If you have gonorrhea, recognize the symptoms and seek proper treatment.

How to prolong life while suffering from gonorrhea

The World Trade Center collapsed, the Pentagon was blown up.

The Statue of Liberty has been forgotten; Americans are green with envy when they see foreigners.

People with green cards are homeless

They were all standing in the street getting soaked in the rain.

It's raining! ...

Drizzling

It turned into gonorrhea.

This poem, titled "Gonorrhea Is Coming," was written by the renowned poet Shen Haobo. Shen Haobo is one of the leading figures in my country's "folk writing" movement. In 2000, he and his friends founded the poetry journal *Lower Body*, forming the "Lower Body" writing style. This poem is a classic work of this style.

People can't help but ask, is gonorrhea simply caused by getting caught in too much rain? The answer is clearly no. So, what exactly is gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea is a purulent infection of the genitourinary system caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae (also known as gonococci), characterized primarily by purulent discharge. It is mainly transmitted through sexual intercourse and commonly affects young adults, making it the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease in my country. Initially, it often affects the urethra, causing gonococcal urethritis. As the disease spreads, it can damage the reproductive system and other organs, leading to chronic inflammation of the genitourinary tract and potentially causing infertility.

In recent years, with the discovery of penicillin-resistant gonococcal strains, the incidence of gonococcal infection and systemic spread has gradually increased. Disseminated gonorrhea can cause bacteremia, arthritis, peritonitis, pericarditis, endocarditis, and meningitis, causing both psychological and physical suffering. Gonorrhea often leads to various complications. In men, it can cause urethral stricture, prostatitis, and cystitis; if the infection ascends, it can cause pyelonephritis, epididymitis, etc. In women, it can ascend through the vagina, causing endometritis, salpingitis, and oophoritis. Besides invading the mucous membranes of the urogenital tract, gonococci can also cause skin lesions, such as gonococcal keratosis and gonococcal dermatitis.

What are the transmission routes of gonorrhea?

1. Transmission through sexual contact: Primarily through sexual intercourse or other sexual behaviors. Gonorrhea in men is almost always caused by sexual contact, while gonorrhea in women can also be transmitted directly through sexual intercourse or through other means. The infected person is the source of infection; sexual contact is the main mode of transmission, spreading rapidly with a high infection rate. Symptoms typically appear 3-5 days after infection. Indirect transmission can also occur through clothing, bedding, bedpans, and medical instruments contaminated with the patient's secretions, especially in young girls who are frequently infected indirectly. Newborns can be infected through the birth canal of a pregnant woman with gonorrhea, causing gonococcal conjunctivitis. Non-gonococcal urethritis refers to infection with pathogens other than gonococci, primarily affecting young adults.

2. Indirect transmission through personal items: This is also quite common. It mainly occurs through contact with the secretions of patients containing gonococci or contaminated items, such as towels, foot cloths, foot basins, clothing, and even toilet seats that have secretions on them. Women (including young girls) are particularly susceptible to infection because their urethra and reproductive tract are short.

3. Transmission through the birth canal: When a newborn passes through the birth canal of a mother with gonorrhea, gonococcal ophthalmia can also occur in the eyes. Gonorrhea in pregnant women can cause intra-amniotic infection, including infection of the fetus.

Gonorrhea can occur at any age, but it is most common in sexually active young and middle-aged adults. Due to the differences in the anatomical and physiological structures of the male and female reproductive organs, the manifestations also differ. Furthermore, due to variations in treatment methods and individual constitution, different clinical presentations are often observed.

Clinical manifestations of uncomplicated gonorrhea in men include: redness and swelling of the urethral opening, dysuria, urethral discharge, fever, chills, loss of appetite, and general malaise. In approximately 60% of patients, gonococci can enter the posterior urethra 2-3 weeks after anterior urethritis, causing acute posterior urethritis, characterized by urinary frequency, terminal dysuria, hematuria, and in severe cases, dysuria, bloody semen, and mild perineal distension.

If the patient is not actively treated during the acute phase or is physically weak, the disease manifests as anterior and posterior urethritis and corresponding chronic symptoms, including: mild dysuria; a few patients experience terminal hematuria; mild edema of the urethral opening; upon squeezing the base of the penis, a small amount of purulent discharge may be seen from the urethral opening; upon waking in the morning, a small amount of secretion may be found sticking to the urethral opening, resulting in a "sticky" appearance; cotton-like fibers may be visible in the urine; in patients with a longer course of disease, most may experience perineal discomfort, lower back pain, nocturnal emission, and hematospermia.

In male patients, improper treatment or a weak constitution can lead to gonococci not only invading the urethra but also progressing to the prostate, seminal vesicles, epididymis, and testes, causing complications such as prostatitis, seminal vesiculitis, epididymitis, and urethral stricture. These are known as comorbid gonorrhea in men.

In addition to invading the urogenital tract, gonococci can also infect the eyes, pharynx, and rectum, causing inflammation in these areas. Common clinical manifestations include gonococcal conjunctivitis, gonococcal pharyngitis, and rectal gonorrhea.

In addition to medical history and symptoms, diagnosis of gonorrhea also relies on laboratory tests, especially for patients with atypical symptoms or those who have self-medicated with certain antibiotics. Laboratory tests for gonococci include smears, gonococcal cultures, drug sensitivity tests, and PPN (proton pump inhibitor) assays. Smear examination of secretions from gonorrhea patients is a commonly used clinical method. It is simple, easy to perform, and readily available, and can serve as a definitive diagnostic tool. The positive rate is particularly high in men with gonorrhea, reaching approximately 90%. Clinically, the vast majority of male gonorrhea patients can be definitively diagnosed using smear examination of secretions.

Treatment becomes more challenging when gonorrhea has complications, but with aggressive treatment, a cure is still possible. The medications used are generally the same as for uncomplicated gonorrhea, but the course of treatment is longer, and the treatment plan needs to be adjusted promptly based on symptoms and treatment effectiveness. If you suspect you have gonorrhea and complications, you must seek treatment from a specialist.

In addition, gonorrhea patients should also pay attention to the following:

1. After contracting the disease, it is important to isolate yourself and absolutely refrain from sexual activity until you are cured.

2. The genital area and hands should be washed frequently with soap. Do not rub your eyes with hands that have pus. After touching the affected area, hands must be washed and disinfected.

3. Gonorrhea patients should seek medical attention at a reputable hospital for thorough and active treatment. Regular checkups and necessary follow-up treatments are essential to achieve a complete cure and prevent recurrence. To prevent the spread of asymptomatic gonorrhea and the development of advanced complications, prophylactic treatment should be administered when necessary. Sexual partners who have had contact with gonorrhea within the past 30 days should be tested and, if necessary, receive prophylactic treatment. Six weeks after infection, routine serological testing for syphilis should be performed, and HIV antibody testing should be conducted if necessary.

4. Gonorrhea is very easy to contract and has a high cure rate. With systematic treatment, it can generally be cured. The standard for cure is not the relief of clinical symptoms, but the absence of gonococci in urethral or vaginal smears under a microscope.

5. We advocate for moral purity and oppose sexual freedom and liberation. Condoms must be used during sexual intercourse. We will strengthen public security management and resolutely crack down on prostitution.

6. In public bathhouses, avoid bathing; showering is recommended. Gonorrhea patients should avoid public places such as public bathhouses, public toilets, and restaurants until cured. Items contaminated by gonorrhea patients, including bedding, clothing, and other daily necessities, should be disinfected promptly.

7. Seek timely treatment after contracting the disease to prevent transmission to your spouse and others. Gonorrhea patients should avoid sharing beds, bathtubs, and towels with children, especially young girls.