Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhea

By Cristiano Antonino On Feb 27, 2023

About gonorrhea. It is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a bacterium called Neisseria Gonorrhoeae

Worldwide, it is the second most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) after chlamydia.

Gonorrhea can be transmitted to both men (the gonococcus localizes in the urethra) and women (the bacterium is found in the vaginal fluid of the cervix) through any type of unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal and oral).

Gonorrhea can be transmitted if infected sex toys are shared that are not properly sterilized or not covered with a new condom

In women, the main symptoms involve burning and difficulty urinating, greenish-yellow discharge, pain during or after intercourse, vaginal itching and/or difficulty urinating.

In men, it is manifested by the appearance of urethritis involving profuse and thick greenish-yellow discharge, burning sensation, and difficulty urinating.

It is a condition that can be treated with antibiotic treatments, which can be accompanied by supplements and the application of natural substances that accelerate healing.

Symptoms of gonorrhea

About 1 in 10 men and nearly half of women with gonorrhea have no complaints and, therefore, do not know they have been infected.

However, the most common gonorrhea symptoms for symptomatic individuals include:

Green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis,
Burning during bladder emptying,
bleeding between one menstrual cycle and the next, heavier menstruation,
bleeding after sexual intercourse,
abdominal pain on palpation of the woman’s lower abdomen or pain on touching the testicles,
inflammation and swelling of the foreskin.

In addition, people who have anal or oral sex that is not protected by a condom may develop an infection in the rectum (which may cause discomfort, itching, pain, or anal discharge), the eyes (which may cause irritation, pain, swelling, and tearing), or the throat (which does not usually cause discomfort).

Causes

Gonorrhea is caused by a Gram-negative diplococcus, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which can be contracted during unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal, oral, and rectal intercourse); of course, ejaculation need not occur for transmission.

Any sexually active person is therefore an individual at risk.

Gonorrhea is more common in people with many partners; any type of unprotected intercourse puts the person at risk of contracting the disease.

If gonorrhea is transmitted from mother to infant, or more rarely during pregnancy, the disease can cause severe conjunctivitis and septic arthritis in the child. In addition, during gestation, the presence of the bacterium can increase the risk of miscarriage and premature birth.

The bacterium responsible for the infection survives for a few hours and can be easily inactivated by heat or a normal disinfectant

Unfortunately, in recent years, some strains of bacteria responsible for gonorrhea have been identified that are resistant to the action of antibiotics traditionally used to treat this disease.

For this reason, the choice of the appropriate drug should be made on the basis of the results of clinical tests and only after identifying the specific strain that caused the infection.

Diagnosis of gonorrhea

Gonorrhea can be easily diagnosed by analyzing a swab obtained from urethral or cervical secretions or a small amount of urine.

The microbiological test can be performed even if you have no complaints but you should wait at least a week after suspected sexual intercourse.

The physician prescribes these tests to:

couples who have disorders that can be traced to gonorrhea,
individuals who have had unprotected intercourse with a new partner,
individuals already suffering from sexually transmitted infections,
people with a partner who has a sexually transmitted disease,
women who have vaginal discharge or inflammation of the cervix identified during a gynecological examination,
women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Performing the swab, which will undergo microbiological testing, takes only a few seconds and is painless.

The sample taken is different between men and women:

in women, the doctor performs the swab at the level of the vagina or cervix,
in men, a urine sample is collected or a urethral swab is taken.

In addition, it is also possible to investigate the possible presence of the infection in those areas where symptoms less frequently develop, such as in the rectum or throat: the physician can swab such areas and, by looking at it under a microscope after staining, can get the result quickly.

Risk factors and complications

If not promptly diagnosed, gonorrhea can lead to chronic health problems, including pelvic inflammatory disease, which is an infection of the female genital tract that can cause fever, abdominal and pelvic pain, pelvic abscesses, and even lead to infertility.

A woman who contracts gonorrhea during pregnancy may, during childbirth, transmit the infection to her newborn, causing neonatal conjunctivitis.

However, this is an eventuality that, at least in industrialized countries, has virtually disappeared thanks to antibiotic prophylaxis performed at birth.

Men, on the other hand, may incur a different complication, namely epididymitis.

This condition manifests as an acute inflammation of the epididymis-a part of the genital apparatus that connects the efferent ducts from the back of each testicle to its ductus deferens-that generally results in unilateral scrotal pain and swelling.

If left untreated, inflammation of the epididymis and testes can lead to infertility.

A rare complication of gonorrhea, which can involve both sexes, is disseminated gonococcal infection, characterized by joint pain, rash, muscle pain, tendon inflammation, endocarditis, and meningitis.

Finally, individuals with gonorrhea are more likely than healthy individuals to transmit and/or acquire HIV.

Treatments and cures

Typically gonorrhea is treated with combination antibiotic therapy, that is, a combination of a single dose of ceftriaxone by intramuscular injection followed by a single dose of azithromycin by mouth.

With this therapy, most of the complaints felt by the patient improve within a few days.

Tests should be repeated a week or two after completion of antibiotic treatment to check whether the infection is still present.

Doctors suggest abstaining from sexual intercourse at least until there is certainty of recovery.

If the complaints do not improve after treatment with antibiotics, you should see your doctor again because you may need to repeat the treatment or run diagnostic tests again to check for other infections.

Antibiotic treatment should be undertaken not only by the patient who has experienced symptoms, but also by the partner, regardless of whether he or she has problems or not.

Once cured of gonorrhea, there is no form of immunity: a person who has had it in the past may contract it again in the future.

The only way to cure gonorrhea is with antibiotic therapy

However, some supplements and natural remedies can help speed its recovery, thus supporting drug treatment.

These include:

probiotic supplements,
prebiotic (fiber-based) supplements,
herbal remedies to boost the immune system.

There are also additional methods to help treat and prevent the symptoms of gonorrhea.

From the use of tea tree oil to olive leaf extract, here are the most effective:

Tea tree oil: tea tree oil is used in many home remedies because of its various antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-fungal properties. It should only be used as a topical remedy on visible gonorrhea infections.
Echinacea: is a herbal supplement that can activate the body’s defenses against inflammation.
Aloe Vera: contains a number of antimicrobial compounds such as barbaloin, anthracene, emodin and anthrone-C glycosides and chromosomes, as well as salicylic acid, which is a good antibacterial agent.
Olive leaf extract: has a strong antibacterial component called oleuropein. It is usually taken as a supplement in pill form.

Preventing gonorrhea is possible by taking appropriate protection during sexual intercourse

Specifically:

employing male or female condoms whenever you have vaginal intercourse and male condoms during anal intercourse,
using condoms or latex barriers (dental dams) to cover female genitals if engaging in oral sex,
avoiding sharing sex toys without having them properly sanitized and covered with a condom before they are used by other people.

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