The diseases can be quite harrowing once contracted. If left untreated, some can cause severe damage to the reproductive system, and some like HIV/AIDS can be life-threatening too. Gonorrhoea is one such STD ( sexually transmitted disease) caused by the bacteria, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and can infect both males and females. The most common parts of the body that are affected by this disease are the rectum, throat, urethra, and cervix in females.
Many times, gonorrhoea comes without any symptoms. Once the symptoms start appearing, the infection would have spread to many parts of the body, but most of the time it restricts itself to the genital region. Symptoms occur within 2 to 14 days after the initial exposure. A person with no symptoms of gonorrhoea is likely to spread the infection to other people is called a non-symptomatic carrier.
Common Symptoms of Gonorrhoea in Men are:
- Pain or swelling in the testicles
- Pain while urinating
- Discharge of pus from the tip of the penis
- A persistent sore throat
- fever
Common Symptoms of Gonorrhoea in Women are:
- Painful intercourse
- Pain in the abdomen and pelvic region
- Excessive vaginal discharge
- Pain while urinating
- Bleeding in between the periods and after vaginal intercourse
- Common vaginal and bacterial infections
- fever
The difficult part is that infection continues to stay in the body even after treatment and causes damage to the body, especially to the testicles and urethra. Unprotected sex ( vaginal intercourse and oral ) is one of the most common modes of transmission of gonorrhoea. Having multiple partners can also be one of the reasons. Babies can also get affected during childbirth if the mothers are infected.
Like many diseases, gonorrhoea can also lead to many complications if left untreated:
- Infertility in both men and women
- Increased risk of contracting HIV/ AIDS
- Spreading of infection in the joints and various other areas of the body. Rash, skin sores, swelling, and joint stiffness can appear.
If gonorrhoea affects the eyes, it causes eye pain, pus-like discharge from one or both eyes, and increased sensitivity to light. In the rectum, gonorrhoea infection causes anal itching, spots of red blood, having to strain during bowel movement and pus-like discharge.
Curcumin being a great antimicrobial agent, it can help to ward off the infections. The anti-inflammatory property of curcumin also helps to control inflammation in the case of gonorrhea.