Gonorrhea is sometimes referred to as a "silent disease" because some people that have the infection show no signs or symptoms at all. 4 out of 5 women and 1 in 10 men that are infected with gonorrhea will not show symptoms. You may not be able to tell if you or your partner is infected. Using protection every time you have sex and having regular screenings for STDs is the only way to prevent contracting or spreading gonorrhea. 

If you do contract gonorrhea, symptoms may begin to show as soon as 1 to 14 days after you are infected. Signs in women may include irregular bleeding, fever, pain when urinating, vomiting, vaginal discharge, abdominal pain, swelling or pain of the vulva and painful intercourse. You may experience all or none of these symptoms. 

When men have symptoms, they often notice a burning sensation when urinating, discharge from the penis and frequent urination. Both men and women may experience itching around the anus, painful bowel movements and anal discharge. Men and women with an oral gonorrhea infection may have a sore throat and trouble swallowing, but 90% of oral infections do not show symptoms. 

Symptoms may ease throughout the day and generally appear to be most prominent during the early hours of the day. Although most symptoms tend to be mild, untreated gonorrhea can cause serious health complications for both men and women. 

Untreated gonorrhea can lead to an infection of the fallopian tubes, uterus or ovaries in women. Pelvic inflammatory disease can cause infertility in women and develops in about 1 in 5 women who contract gonorrhea and do not receive treatment. 

Men can also become infertile if gonorrhea is left untreated. The bacteria can spread to the testicles, causing an infection called epididymitis. About 1 in 5 men with untreated gonorrhea will develop this condition, which causes fever and severe pain in the scrotum. 

Left untreated, gonorrhea can also lead to a secondary infection called disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI). Symptoms of DGI may include skin conditions like rashes, high fever and pain in the joints. 

Fortunately, it is easy to both test and treat gonorrhea. You can be tested for the infection even if you show no symptoms and should ensure that all of your sexual partners are tested regularly as well. Both testing and treatment can be quite affordable so there is no reason to avoid speaking with your doctor about gonorrhea.