The Relationship Between Mental Health and STDs: Understanding the Connection
The connection between mental health and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is multifaceted, with each affecting
Commonly known as “The Clap”, gonorrhea affects 0.9% women and 0.7% men, corresponding to a total of 30.6 million gonorrhea cases worldwide[1]. Both men and women are susceptible to the effects of the condition which can cause pelvic inflammatory disease in women and infertility in men if not treated early enough or properly.
This unpleasant infection is contracted or transmitted by engaging in sexual conduct with multiple partners. Vaginal, anal, and oral sex are all common methods by which you can propagate gonorrhea, and ejaculation from males isn't necessary for transmission.
Similar to other gonnococcal STDs such as chlamydia , the exchange of your sexual bodily fluids such as vaginal, seminal, can encourage transmission but you can catch the disease just by touching the genitals of someone who already has the infection, and unprotected, penetrative sex isn't always required for transmission.
Although gonorrhea mostly requires sexual conduct, you can contract the infection simply by kissing someone and most males who are already infected are asymptomatic carriers of the infection, meaning they could have it and not know it.
Testing for Gonorrhea
Although gonorrhea may not be as noticeable in men, it can present itself in various, unpleasant ways. Similar to other STIs, gonorrhea has clear and defining characteristics such as itching, discharge, and other visible symptoms. However, in men, gonorrhea can go unnoticed for a long period of time which can make the infection worse and lead to long-term issues such as infertility.
50% of women and 10% of men with gonorrhea report that they showed no symptoms[2] of the disease which allows the bacteria to lie dormant as a low-grade infection, causing damage over time, however, once symptoms do present themselves they are similar for males and females.
Male Symptoms of Gonorrhea
Men experience the effects of gonorrhea just as severely as women and there are some concerning issues associated with the infection.
If you have any of the following symptoms then you might be infected with gonorrhea:
- More than usual urination
- Discolored penis discharge
- Sore urethral opening
- Swelling and swollen testicles
- Sore throat
Female Symptoms of Gonorrhea
Women will experience similar issues to men when it comes to the effects of gonorrhea and alarmingly, gonorrhea can be passed on to the baby during pregnancy[3].
Typical female Gonorrhea symptoms include:
- Discolored vaginal discharge
- Pain when urinating
- More than usual urination
- Vaginal bleeding
- Painful intercourse
- Abdominal pain
- Sore throat
Any of these male and female symptoms could be an indication of gonorrhea and you should get tested as soon as possible.
Rapid Screening for Gonorrhea
For both men and women, gonorrhea can be present even if you are in a monogamous relationship but especially if you have had sexual interaction with multiple partners. In case of one or more symptoms, all partners should be advised to have themselves tested as well since they may have contracted gonorrhea from you, or you from them, and aren't aware of it.
Testing for gonorrhea, and indeed all STDs, is quick, easy, and inexpensive. You could of course book an appointment at a free sexual health clinic but these usually take a long time to organize, aren't available everywhere, and often operate at unsuitable opening times.
In most cases, you should consider private testing since it can offer the best and quickest results possible with none of the disadvantages of a public health center. Rapid STD Testing[4] requires no appointment, a quick visit to one of their 4,000+ labs, offers phone consulting and is open all day, every day.
Rapid screening is an excellent solution for many reasons, including:
- You are in a new relationship
- You have cheated
- You suspect your partner might have cheated
- You are concerned that you have been exposed to gonorrhea
- You are fully sexually active with multiple partners
- You want to keep insurance rates low
- You want fast, accurate, and confidential results
How the Rapid STD Testing Process Works
Rapid STD Testing offers an excellent screening service for gonorrhea and the process is quick and easy, but there are some very specific steps that you will have to go through in order to get the best service possible:
- Provide details on the situation and any symptoms you are concerned about.
- Schedule testing at a lab as close to your location as possible. Same day testing, and no appointment needed.
- Get your online STD results in 1-3 working days and view them via a secure link online.
- If you are positive, you will get a call from an MD with advice on treatment.
How to Treat Gonorrhea
As part of the service, Rapid STD Testing will facilitate communication between yourself and a qualified medical doctor. The doctor is able to advise you on any treatments that you require, answer questions about any concerns you may have, and prescribe medication if it is required.
The most common antibiotic STD treatment for gonorrhea is an injection that is very effective among most patients and will be administered by a trained technician or doctor if either you or a partner have recently tested positive for the disease.
An intramuscular Ceftriaxone injection[5] is the most common treatment for gonorrhea but in some cases, urogenital or rectal gonorrhea cannot be treated in this manner. In most cases, this is usually enough to kill the infection but it has been noted that the antimicrobial resistance of the infection is increasing[6]. Alternative treatments include an injection of Gentamicin followed by a tablet of Azithromycin or a course of Cefixime that should be completed fully for the best possible results.
Gonorrhea Prevention
Prevention is better than the cure and gonorrhea can be reduced or prevented with very simple methods. Because of the asymptomatic nature of gonorrhea, like herpes, if you are able to then try to stay in a monogamous relationship and make sure you and your partner are both sexually sanitary, hygienic, and get tested regularly.
In addition, always engage in safe sex where possible with prophylactics (condoms) for penetrative, oral, and anal sex as well as when using any sex toys in order to minimize the chances of sexual infections.
When this isn't possible, always ensure that you thoroughly clean sex toys or marital aids before and after each use with anti-bacterial cleaning products that are safe for human skin. Many retail stores and specialist sex shops sell cleaning products designed specifically for intimate areas and sex toys.
If you suspect that you have been exposed to gonorrhea then don't delay. Contact Rapid STD Testing at 866-872-1888 and explore your testing and treatment options today.
References
NCBI. Epidemiology of Gonorrhea: A Global Perspective. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7064409/
NHS. Gonorrhea. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gonorrhoea
Mayo Clinic. STDs and Pregnancy: Get the Facts. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gonorrhea/symptoms-causes/syc-20351774
Rapid STD Testing. https://rapidstdtesting.com
Centers for Disease Control. Gonorrhea Treatment and Care. https://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/treatment.htm
Centers for Disease Control. Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea. https://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/arg/default.htm
