Gonorrhoea

What is it and how do I get it?

Gonorrhoea, also known as 'the clap', is a common STI.  It’s caused by a type of bacteria.  Infection usually occurs in the genitals, but can affect the throat, eyes and anus (bottom).

You can catch gonorrhoea by having unprotected vaginal or anal sex, oral sex or by sharing sex toys. You cannot catch gonorrhoea by kissing, even if you or your partner has the infection in his or her throat. Gonorrhoea can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby during childbirth. This usually causes an eye infection (conjunctivitis).

Left untreated, it can cause pain, swelling and infertility in both men and women.

What are the symptoms?

Some people, particularly women with gonorrhoea, do not have any symptoms. This means that infection can often go unnoticed and treated for some time.

If you do notice the symptoms of gonorrhoea, they will usually show up between 1 to 14 days after coming into contact with the infection. In most cases, it is easier for men to recognise gonorrhoea than women and it is usually seen within a week. 

Men

• A green or yellow fluid coming out of the penis
• Pain or a burning sensation when peeing
• A rash on the head of the penis
• Discomfort and swelling of the testicles.

Women

About 3 in 4 women do not have any obvious symptoms of gonorrhoea and symptoms may take slightly longer to appear than in men.

• Increased discharge from the vagina
• Pain in the abdomen (lower tummy)
• Pain when peeing.
• Bleeding in between periods, after sex, or irregular or heavy periods.

But remember you may not have any of the symptoms or only a few so if you have had sex without using a condom get a free, confidential screening to be sure.

What does getting tested involve?

Getting tested for gonorrhoea is simple and straightforward. If you have symptoms, the nurse or doctor will usually use a swab to collect a sample of cells from the affected area(s).

A swab looks a bit like a cotton bud and collecting a sample only takes a few seconds and is not painful, although it may be a little uncomfortable for a moment.

Sometimes, men will be asked to provide a urine sample.

How can I get tested?

You can get tested and treated for gonorrhoea at your local Genito-urinary Medicine (GUM) clinic or at your local Terrence Higgins/Brook clinic. GUM clinics are specialist clinics that deal with STIs. You don’t need to have been referred by your GP to use them you can make an appointment over the phone yourself and they are totally confidential.

If you want to find out more information about GUM and CaSH clinics, have a look at our 'What to expect: GUM clinics' and 'What to expect: CaSH clinics' pages.

What does treatment involve?

Early treatment of gonorrhoea is very simple and usually involves taking a dose of antibiotics.

You may be asked to return to the sexual health service a week or so after treatment to make sure that the gonorrhoea has been successfully cured.

It's important that you take extra care not to infect other people while you're being treated and for a short while afterwards. So avoid sex until you and your partner have both finished treatment, and are given the ‘all clear’ by the doctor.

What are the health effects?

Left untreated gonorrhoea can put you at risk of serious health problems and you can pass the infection on to other partners.

For men, untreated gonorrhoea may lead to infection in the scrotum (the pouch of skin that holds the testicles), causing pain and swelling, and in some cases infertility.

Women may develop Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). If you have gonorrhoea there is an increased risk of an ‘ectopic’ pregnancy (where the baby begins to grow outside the womb). Also if you have the infection during pregnancy it can result in giving birth to the baby early (premature birth).