The Hazards of Untreated Gonorrhea

Most people assume that gonorrhea always comes with a bevy of uncomfortable symptoms. Unfortunately, this is not always so. Worse still, untreated gonorrhea can allow for complications that can last a lifetime, and even deprive individuals of the ability to reproduce. This is why it is imperative if you think you may have gonorrhea, go for std testing.

Gonorrhea is often associated with painful, burning urination. Most people believe that if this symptom is not present, there is no need to seek treatment. The reality however, is that gonorrhea can be present even without making its symptoms known. This is especially true with men who often experience asymptomatic gonorrhea, which is the infection itself, absent of any visual or sensory cues. In fact, it has been concluded in some research cases that as many as one in five men with the infection may show no symptoms at all.

The bacteria that causes gonorrhea is commonly passed through vaginal, anal and oral sex. It can also however, live in the eyes, the nose and the throat, causing pain and issues in these areas as well. In fact, an infected person can easily transmit the disease from one area of the body to another by simply touching these places with unwashed hands allowing for swift transference.

Men who do experience symptoms may have pain during urination and the presence of blood in the urine itself. If untreated, the frequency and severity of this may increase. There might also be a discharge from the penis that can be pus-like and yellow in coloration. Men may also experience a slight, painful swelling in the penis glans, and the tip or corona of the penis may appear reddish and fevered.

For women, the presence of this infection may create an unusual vaginal discharge. This may vary in color from yellow to green and may have a less than desirable odor. There is often pain during urination, as well as frequent pain in the pelvis or abdominal area. If left untreated this can create for long term sterility issues as it causes scarring in both the uterus and fallopian tubes.

For both sexes, in addition to sterility, untreated gonorrhea can make individuals highly susceptible to HIV. Because of this, continued engagement in unprotected sex has an increased health risk. Not only does the untreated individual risk infecting other partners with gonorrhea, but he or she becomes far more likely to contract other sexually transmitted diseases as well.

Each year the United States sees over 600,000 new cases of gonorrhea. It is not uncommon for many of these cases to be simultaneously infected with chlamydia as well, making treatment for both fairly standard. The presence of either of these diseases can have a significant negative impact on the host's ability to reproduce without complication in the future.

If you have had unprotected sex, or live a lifestyle in which unprotected sex is common it is important to invest the time and attention necessary to get routine physical exams. You should be screened for HIV, gonorrhea and syphilis at least twice yearly to avoid long term complications associated with leaving these conditions untreated. As always, either abstinence or protected sex is the ideal, but if you have been less than careful, the best thing that you can do for yourself is to get std testing whether or not there are apparent symptoms of any sexually contracted disease.

STD testing can diagnose your std symptoms with a private test near you. Find a nearby std testing in New York today.

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