Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease that results from bacteria called the Neisseria gonorrhea. This disease infects the mouth, genital tract along with rectum of men and women. With the current gonorrhea diagnosis and treatment this disease can be cured. Among women the first place that is affected by this condition is the cervix. This condition can spread to the fallopian tubes or the uterus and this can result in pelvic inflammatory disease. As per gonorrhea diagnosis and research the number of gonorrhea cases in United States was 351,852 in the year 2002. These cases are usually observed in people in the age group of 15 to 29 years.

Gonorrhea diagnosis indicates that this condition results in symptoms that include vaginal or penile discharge. Such symptoms can be observed around 2 to 10 days following sexual contact with the infected individual. In many women the earlier symptoms of gonorrhea may be mild and in some cases the infection may not have any visible symptoms for many months.

The initial symptoms that are observed in gonorrhea diagnosis include bleeding that can be related to vaginal intercourse. Other symptoms in gonorrhea include burning and pain during urination. Advanced symptoms that indicate PID development include pain and cramps and bleeding in between the menstrual period along with fever and vomiting.

In men the symptoms associated with gonorrhea diagnosis include penile discharge that may be white or yellowish in color. Such discharge may be accompanied with pain along with burning during urination. Men may also experience swelling in testicles along with anal itching and rectal infection. These symptoms in men appear around 2 to 5 days following infection.

Gonorrhea diagnosis is done through laboratory techniques that include staining of the samples for the bacteria, detecting the bacterial genes or the DNA within urine and growing of bacteria in culture. In the staining test the penile or cervical discharge is placed on the slide and this is stained with dye. Using a microscope the bacteria is then detected. This test is accurate for men but cannot prove to be completely effective for women.

Health care professionals often use cervical or urine swabs to detect the bacterial genes. This test is accurate as compared to culturing of the bacteria. In the laboratory culture test a sample of discharge is place on the culture plate and this is incubated for around 2 days so as to allow the growth of the bacteria. More than one test can be used by the providers for effective diagnosis.

The culture can also be used so as to detect gonorrhea in the throat. The culture method also allows for testing of bacteria that is drug resistant. Along with the tests physical examination is also undertaken for gonorrhea diagnosis. Physical examination includes checking for tenderness in the regions near the sex organs among women.

Penile and vaginal discharge is also checked. Blood cell count and examination for fever could also be one of the indicators of possible gonorrhea infection. This discharge is checked with special bacterial plates for growth of the gonorrhea bacteria.