Question: how is gonorrhea diagnosed

Reference:
 Gonorrhea Overview Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It is usually spread by having vaginal, oral, or anal sex. In 2014, gonorrhea affected more than 162,000 women in the United States.1 Antibiotics can treat gonorrhea. If left untreated, it can cause serious health problems, including problems getting pregnant. What is gonorrhea? Gonorrhea is an STI that is caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It is an especially serious problem for women because it can damage the female reproductive organs. Who gets gonorrhea? In 2014, gonorrhea affected more than 162,000 women in the United States.1 Gonorrhea most often affects women ages 15 to 24. But, gonorrhea is becoming more common in older women too.1 How do you get gonorrhea? Gonorrhea is spread through: What are the signs and symptoms of gonorrhea? Most women with gonorrhea do not have any signs or symptoms. If you do get symptoms, they are often mild and can be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. Signs or symptoms of gonorrhea depend on where you are first infected by the gonorrhea bacteria. Signs and symptoms in the genital area can include: Signs and symptoms in other parts of the body include: Gonorrhea can cause serious health problems, even if you do not have any signs or symptoms. Do I need to get tested for gonorrhea? You also need to get tested if you have any symptoms of gonorrhea. Testing is very important, because women with untreated gonorrhea can develop serious health problems. If you are tested for gonorrhea, you also need to get tested for other STIs, including chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV. How is gonorrhea diagnosed? There are two ways that a doctor or nurse tests for gonorrhea: A Pap test is not used to detect gonorrhea. How is gonorrhea treated? Your doctor or nurse will give you antibiotics to treat gonorrhea. The antibiotics are usually a pill you swallow. Although antibiotics can cure gonorrhea, they cannot fix any permanent damage done to your body. For this reason, it is important to get tested and to take the antibiotics as soon as possible. For the antibiotics to work, you must finish all of the antibiotics that your doctor gives you, even if the symptoms go away. Do not share your antibiotics for gonorrhea with anyone. If symptoms do not go away after treatment, see your doctor or nurse. It is possible to get gonorrhea again if you have sex with someone who has gonorrhea. Tell your recent sex partner(s) so they can be tested and treated. What can happen if gonorrhea is not treated? Gonorrhea that is not treated can cause serious health problems in women:3 What should I do if I have gonorrhea? Gonorrhea is easy to treat. But you need to get tested and treated as soon as possible. If you have gonorrhea: How does gonorrhea affect pregnancy? For pregnant women, untreated gonorrhea raises the risk of: Babies born to infected mothers are at risk for: Treatment of gonorrhea as soon as it is found in pregnant women will lower the risk of these problems for both mother and baby. Your baby will get antibiotics if you have gonorrhea or if your baby has a gonorrheal eye infection. How can I prevent gonorrhea? The best way to prevent gonorrhea or any STI is to not have vaginal, oral, or anal sex. If you do have sex, lower your risk of getting an STI with the following steps: The steps work best when used together. No single step can protect you from every single type of STI. Can women who have sex with women get gonorrhea? Yes. It is possible to get gonorrhea, or any other STI, if you are a woman who has sex only with women. Talk to your partner about her sexual history before having sex, and ask your doctor about getting tested if you have signs or symptoms of gonorrhea. Did we answer your question about gonorrhea? For more information about gonorrhea, call the OWH Helpline at 1-800-994-9662 or contact the following organizations: Sources 

Answer: You also need to get tested if you have any symptoms of gonorrhea. Testing is very important, because women with untreated gonorrhea can develop serious health problems. If you are tested for gonorrhea, you also need to get tested for other STIs, including chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV.