Gonorrhea Symptoms

Symptoms may appear within 2-10 days after exposure to an infected person-even longer for women (up to 3 weeks).

• Women
  
  
  • No symptoms 30-40% of the time
    
    
  • Gonorrhea may cause pelvic inflammatory disease (a serious medical condition that can lead to infertility)
    
    
  • Infection and irritation of the cervix
    
    
  • Need to urinate often
    
    
  • Itching and burning of the vagina, usually with a thick yellow/green discharge
    
    
  • Infection and irritation of the vagina (this is how the infection usually appears in children who may be victims of incest)
    
    
  • Bleeding between menstrual periods
    
    

• Men
  
  
  • Pain or burning during urination in most men
    
    
  • Thick, yellow penile discharge 50% of the time
    
    
  • Inflammation or infection of a duct in the testicles
    
    
  • Infection or inflammation of the prostate
    
    

• Newborns
  
  
  • Irritation of the mucous membranes in the eyes (if not treated, can cause blindness)
    
    

• Other
  
  
  • Gonococcal throat infection should be considered in people who complain of sore throat and have other signs of gonococcal infection. Throat infections from gonorrhea are transmitted through oral sex but occur without any other symptoms in less than 5% of people infected with gonorrhea.
    
    
  • Rectal pain or discharge can be a sign of infection of the prostate and is transmitted through anal intercourse.