Gonorrhoea
Both girls and guys can get gonorrhoea (pronounced gone-a-re-ah).
Symptoms
- Girls with gonorrhoea may notice cramps, a change in vaginal discharge, pain when going to the toilet, or vaginal pain/bleeding between periods or after sex.
- Guys with gonorrhoea may notice a yellow discharge from the penis, swollen/sore testes or testicles and pain/burning when going to the toilet.
- Sometimes, symptoms can go away by themselves after a week or so, however this does not mean that the infection is cured. During this time, someone with gonorrhoea can pass the infection on to someone else through unsafe sexual contact.
- Some people with gonorrhoea may not have obvious symptoms.
How do you get it?
It’s spread through unsafe sexual contact. You can get gonorrhoea through vaginal, anal or oral sex.
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| Watch an animated movie on female gonorrhoea | Watch an animated movie on male gonorrhoea |
How do I know I have it?
Testing for gonorrhoea is easy and requires just a urine sample or swab.
What’s the treatment?
Gonorrhoea can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics.
Your partners will also need testing and treatment. If your partners are not treated, re-infection is common and this will increase your risk of complications such as Pelvic Inflammatory Disease or infertility.
What to do
For advice, see your local doctor, family planning clinic or sexual health clinic.
More info
- Read a detailed fact sheet about gonorrhoea
- Find out more about safe sex
- Find out more about female sexual health
- Find out more about male sexual health