Oral Gonorrhea vs. Strep Throat: The Differences You Should Know About

What is Oral Gonorrhea and How Do You Get it?

Gonorrhea is a type of sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by harmful bacteria that mainly affects the genitals and rectum. This condition impacts both men and women.

Oral gonorrhea — also known as pharyngeal gonorrhea — develops when the initial infection spreads to the throat through unprotected oral sex with an infected person.

What are the symptoms of oral gonorrhea?

The symptoms of oral gonorrhea may not always develop, even if a person has an active infection. If symptoms do occur, they may include:

• Sore throat
• Difficulty swallowing
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
• Redness or swelling in the tonsils
• White spots or pus on the tonsils
• Fever
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting

In rare cases, you may also experience skin sores and joint pain.

What is Strep Throat?

Strep throat is a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes. It mainly affects the back of the throat and tonsils.

A strep throat infection is common — especially among children and teenagers — and it is usually spread through contact with the droplets of an infected person’s cough or sneeze.

What are the common signs of a strep throat infection?

Although the symptoms of strep throat can vary, common signs of infection include:

• Persistent sore throat
• Difficulty swallowing
• Redness and swelling of the tonsils
• White patches on the tonsils
• Fever
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Body aches

How Can You Tell the Difference Between Oral Gonorrhea and Strep Throat?

It can be difficult to tell the difference between oral gonorrhea and strep throat because of their similarities. However, there are a few key distinctions.

Transmission

Oral gonorrhea is transmitted through sexual activities with an infected partner.

The initial genital gonorrhea infection can spread to the throat if the mouth comes into contact with contaminated genital fluids — usually during oral sex or, in rare cases, kissing.

Strep throat is primarily spread through contact with infected respiratory droplets — like when someone coughs or sneezes.

Can These Infections be Prevented?

Both oral gonorrhea and strep throat are preventable if you take the right steps.

Preventing oral gonorrhea

The best way to prevent oral gonorrhea is by lowering your risk of contracting an STI.

This means consistently practicing safe sex and avoiding unprotected sexual contact with an infected partner.

It’s also recommended to get tested for STIs regularly, especially if you remain sexually active or have multiple partners.

This helps to pick up on and treat oral gonorrhea quickly to avoid further complications.

Symptoms

STIs like gonorrhea — and secondary infections like oral gonorrhea — often won’t cause any symptoms, even with an active infection.

It might help to determine if you have any genital pain or discomfort accompanying your throat pain. This might be a sign of a gonorrhea infection.

Strep throat, on the other hand, will always have symptoms.

You can also look out for the tell-tale signs of strep throat, which include white patches and red spots on the tonsils.

These symptoms will resolve within three to five days with treatment. Gonorrhea symptoms may take up to two weeks before they go away completely.

Preventing strep throat

Strep throat may be a bit more challenging to prevent, but you can generally lower your risk of becoming infected by practicing good hygiene.

This includes:

• Washing your hands regularly
• Covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
• Avoiding contact with infected people

If you’re currently receiving treatment for strep throat, you should also complete your full course of antibiotics.

This will ensure that the harmful bacteria have been killed and it lowers the risk of reinfection.

Should You See a Doctor for Oral Gonorrhea or Strep Throat?

If you suspect that you have oral gonorrhea or strep throat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends seeing a doctor as soon as possible.

You should also make an appointment with your health care provider for an STI test if you have unprotected sex frequently. Many STIs can be asymptomatic and go undetected without proper testing.

Both conditions are easily diagnosed with a throat swab test, after which your doctor can recommend the right treatment for your infection.

It’s important to follow a professional treatment plan for both conditions. Untreated oral gonorrhea or strep throat can lead to serious medical complications that could be fatal.

How Can LifeMD Help You With Your Strep Throat or Oral Gonorrhea Infection?

If you are concerned about any strep throat or oral gonorrhea symptoms, you can speak to a board-certified physician or nurse practitioner from the comfort of your home.

Not only will they be able to give you a professional diagnosis, but they can also prescribe the right medication you’ll need to beat your infection.

Head over to LifeMD to make a telehealth appointment.