It is a common trait of Gonorrhea that it causes no symptoms during the first few days, especially in women. The time when you are exposed to the Gonorrhea causing bacteria until the time you begin to develop symptoms is called as the incubation period and it usually lasts 2 to 5 days. Nevertheless, in some cases, this incubation period may take as long as 30days. Most of the time, symptoms of Gonorrhea are not taken seriously as they do not become severe until the infection spreads to other parts of the body. Although Gonorrhea can affect both men and women but its symptoms vary according to the sexes.
Symptoms of Gonorrhea in women
Women may often mistake the early symptoms of Gonorrhea as vaginal infection or bladder infection as they are quite similar. Therefore, some of the common symptoms are:
- Frequent or painful urination
- Anal itching, bleeding, discomfort or discharge
- Vaginal discharge in an abnormal manner
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding after sex, while having sex or even between periods
- Abnormal genital itching
- Menstrual bleeding in an irregular manner
- Frequent lower abdominal or belly pain
- Frequently experiencing fever, fatigue and general tiredness
- Bartholin glands which are present in the opening area of the vagina become swollen and painful
- Experiencing pain during sexual intercourse
- Pinkeye or conjunctivitis (rare)
- Sore throat
Symptoms of Gonorrhea in men
In men, the symptoms of Gonorrhea become obvious even during the early stages, which lead them to seek medical help and prevent the occurrence of any major complications. On the other hand, in some men the symptoms of this disease may take a very long time to occur and because of this they might indulge in unprotected sex and transmit this infection to their partners unknowingly. Therefore, some of the common symptoms of Gonorrhea in men are:
- Abnormal penis discharge, which may look milky at first, then yellow, creamy and sometimes even blood-tinged
- Urethritis or painful frequent urination
- Abnormal anal itching, bleeding or discharge
- Sore throat on rare occasions
- Pink eye or conjunctivitis on rare occasions
Moreover, disseminated gonoccocal infection or DGI is also a form of Gonorrhea infection, which occurs when this infection begins to spread to other parts of the body other than the reproductive organs. DGI can sometimes seriously affect the joints, heart, skin or blood and some of the common symptoms of DGI are as follows:
- Rashes on certain parts of your body
- Arthritis or sever joint pain
- Inflamed tendons
If you begin to experience any of the above mentioned symptoms then it is very important for you to seek medical help immediately as the sooner you begin your treatment, the sooner you can get over this infection and can prevent yourself from going through the other painful symptoms of Gonorrhea.
