Health's Book

Definition

Gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD).

See also: Disseminated gonococcemia

Symptoms

Symptoms of gonorrhea usually appear 2 - 5 days after infection, however, in men, symptoms may take up to a month to appear. Some people do not have symptoms. They may be completely unaware that they have caught the disease, and therefore do not seek treatment. This increases the risk of complications and the chances of passing the infection on to another person.

Symptoms in men include:

* Burning and pain while urinating
* Increased urinary frequency or urgency
* Discharge from the penis (white, yellow, or green in color)
* Red or swollen opening of penis (urethra)
* Tender or swollen testicles
* Sore throat (gonococcal pharyngitis)

Symptoms in women can be very mild or nonspecific, and may be mistaken for another type of infection. They include:

* Vaginal discharge
* Burning and pain while urinating
* Increased urination
* Sore throat
* Painful sexual intercourse
* Severe pain in lower abdomen (if the infection spreads to the fallopian tubes and stomach area)
* Fever (if the infection spreads to the fallopian tubes and stomach area)

If the infection spreads to the bloodstream, fever, rash, and arthritis-like symptoms may occur. See: Disseminated gonococcemia