Meet Our Clinical Director:

Progressive Health Services >> HIV & STD Testing >>Gonorrehea Testing

Gonorrhea Testing Fact Sheet

You can have Gonorrhea without symptoms!

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection passed through unsafe sex.

Symptoms of Gonorrhea can include:

• Discharge from the penis, a lot or a very small amount
• Discharge from the vagina, may be yellowish, or spotting
• Burning or tingling with urination that comes and goes
• Testicle aches or pains
• Uterus aches or pains
• Rectal irritation discharge or bleeding
• Throat irritation
• Eye irritation

Who Should Test for Gonorrhea?

If you have any of these symptoms after sexual contact with a partner you should test for Gonorrhea
If you've had unsafe sex with partners who's sexual past is unknown you should test for Gonorrhea
If you have any doubts after sex, even if you have NO symptoms, you should test for Gonorrhea

Progressive Health Services has seen patients test positive for Gonorrhea without having any symptoms, even many months after becoming infected!

Testing for Gonorrhea can be done with a simple painless urine test or as part of a Pap smear. Gonorrhea tests can also be collected from the anus, throat or eye with a gentle swab if these locations had any contact with a partners infected secretions.

Testing for Gonorrhea is most accurate 7-10 days or longer after sexual contact. However, Gonorrhea has been detected as early as 2-3 days after becoming infected, in some cases.

Please avoid urinating/peeing for 1 hour before giving us a urine sample.
This makes the Gonorrhea test much more accurate.

Gonorrhea Treatment- Gonorrhea can be cured with the proper medication.

Progressive Health Services provides local same day HIV and STD testing 7 days a week!
Our San Diego office is located at 2141 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA 92104, (619)-260-0810

We also provide local same day HIV testing & STD testing at numerous other convenient locations!

Call 619-260-0810 | Click for more locations | Click for more STD Test Options

Gonorrhea $80 | Chlamydia & Gonorrhea $120 | Chlamydia, Gonorrhea & Syphilis $140

Gonorrhea Fact Sheet

By Suzann Gage, RNC, NP, LAc

WHAT IS GONORRHEA?

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted bacteria that infects the warm moist mucus membrane linings of the penis, vagina, throat, anus and even the eye. Gonorrhea can cause serious complications if left untreated. This is why gonorrhea is referred to as a sexually transmitted disease. The bacteria which causes Gonorrhea is called Neisseria Gonorrhea.

GOHORRHEA TRANMISSION

Gonorrhea is transmitted through direct contact with an infected partners secretions. You can easily become infected with gonorrhea if you get infected semen or vaginal fluids on or in the penis, vagina, vulva, mouth, throat, anus or eye.

Gonorrhea infects only that part of your body that has contact with a partners infected semen, vaginal fluids or other body secretions. However, if Gonorrhea is left untreated it can eventually spread to other parts of the body causing serious complications.

Gonorrhea is transmitted through unprotected sexual contact including:

• Unprotected penis in the vagina sex without using a condom.
• Unprotected penis in the anus sex without using a condom.
• Unprotected penis in the mouth sex without using a condom.
• Unprotected mouth on the vulva sex without using a latex or plastic barrier such as a dental dam.
• Unprotected rubbing of the vulva against a partners vulva without using a latex or plastic barrier.
• Sharing a sex toy without washing and disinfecting the toy between partners.
• Touching a partners infected secretions, including semen, vaginal fluids and anal secretions and then touching your own genitals without washing your hands first. A latex glove can be used to cover the hand while touching a partners genital secretions and then the glove can be disposed of before touching your own genitals, mouth or eyes.

Gonorrhea can be transmitted from an infected mother's vagina to her infant's eyes or other parts of the baby's body during childbirth. Left untreated this can cause severe complications including infant blindness.

Safer sex makes a huge difference in helping to prevent the transmission of Gonorrhea. Regular correct use of condoms, dental dams, latex gloves and hand washing can dramatically reduce the risk of becoming infected with Gonorrhea. Many couples like to incorporate safer sex into lovemaking. Considering the consequences of STDs like gonorrhea, safer sex is very much worth the effort! See Safer Sex Guidelines.

Important: Birth control pills do NOT reduce the risk of becoming infected with Gonorrhea or any other STD. In fact, women who take birth control pills have a greater risk of becoming infected with Gonorrhea than women who do not use the pill. The birth control pill chemically alters the vagina in such a manner as to make women more likely to contract infections. Women on birth control pills who's partner's history and risks are unknown still need to use safer sex to protect themselves from STDs.

GOHORRHEA SYMPTOMS

YOU CAN HAVE GONORRHEA WITHOUT ANY SYMPTOMS!

Many people falsely believe that if you have Gonorrhea you will know it because you will have symptoms. In fact may people who are infected with gonorrhea do not have any symptoms, in some cases, even, for months!

Early Stage Gonorrhea Symptoms Can Include:

• A discharge from the penis which may be white, pale yellow or pale green
• Discharge from the penis may be very little or profuse and dripping
• Penile discharge can cause slight irritation or severely burning that can come and go
• Often gonorrhea causes no change in vaginal secretions
• If there is a vaginal discharge it may be white, pale yellow or pale green
• Vaginal discharge may be slight or heavy and runny, and often has no odor
• Urethral (urine opening) irritation may be minor or sharp and burning and can come and go
• Throat irritation
• Eye inflammation and irritation

Advanced Stage Gonorrhea Symptoms Can Include:

• Discomfort in the testicles ranging from a dull ache to a pronounced pain. This can mean that -Gonorrhea has traveled into the testicles, which can cause infertility.
• Discomfort in the uterus ranging from a dull lower abdominal ache to severe pain. This can mean that Gonorrhea has traveled into the uterus and egg tubes, referred to as pelvic inflammatory disease or PID, which is a common cause of infertility.
• Aches and pains throughout the body can be associated with gonorrhea that has traveled into the blood and joints, which has the potential for be life threatening.

Gonorrhea can be transmitted from an infected mother's vagina to her infant's eyes or other parts of the baby's body during childbirth. Left untreated this can cause severe complications including infant blindness.

GONORRHEA TESTING

Gonorrhea Amplified DNA Testing- Gonorrhea testing is now done with a simple painless urine test by a method called amplified DNA. The test looks for Gonorrhea's DNA and is considered to be one of the most highly accurate methods available. The amplified DNA test is far more accurate that the old urethral culture swab method and far more comfortable.

Gonorrhea Test from a Pap Smear- Gonorrhea can also be tested from a liquid based Pap smear by the same Amplified DNA method. To have this done you must specifically requested Gonorrhea as an additional test to be performed along with the Pap smear.

Gonorrhea Culture Test- If Gonorrhea is suspected in the throat, eye or anus, a swab is used to gently collect secretions from these locations. The swab is then sent in a special culture media to a lab to test for Gonorrhea.

Gonorrhea can usually easily be detected in 7-10 days after sexual contact by the above testing methods. Gonorrhea has even been detected in a few as 2-3 days, in some cases.

GONORRHEA TREATMENT

Gonorrhea can be treated with a number of different antibiotics including Suprax and Floxin. Not all antibiotics are effective in treating Gonorrhea. To effectively treat Gonorrhea with antibiotics you must take the entire prescribed dosage, every single pill, as directed. Once Gonorrhea is successfully treated it can no longer be transmitted to a partner. A Gonorrhea test following treatment, called a "test of cure", should be performed 3 weeks after treatment to get an accurate result. If this test is repeated sooner that 3 weeks you can get a false positive result.

GONORRHEA AND SAFER SEX

Safer Sex can dramatically reduce the risk of transmitting Gonorrhea. There are many creative ways to incorporate Safer Sex practices into lovemaking. Click for Safer Sex Guidelines

Progressive Health Services provides local same day HIV and STD testing 7 days a week!
Our San Diego office is located at 2141 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA 92104, (619)-260-0810

We also provide local same day HIV testing & STD testing at numerous other convenient locations!

Call 619-260-0810 | Click for more locations | Click for more STD Test Options

Gonorrhea $80 | Chlamydia & Gonorrhea $120 | Chlamydia, Gonorrhea & Syphilis $140