Get Tested for Gonorrhea in NYC
Gonorrhoea testing can be carried out by taking a sample using a sterile swab, which is simply wiped over the infected areas to collect samples of the discharge. In women, this will include samples taken from the cervix and the entrance to the vagina. Urine testing is not always performed in women because it is not as accurate as the swabs. Men, however, will normally need to provide a urine sample and a swab from the end of the penis. These samples will then be examined for the presence of the bacteria that cause gonorrhoea. Testing is painless and quick, although a cervical swab may cause slight discomfort.
What is gonorrhoea?
Gonorrhoea is a highly infectious sexually transmitted infection (STI), meaning that it can be passed very easily from one person to another. However, the bacteria that causes the infection, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, does not survive for long outside the body, so it cannot be transmitted by sharing towels, toilet seats or in swimming pools, all of which are myths surrounding this particular infection.
Worldwide, it is estimated that there are 62 million cases of gonorrhoea every year, and it is the second most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States (after chlamydia). It is estimated that over 800,000 cases occur in the US each year, although less than half of these are officially reported to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Overall, the number of cases is thought to be reducing each year. The majority of people affected throughout the United States are African-American.
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Symptoms of gonorrhoea
Usually, the symptoms of gonorrhoea will appear within ten days of the initial infection, although in some cases it can take several months for any signs to develop. As with a number of other sexually transmitted diseases, not all patients will develop noticeable symptoms, meaning that the problem can go undetected. This will be the case for approximately half of all infected women, and a tenth of infected men. As a result, it is more likely that complications will result in these individuals.
In women, the most common symptom is a change in the vaginal discharge, which will become much thicker, and often turn green or yellow in color. Pain or a feeling of burning is also likely to occur during urination. Less common indications of infection with gonorrhoea include abdominal pain and tenderness, and changes to periods, including bleeding between periods and after sex. A combination of these signs is likely to occur, and you should see a doctor if you begin to experience any of them.
Symptoms in men will also include an unusual discharge, this time from the tip of the penis, which is likely to be white, green or yellow in color, along with burning or pain during urination. Inflammation, or swelling, may occur around the foreskin area, and it is possible, although rare, for there to be pain and swelling in the testicles.
Due to some cases of gonorrhoea being completely asymptomatic, these patients are likely to remain unaware of their infection for some time. This means that complications are more likely to develop, leading to health problems in the future.
In women, the infection will spread up from the genitals to the reproductive organs. This leads to the onset of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which is one of the main causes of female infertility. It may also increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy (where the embryo implants into the Fallopian tube), and miscarriage. This is thought to develop in up to 20 percent of untreated gonorrhoea cases. If a pregnancy does occur while a gonorrhoea infection is present, then there are risks to the baby. Premature labor is relatively common, and the child is likely to be born with a case of conjunctivitis. While this is not usually a serious disease, if it results from a gonorrhoea infection then it must be treated with antibiotics immediately. If left untreated, then there is a high risk of permanent damage to the eyes, and poor vision that will become progressively worse.
Men will also experience reduced fertility as a result of prolonged infection with gonorrhoea. However, it is more likely to cause pain by spreading to the testicles and the prostate gland.
In cases that have been left untreated for a very long time, it is possible for the infection to spread throughout the body, via the bloodstream. This can cause a range of symptoms, depending on the organs that have been infected. However, some of the signs that gonorrhoea has spread include inflammation of the joints and tendons (leading to symptoms that resemble arthritis), skin irritation and rashes, and inflammation of the brain, spinal cord and heart. This is then referred to as meningitis, and many cases are life threatening.
Treatment of gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection, which means that it can usually be treated successfully with antibiotics. This is easier to accomplish if it is caught at an early stage, so if you think that you may have developed the symptoms, it is important to see a doctor and be screened for infection as soon as possible. If your partner has developed symptoms or has recently been diagnosed, then you should also seek treatment even if you are not experiencing any symptoms.
The treatment itself usually involves an injection of antibiotics into the buttock or thigh, followed by a tablet containing another dose. This should start to be effective within a few days, with any symptoms you have resolving rapidly. Pelvic, abdominal or testicular pain may linger for up to two weeks, while abnormal bleeding should be back to normal by the time of the next period.