Experiences with
GonorrhoeaHow gonorrhoea is spread
The bacteria that cause gonorrhoea are mainly found in discharge from the penis and in vaginal fluid.
Gonorrhoea is easily passed between people through:
- unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex
- sharing vibrators or other sex toys that have not been washed or covered with a new condom each time they're used
The bacteria can infect the entrance to the womb (cervix), the tube that passes urine out of the body (urethra), the rectum and, less commonly, the throat or eyes.
The infection can also be passed from a pregnant woman to her baby. If you're pregnant and may have gonorrhoea, it's important to get tested and treated before your baby is born.
Without treatment, gonorrhoea can cause permanent blindness in a newborn baby.
Gonorrhoea is not spread by hugging, swimming pools, toilet seats or sharing baths, towels, cups, plates or cutlery. The bacteria cannot survive outside the human body for long.
Symptoms of gonorrhoea
Typical symptoms of gonorrhoea include a thick green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis, pain when peeing and, in women, bleeding between periods.
But around 1 in 10 infected men and almost half of infected women do not experience any symptoms.
Treating gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea is usually treated with a single antibiotic injection (usually in the buttocks or thigh). With effective treatment, most of your symptoms should improve within a few days.
It's usually recommended you attend a follow-up appointment a week or 2 after treatment so another test can be carried out to see if you're clear of infection.
You should avoid having sex until you have been told you no longer have the infection.
Previous successful treatment for gonorrhoea does not make you immune to catching it again.
SymptomsMedical treatmentsCausesGonorrhoea is mainly spread through unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex.
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