Gonorrhea is a common sexual health problem in polygamous people and is medically known as urethritis or gonorrhea. People who are not protected during intercourse are in the high risk group for this disease. With the application of the right treatment methods, the effects of the disease can be eliminated. So what are the symptoms of urethritis and what are the treatment methods applied today?
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What is Urethritis?
Urethritis, colloquially called gonorrhea, is a disease that develops through sexual transmission of a bacterium called Neisserria Gonorrhoeae (Gonorrhea).
It is transmitted orally, anal or vaginally through semen and vaginal fluid during intercourse. Urethritis is a common health problem all over the world and is seen in both men and women. The incidence is higher in males between the ages of 15-24, compared to females.
Areas affected by gonorrhea include the urinary tract (urethra-bladder), genitals, cervix, rectum, and throat. If the disease is transmitted to a pregnant mother, there is a risk of transmission to the baby.
In this case, the eyes are most affected in babies. Infection caused by gonorrhea in women is called pelvic infection.
What Are the Symptoms of Urethritis?
Symptoms of urethritis begin to appear about 4 to 7 days after the bacteria enters the body. However, although it is rare, some patients do not have any symptoms (asymptomatic). Most symptoms of the disease affect the genitals. The findings observed in men and women are different from each other.
In men;
Painful and burning urination
Yellow, green or white discharge from the penis,
Redness at the tip of the penis, itching in the penis
It may present with symptoms such as painful and swollen testicles. About 10% of infected men show no symptoms.
Vaginal discharge,
Itching outside the genital area
Painful and burning urination
Vaginal bleeding outside the menstrual period or after sexual intercourse,
Pain during sexual intercourse
Pain symptoms can be observed in the lower abdomen and pelvic area.
Most women do not have all of the symptoms and are often mistaken for infections originating from the vagina or urinary tract. The absence of symptoms brings along various health problems.
Other symptoms that can be caused by the disease are listed as follows:
Itching and discharge in the rectum
Pain on defecation
Throat ache
Swelling in neck lymphs
Joint inflammations, especially knee, wrist and ankle
Development of swelling, redness and pain in the joints
Pain in the eyes and sensitivity to light
Inflammatory discharge from the eye
Urethritis Diagnosis and Treatment Methods
Failure to treat urethritis in a timely manner can lead to diseases that are difficult to treat. Especially in women, untreated urethritis can cause infertility and abdominal pain caused by PID (pelvic inflammatory disease). In men, the testicles and sperm duct are involved, and in severe and untreated cases, infertility may occur.
Correct diagnosis methods are required in the treatment of gonorrhea. Urine tests, swab culture-PCR test, gram staining are instructive in this sense. The urethra in men and the cervix in women are checked with a sample. In some cases, samples are also taken from the rectum and throat. About 40% of gonorrhea patients also have chlamydia. Therefore, various tests can be performed to detect the presence of this infection.
Treatment in adults is usually provided by the use of antibiotics administered in the form of injections or pills. It is important that these drugs are taken under the supervision of a doctor. If permanent damage to the urinary tract and organs has occurred, more advanced tests are applied to apply the appropriate treatment.
If gonorrhea is observed in one of the partners, the other partner should also be tested. The partner with a positive result should also be treated, otherwise the disease may re-infect the patient.
It can develop in the womb in babies. Babies born with this disease should be treated with medication to avoid permanent vision problems. In addition, the use of antibiotics may be required.
Ways of Protection
The most effective method of preventing gonorrhea is to be protected during sexual intercourse. For this reason, protection methods must be applied during intercourse. Because the disease can be transmitted from person to person through all kinds of sexual intercourse and can spread rapidly. Before having intercourse, it is necessary to put on a condom and check that the condom does not break.
This disease is more common in polygamous people, so monogamy is a factor that reduces the risk of the disease. If one of the partners is infected, the other partner should also be treated and sexual intercourse should be stopped for the duration of the treatment.
Gonorrhea can be treated in a short time under the control of a specialist doctor. In order for the disease not to progress and lead to more risky situations, it is necessary to have regular tests, to apply the right protection methods during intercourse and to gain awareness against sexual diseases.