Gonorrhoea

Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection passed on by oral, vaginal and anal sex with someone that has the infection. The infection is carried by bodily fluids and it’s possible to have an infection in your rectum, throat or eyes as well as in the vagina or penis depending on the type of sexual activity.

Using a condom can help prevent catching or passing on gonorrhoea.

About 50% of women and 10% of men don’t have any symptoms so often the only way to know if you have gonorrhoea is to get tested.

The symptoms of gonorrhoea are:

• a white, yellow, green watery discharge, which is an uncontrollable leakage of fluid from your penis or vagina. Women get discharge naturally so if you have a discharge that is different from what you are used to its worth a visit to the clinic to get checked out
• pain when urinating
• pain in the lower abdomen
• bleeding in between periods or heavier bleeding even if you are on contraception
• swollen and sore testicles.

It’s easy to test for gonorrhoea with either a urine sample or a swab of the infected area. These can sometimes be taken by yourself. Gonorrhoea is treated with antibiotics.

If left untreated it can lead to serious long-term health problems, including impotency and infertility.

Remember, the only way to know for sure if you have gonorrhoea is to get tested.

You can read more about gonorrhoea on Terrence Higgins Trust’s website.