Symptoms of Gonorrhea

Statistically, there are approximately sixty thousand cases of gonorrhea reported every year. Symptoms of gonorrhea are especially distressing for women because this sexually transmitted disease is extremely dangerous to their reproductive health. In addition, many women have no symptoms of gonorrhea at all, or their symptoms are extremely mild. So in many cases, they don't even know they have it.

When symptoms of gonorrhea do present, it usually happens between two and five days after contact with an infected person. It's important to talk to your doctor about any symptoms you recognize because if gonorrhea is not treated, it can cause serious and permanent health problems in both women and men.

In many cases, a woman with symptoms of gonorrhea will also be suffering from chlamydia. The Centers for Disease Control recently recommended that any woman who has been diagnosed with gonorrhea also receive treatment for chlamydia.

Symptoms of gonorrhea in women include:

• Bleeding between menstrual cycles
• Cervical infection and irritation
• Frequent urination
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Vaginal infection and irritation
• Vaginal itching and burning accompanied by a thick yellowish green discharge

 Symptoms of gonorrhea in men include:

• Burning or stinging sensation during urination
• Inflammation and infection of the duct located in the tesrticles
• Infection and inflammation of the prostate
• Thick yellowish discharge from the penis

 Only one man in five is likely to have any recognizable symptoms of gonorrhea.

Gonorrhea will sometimes cause a throat or rectal infection in both men and women. Symptoms in this case would include regional pain, swelling, and discharge.