. The testing is quite impossible to achieve without going to the clinic or hospital yourself. After that, follow-through appointments and medication prescriptions can conveniently be accomplished online.
Are you ready to seek an effective STD testing and treatment plan online? Visit Call-On-Doc today!
English graduate and Call-On-Doc’s medical resource guide, Wayne C. Hahne is an experienced and passionate medical education content expert. Through diligent research, provider interviews and utilizing the industry's leading resources for wellness information, it is Mr. Hahne’s personal mission to educate the general public on medical conditions with in-depth and easy-to-understand written guides.
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Most people typically assume that when it comes to STD treatment, you’ll need to go to a doctor’s office and get tested. Not only can the entire process be unnerving, but going into a doctor's office can be uncomfortable, timely, and expensive. However, there is now a more accessible option for STD treatment with telemedicine. Call-On-Doc provides same-day relief for STD symptoms without the hassle of appointments, lab testing, and face-to-face visits.
Specializing in asynchronous consultations, an online text-style visit, our board-certified medical providers offer STD treatment online for a reduced cost that is 100% private and from the comfort of home on your phone or computer!
Simply select a condition and fill out the medical intake form. Then, we'll review and prescribe the appropriate treatment plan that is available for pick-up at any US pharmacy in 1-2 hours.
Not sure what STD you have? No problem, we can still help treat you. On our STD page, select "unsure" and answer a few questions about your symptoms. Our medical providers will know what treatment option is best based on the medical and sexual history as well as other information you can provide.
Does your partner also need treatment? We can help keep both of you sexually healthy and provide 50% off partner treatment.
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The Call-On-Doc Guide to Gonorrhea
Informally known as “the clap,” gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. One of the most common STIs, second behind chlamydia, gonorrhea cases have constantly risen year over year since 2009. (1)
Due to a majority of cases going without noticeable symptoms, it's suspected that reported cases only make up a fraction of a much greater number. In addition, those who are younger and more sexually active are less likely to practice safe sex, therefore being more prone to gonorrhea transmission and may not be informed about the symptoms.
Jul 18, 2023 | 10:51 AM
The Problem with Antibiotic Resistant STDS
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a common occurrence in the United States, with the CDC reporting over 20 million cases annually and continually rising year over year. The highest reported number of cases are in those under 25 as well as in gay and bisexual men. (1) Due to the continual increase in cases, STD treatment needs to be easy to get and accessible by anyone. However, it is important to know more about the prescriptions that treat STDs and antibiotic resistance concerns.
Due to most STDs being caused by bacteria, antibiotics proved to be highly effective at treating them. Today they still offer a rapid and targeted approach to eradicating the pathogen responsible for the infection. Developments like Azithromycin, ceftriaxone, doxycycline, and more were crucial to eradicating the infection in patients. However, in some areas, overuse or misuse of antibiotics has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that are starting to spread in the states, rendering standard treatments ineffective.
Hardly a new phenomenon since the time penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928, bacteria evolved a workaround by mutating an antibiotic resistance, E. coli being the first in 1940. (2) While still uncommon, a bacteria resistant to the first line of STD treatment often results in more advanced and expensive measures. However, understanding how the organism gets there and knowing how to recognize the signs indicating antibiotic resistance to STDs has proven helpful in stemming the appearance of harder-to-treat sexually transmitted infections.
Sep 15, 2023 | 2:01 PM
Get Treated for STDs without Testing
Most people typically assume that when it comes to STD treatment, you’ll need to go to a doctor’s office and get tested. Not only can the entire process be unnerving, but going into a doctor's office can be uncomfortable, timely, and expensive. However, there is now a more accessible option for STD treatment with telemedicine. Call-On-Doc provides same-day relief for STD symptoms without the hassle of appointments, lab testing, and face-to-face visits.
Specializing in asynchronous consultations, an online text-style visit, our board-certified medical providers offer STD treatment online for a reduced cost that is 100% private and from the comfort of home on your phone or computer!
Simply select a condition and fill out the medical intake form. Then, we'll review and prescribe the appropriate treatment plan that is available for pick-up at any US pharmacy in 1-2 hours.
Not sure what STD you have? No problem, we can still help treat you. On our STD page, select "unsure" and answer a few questions about your symptoms. Our medical providers will know what treatment option is best based on the medical and sexual history as well as other information you can provide.
Does your partner also need treatment? We can help keep both of you sexually healthy and provide 50% off partner treatment.
Apr 18, 2023 | 1:20 PM
The Call-On-Doc Guide to Gonorrhea
Informally known as “the clap,” gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. One of the most common STIs, second behind chlamydia, gonorrhea cases have constantly risen year over year since 2009. (1)
Due to a majority of cases going without noticeable symptoms, it's suspected that reported cases only make up a fraction of a much greater number. In addition, those who are younger and more sexually active are less likely to practice safe sex, therefore being more prone to gonorrhea transmission and may not be informed about the symptoms.
Jul 18, 2023 | 10:51 AM
The Problem with Antibiotic Resistant STDS
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a common occurrence in the United States, with the CDC reporting over 20 million cases annually and continually rising year over year. The highest reported number of cases are in those under 25 as well as in gay and bisexual men. (1) Due to the continual increase in cases, STD treatment needs to be easy to get and accessible by anyone. However, it is important to know more about the prescriptions that treat STDs and antibiotic resistance concerns.
Due to most STDs being caused by bacteria, antibiotics proved to be highly effective at treating them. Today they still offer a rapid and targeted approach to eradicating the pathogen responsible for the infection. Developments like Azithromycin, ceftriaxone, doxycycline, and more were crucial to eradicating the infection in patients. However, in some areas, overuse or misuse of antibiotics has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that are starting to spread in the states, rendering standard treatments ineffective.
Hardly a new phenomenon since the time penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928, bacteria evolved a workaround by mutating an antibiotic resistance, E. coli being the first in 1940. (2) While still uncommon, a bacteria resistant to the first line of STD treatment often results in more advanced and expensive measures. However, understanding how the organism gets there and knowing how to recognize the signs indicating antibiotic resistance to STDs has proven helpful in stemming the appearance of harder-to-treat sexually transmitted infections.
Sep 15, 2023 | 2:01 PM
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