Symptoms
Typical symptoms include a thick green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis, pain when urinating and bleeding in between periods in women.
Around 1 in 10 infected men and almost half of infected women don’t experience any symptoms.
Gonorrhoea in the throat and rectum does not normally show any symptoms.
Getting tested
Gonorrhoea can be easily diagnosed by testing a sample of discharge picked up using a swab.
A swab looks a bit like a cotton bud but is smaller, soft and rounded.
If you don’t show any symptoms men will be asked to provide a urine sample and women will be asked to take a sample of bacteria from their vagina using a swab.
You may also be offered a throat and rectal swab.
Treatment
Gonorrhoea is treated with a single antibiotic tablet and injection.
You will be asked to come back for another test to make sure you are clear of the infection.
You should avoid having sex until you have been given the all-clear.
Your partner(s) will also need to be tested.
Prevention
Before having sex with a new partner you should both be tested and always use a condom.
