Gonorrhea is a disease
caused by germs or bacteria. The infection is usually found at the opening of
the uterus, or in the tube that carries urine from the bladder. It can also
infect the rectum, throat, and pelvic organs. To find out if you have gonorrhea,
you must be examined by a doctor or nurse and have tests taken.
How is it spread?
Gonorrhea can be spread
easily from one infected person to another by having unprotected sex - not using
a condom - with someone who has this disease. Gonorrhea can be spread at any
time while a person is infected, whether or not he or she has symptoms. A person
can still become infected again in the future even if the person and infection
are treated.
What are the symptoms?
In some cases there are no symptoms, and a person can have gonorrhea and not
know it. When symptoms develop, they usually occur two to five days after the
person becomes infected, but may not appear for up to thirty days.
Women may notice a change
in the amount and colour of fluid from the vagina, pain while urinating, and/or
unusual menstrual bleeding. Men may notice a creamy white or yellow fluid from
the penis and a burning feeling while urinating. In both men and women, a gonorrhea
infection in the rectum may cause itching, pain, bleeding, or a stringy white
fluid when having a bowel movement. Gonorrhea infections in the throat may cause
a sore throat.
What are the complications?
If treated early before any complications begin, gonorrhea causes no lasting
problems. Untreated gonorrhea can lead to many complications. If this infection
is left untreated, it can spread and damage organs in the body.
Women may have difficulty getting pregnant. Men may develop an infection in
the testicles, which can make it difficult to make a woman pregnant. Pregnant
women may pass the infection to their baby's eyes during childbirth. This may
lead to blindness if the baby is untreated. In both men and women, untreated
gonorrhea can cause joint, skin and eye problems.
What is the treatment?
Both the person diagnosed with gonorrhea, and their sexual partner(s) within
the last sixty days, must take antibiotic pills. Any sexual partner(s) of the
person diagnosed with gonorrhea must be treated, regardless of their test results.
Follow up tests are recommended six months after treatment.
Important:
Do not have sex until you and your sexual partner(s) have finished all the medication.
Take all of the medication exactly as instructed.
Should I be tested for other sexually transmitted infections
(STIs)?
If you have different sexual partners, or if your partner has different partners,
you should also be tested for other STIs including chlamydia, syphilis and HIV
(the virus linked to AIDS). You should also consider getting vaccine shots to
prevent hepatitis B infection.
Please remember:
The more sexual partners you have, the higher your risk of getting a STI.
Birth control pills
Birth control pills may not work very well when you are taking some antibiotic
medicines. Keep taking your birth control pills while taking any medication,
and also use a second form of birth control, such as a condom, until your next
period after completing the antibiotics.
Ways to reduce your risk of getting a sexually transmitted infection
Have sex with only
one partner who has been tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs),
who has been treated if necessary and who is having sex only with you. The
more partners you have, the higher your risk of getting an STI.
Use a female or male
condom every time you have sex. Condoms offer protection against STIs, but
they must be used properly.
Have regular check-ups for STIs.
Decide not to have sex.
Important facts about condoms
A condom
acts like a barrier that helps prevent the exchange of body fluids, the
transmission of sexually transmitted infections, and pregnancy.
A new
condom should be used each time you have sexual intercourse (anal, vaginal,
or oral sex).
Check the expiry date on the condom package.
Use
only water-based lubricants with the male latex condom. Oil-based lubricants,
such as petroleum jelly, lotion or baby oil, can weaken and destroy latex.
Female
condoms are made of polyurethane. This material can be used with any type
of lubricant, water-based or oil-based.
Some
lubricants contain chemicals called spermicides to help protect against
unwanted pregnancy. If they irritate your genitals, don't use them.
Do
not use a male condom together with a female condom as the friction created
may cause tearing of either product.
If
a condom breaks during sex remove it immediately and apply a new condom.
Remember!
Condoms do not offer 100 per cent protection from STIs and unwanted pregnancy.
It will not consistently prevent transmission of STIs passed through skin-to-skin
contact - for example, syphilis, human papilloma virus (warts) and
herpes. However, if used properly, they are very effective and can reduce
the risk of transmission of these STIs.
Putting on a male condom
Take the condom carefully out of the packet.
Place the condom on the
tip of the penis when it is hard and erect, but before it touches the partner's
body. Make sure that the rolled-up condom rim faces outward.
With the other hand,
pinch the tip of the condom to remove any trapped air, and unroll the condom
to the base of the erect penis.
After intercourse and
before the penis becomes soft, withdraw the penis carefully, holding the rim
of the condom against the penis, so that semen does not spill out.
Slide the condom gently off the penis, and knot the open end.
After using the condom, throw it in the garbage.
Putting on a female condom
A condom can be inserted up to eight hours before sexual intercourse.
Open the package carefully.
Hold the small ring at the closed end of the condom between the thumb and
middle finger.
Find a comfortable position,
either lying down, sitting with your knees apart or standing with one foot
raised on a stool, squeeze the small ring and insert it into the vagina as
far as you can.
Put a finger inside the
condom and push the small ring inside as far as possible. It is also possible
to insert the condom by putting it onto the erect penis before intercourse.
Make sure that the part
of the condom with the outer ring is outside the body. The outer ring will
lie flat against the body when the penis is inside the condom.
When the penis enters
the vagina, make sure that the penis is inside the condom.
Immediately after sexual
intercourse, remove the condom by gently twisting the outer ring and pulling
the condom out, making sure that no semen is spilt and throw it in the garbage.
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