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Gonorrhoea

Gonorrhoea - how common is it?

Gonorrhoea - or the 'clap' - is a very common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK. In 2006, 19,000 people were diagnosed with gonorrhoea infection in UK GUM clinics. Through this website you can purchase a gonorrhoea test by post or, if you already know you have gonorrhoea, request gonorrhoea treatment by post.

Gonorrhoea - what are the symptoms in men?

In men, a genital gonorrhoea infection almost always results in a penile discharge and it'll be pretty obvious that there's something wrong. A man might also feel a burning sensation when peeing. An anal gonorrhoea infection might result in an itchy anus. Like chlamydia, gonorrhoea can cause a epididymitis, a painful condition in the groin.

Gonorrhoea - what are the symptoms in women?

A woman with a genital gonorrhoea infection may have no symptoms or may have symptoms that are very similar to the symptoms a woman would get with chlamydia – namely, an abnormal vaginal discharge, bleeding between periods and pain when peeing. An anal gonorrhoea infection might result in an itchy anus. Like chlamydia, a gonorrhoea infection can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women.

Gonorrhoea - how do I test for it?

There are two good ways to test for genital gonorrhoea – a gonorrhoea test using a urine sample or using a gonorrhoea test using a genital swab. Both methods are very accurate but each gonorrhoea testing method has its pros and cons. Gonorrhoea tests off a urine sample are much more convenient and don't involve any kind of examination. Gonorrhoea tests off a genital swab are slightly more accurate. The only way to test for anal gonorrhoea is through an anal swab.

Gonorrhoea - if I use the THTbypost postal test, what kind of test is it?

Our gonorrhoea test by post uses urine samples. Our reasoning is that urine tests are just so much easier from the patient's perspective than taking one's own genital swab at home.

Gonorrhoea - how might I have got it?

Gonorrhoea is spread by full, unprotected vaginal sex, anal sex or oral sex.

Gonorrhoea - when did I get it?

It normally takes three to five days for a newly infected man to show gonorrhoea symptoms. It can take just three to five days for a woman to show gonorrhoea symptoms, but sometimes women might not show gonorrhoea symptoms at all. If you've had unprotected sex with someone who is subsequently diagnosed with gonorrhoea, that's probably how you got your gonorrhoea. Gonorrhoea is very easy to pass on.

Gonorrhoea - how do I get it treated?

Gonorrhoea can be treated, but sometimes there's drug resistance. If you contracted gonorrhoea in southeast Asia, there's a higher chance that the form of gonorrhoea you have will be resistant to the most common gonorrhoea treatment. Thankfully, a variety of antibiotic treatments exist. The most common treatment for gonorrhoea is taken as a single dose. Alternative gonorrhoea treatments can involve an injection. In the UK, a doctor who's treating a patient for gonorrhoea will normally prescribe treatment for chlamydia at the same time, just in case the patient has chlamydia too. This website offers a postal gonorrhoea treatment service for people who already know that they have gonorrhoea.

Gonorrhoea - if I have it, should I tell a partner?

If you've been told you have gonorrhoea, it's absolutely essential that you tell your partners. If you don't tell them and they don't realise that they have a high risk of already having chlamydia, there are at risk of serious and preventable health problems. If you don't want to tell your partners yourself, your local clinic can tell your partners for you. Anyone who uses our postal testing service for gonorrhoea can ask us to tell their partners for them.

Gonorrhoea - after I've taken gonorrhoea treatment, should I have a retest to check that I'm better?

Because drug resistance is relatively common, it's absolutely essential that you have a test to confirm that your gonorrhoea infection has gone away. You'll have to wait three weeks after you've finished the treatment before taking the retest. Otherwise, the retest may pick up signs of the original gonorrhoea infection, even though your gonorrhoea infection has been treated effectively.

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