Gonococcal Arthritis: Symptoms, Causes, Complications and More

Gonococcal Arthritis
Gonococcal arthritis is a rare complication of the sexually transmitted infection (STI) gonorrhea. It generally causes painful inflammation of the joints and tissues. The arthritis tends to affect women more than it affects men.
Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection. It’s a very common STI, especially among teens and young adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates there are 1.14 million new gonorrhea diagnoses in the United States each year.
Gonorrhea is usually transmitted through sexual contact. Babies can also contract it from their mothers during childbirth.
Common symptoms include:
painful urination
pain during intercourse
pelvic pain
discharge from the vagina or penis
Gonorrhea can also produce no symptoms whatsoever.
While this type of infection clears up quickly with antibiotics, many people don’t seek treatment for STIs.
This may be due to the stigma of having an STI (although STIs are incredibly common) or because the STI isn’t causing symptoms and people don’t know they have an infection.
Gonococcal arthritis is one of many complications that occur as a result of untreated gonorrhea. Symptoms include swollen, painful joints and skin lesions.
A bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes gonorrhea. People contract gonorrhea through oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse not protected with a condom or other barrier method.
Babies can also get gonorrhea during childbirth if their mothers have an infection.
Anyone can get gonorrhea. According to the CDC, rates of infection are highest in sexually active teenagers, young adults, and Black Americans. This could be due to policies that limit access to sexual health information and healthcare inequities.
Sex without a condom or other barrier method with new sexual partners can raise your risk for contracting gonorrhea.
People who are sexually active can lower their risk for gonorrhea by using condoms or other barrier methods and getting screened for STIs on a regular basis.
It’s an especially good idea to get screened regularly if you have new or multiple partners. Encourage your partners to get screened, too.
Staying informed about your sexual health can help you get a quick diagnosis or prevent exposure in the first place.
The CDC recommends the following groups get screened for gonorrhea every year:
sexually active men who have sex with men
sexually active women under the age of 25
sexually active women who have new or multiple partners
Notify all your sexual partners if you receive a gonorrhea diagnosis. They will need to be tested and possibly treated, too. Don’t have sex until you’ve completed treatment and your doctor confirms the infection is cured.
Last medically reviewed on November 6, 2020
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