Gonorrhea is a disease that is caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria which can easily thrive and multiply in the warm and moist areas of the human reproductive system including the cervix, fallopian tubes and the urethra. It can also grow in the anus as well as in the mouth, throat and the eyes.

This disease can be transmitted through direct sexual contact or in direct contact with infected areas of the body. Gonorrhea can be contracted during sex even without experiencing ejaculation or transfer of bodily fluids. Gonorrhea can also be spread from mother to baby during delivery.

Symptoms and signs of Gonorrhea can take as long as 30 days before they show up. Some men may show some signs of the said disease in as short as two to five days after infection but this seldom happens. A lot of men infected by Gonorrhea may not even show any symptoms at all. In women, the symptoms may come in as mild or may not show any symptoms at all. These symptoms may even be mistaken as just a bladder problem or a vaginal infection.

The typical symptoms usually experienced with gonorrhea include a painful and burning sensation when urinating, and a white, yellow or green discharge that can be found in the genitals of both sexes. Women may also experience vaginal bleeding in between their periods.

Some men infected with gonorrhea may experience swollen testicles that can become very painful. If the infection is found on the rectal area, the symptoms that may arise include some distinguishable discharge, anal itching soreness, bleeding and painful bowel movements. Gonorrheal infection in the mouth may exhibit symptoms such as soreness of the throat.

If left untreated, gonorrhea can cause serious and permanent damage in both men and women. In men, gonorrhea can lead to epidiymitis which can cause infertility in men. In women, the disease can further lead to pelvic inflammatory disease or PID which can damage the fallopian tubes which may lead to infertility or an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy.

There are several antibiotics available that can effectively cure gonorrhea. It is strongly advised that patients take all of the medication as prescribed to effectively cure the disease. Failure to do so has brought about an increasing incidence of more drug-resistant bacterial strains, making curing the disease even more and more difficult.