![]() ![]() However, trying your best to alert the people you’ve been intimate with could help prevent the further spread of the infection. In some cases, you simply may not be able to contact all of your past partners. If you receive a positive result, do your best to contact everyone you’ve had sex with since receiving your test results.ĭepending on how long it’s been since your last test and the number of partners you’ve had since then, this could be a lengthy process. This could be your healthcare provider’s office, a reproductive healthcare clinic, or an urgent care facility. You may need a referral from a healthcare provider, and making an appointment generally helps shorten your wait time. Get tested at a lab facility near you.You’ll mail the sample to a lab and await digital or mailed results. Order an at-home test kit, which requires you to collect a sample at home (typically a urine sample).There are three options for gonorrhea testing: The steps below will help you protect you and your partners from infection and the potential long-term effects of gonorrhea. Untreated gonorrhea may lead to some health implications later on. If you’re one of the people who experience gonorrhea symptoms, it’s important to take action as soon as possible. What to do if you notice gonorrhea symptoms Healthcare providers generally recommend that asymptomatic, sexually active people get a gonorrhea test just once a year as a part of their annual reproductive health exam.Oropharyngeal (mouth and throat) infections usually only arrive with mild symptoms (like a sore throat), which can be easily dismissed as a viral infection or a cold.Symptoms of a vaginal gonorrhea infection (painful urination, bleeding between menstrual periods, and excessive vaginal discharge) could be easily confused with other vaginal infections or illnesses, like a yeast infection or a urinary tract infection.So, why is gonorrhea so difficult to spot? Medical experts think it’s for three reasons : Cisgender women (and people with vaginas) generally don’t show any symptoms of gonorrhea at all.However, these can take several weeks to arise. Cisgender men (and people with penises) are more likely to show gonorrhea symptoms. ![]() Moreover, your anatomy significantly impacts when you’re likely to notice symptoms (if you have them) : If you do exhibit observable symptoms, however, they may be noticeable as early as 1 week following infection. It’s precisely because gonorrhea’s symptoms are hard to spot that data about symptom onset is limited. Gonorrhea symptoms: what they are, and when they arise However, data on transmitting gonorrhea via kissing is still new, and most information you’ll find on prevention revolves around other sexual activities. Some also wonder: can you get gonorrhea from kissing? One 2019 study suggested that it may be possible to contract an oropharyngeal gonorrhea infection by kissing a sexual partner that's already infected. You should also be careful about sharing sex toys with your partner during intercourse, as it may pose a risk if they are infected. The area(s) where the person was infected (e.g., their mouth/throat, anus, vagina, or urethra).The kind of sexual activity you had with an infected person (e.g., oral sex, anal sex, or vaginal sex).It’s predominantly transmitted via sexual contact with an infected person, but the area(s) infected will depend on: ![]() Gonorrhea is an STI that can impact several different areas of the body, including the genitals, anus, and oropharyngeal areas (the mouth and throat). Here, we’ll take a look at how gonorrhea is contracted, the typical timeline for noticing symptoms, and what to do if you find out you have it. So, how long can you have gonorrhea without knowing?īut just because gonorrhea is insidious doesn’t mean you can’t be proactive about prevention. While most strains of gonorrhea are treatable and even curable, many people who carry the bacteria don’t exhibit signs of infection at all. Not only is sexual health seldom discussed openly, but certain conditions can be difficult to spot in the first place.
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