Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs), especially among people aged 15-24.

You can get gonorrhea in your genitals, rectum, and/or throat.

Untreated, gonorrhea can cause serious and permanent health problems, including pelvic inflammatory disease (women), a painful condition in the tubes attached to the testicles (men), and infertility in both men and women.

Like many sexually transmitted infections, gonorrhea often has no symptoms. 

How It’s Transmitted

If a pregnant woman has gonorrhea, she can give the infection to her baby during childbirth.

You can get gonorrhea by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex without a condom with someone who has the infection. (Need condoms? Find free condoms.)

Symptoms

Women with gonorrhea often experience mild symptoms, if symptoms are present—including a painful or burning sensation when peeing, increased vaginal discharge, and vaginal bleeding between periods—which are often mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection.

Men with gonorrhea may experience a burning sensation when peeing, painful or swollen testicles, or a white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis.

If your rectum is infected, you may notice discharge, anal itching, soreness, bleeding, or painful bowel movements.

If your throat is infected, you will probably have no symptoms. Although these infections rarely cause complications, they have been reported to be a major source of community transmission.

Treatment

With treatment from your healthcare provider, gonorrhea is curable. Although medicine will stop the infection, it will not undo any permanent damage caused by the infection.

Anyone who is found to have an infection with gonorrhea in their throat should return to their healthcare provider for another test 7-14 days after treatment, as these types of infections are harder to cure.

Repeat infection with gonorrhea is common, so it’s recommended you get tested again about three months after treatment, even if your sexual partner(s) receives treatment.

For more information about gonorrhea, visit the CDC website.