Gonorrhea: symptoms, treatment and how to tell your partner
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a bacterium. In men it usually causes clear symptoms, but in women and in the throat or rectum it often causes none. It is cured with antibiotics, although it is one of the bacteria developing the most resistance, so you should not self-medicate.
What is gonorrhea?
It is an infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonococcus). It can affect the urethra, cervix, rectum, throat and, less often, the eyes. Without treatment it can spread to other organs.
Gonorrhea symptoms
When symptoms appear, they usually do so a few days after sex, typically between 2 and 7 days, although they can take longer:
- In men: white, yellow or greenish discharge from the penis, burning when urinating and sometimes pain or swelling in the testicles. Around 10% have no symptoms.
- In women: more than half have no symptoms. There may be changes in vaginal discharge, burning when urinating, bleeding between periods or pain in the lower abdomen.
- In the rectum: itching, discharge, bleeding or pain when passing stools, although there are often no symptoms.
- In the throat: usually no symptoms; sometimes a sore throat.
Without treatment, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and infertility in women, inflammation of the testicles in men and, in rare cases, infection of the joints or the blood.
How is gonorrhea spread?
It spreads through vaginal, anal or oral sex without a condom, including oral sex on the penis, vagina or anus, and by sharing sex toys. It can also pass from mother to baby during childbirth.
Testing and diagnosis
It is diagnosed with a urine test or a swab from the urethra, vagina, rectum or throat, depending on the kind of sex you have had. When possible, a culture is also done to check which antibiotics the bacterium responds to. When you are tested for gonorrhea, you are usually tested for chlamydia, syphilis and HIV as well.
Gonorrhea treatment
Gonorrhea is cured with antibiotics, usually a ceftriaxone injection. Because gonococcus has become resistant to several antibiotics, treatment must be prescribed by a healthcare professional: do not take antibiotics on your own.
Do not have sex until 7 days after treatment, once your symptoms have gone and your partners have also been treated. If the infection was in the throat, a test of cure is usually done 1 to 2 weeks later. Retesting after 3 months is recommended.
How to tell your partner you have gonorrhea
Your partner may have gonorrhea without symptoms, especially if she is a woman or if the infection is in the throat. Telling them lets them get treated and stops them from passing it back to you. Some tips:
- Do it soon: the sooner it is treated, the lower the risk of complications.
- Be clear and avoid blame: in women and in the throat or rectum, the infection can go unnoticed for weeks or months.
- Explain what they need to do: get tested, get treated and not have sex until 7 days after treatment.
- Choose the way: in person with a steady partner; with a casual partner, a call or a message may be enough.
If you cannot or do not want to tell them yourself, you can ask for help at your healthcare center, where in some cases the staff notify contacts for you, or send an anonymous text message or email with STI notice, without your name or number appearing.
Who should you notify?
As a guide, it is recommended to notify the people you have had sex with in the 2 to 3 months before your symptoms or diagnosis. If you have not had sex in that time, notify your last partner. Your doctor will tell you the exact period in your case.
If you have been told you might have gonorrhea
Make an appointment with your doctor or a sexual health clinic and explain that a partner has tested positive. Samples will be taken from the exposed areas (genitals, rectum or throat) and you will usually be treated straight away, without waiting for the result. Until then, avoid sex.
How to prevent gonorrhea
Use condoms for vaginal and anal sex and also for oral sex. If you change partners or have several, get tested regularly (genitals, rectum and throat, depending on the kind of sex you have).
Frequently asked questions about gonorrhea
Can you get gonorrhea in the throat?
Yes, from unprotected oral sex. It usually causes no symptoms, so it is a good idea to get a throat test if you have had oral sex with someone who is infected.
Can you have gonorrhea and chlamydia at the same time?
Yes, it is fairly common. That is why, when one is diagnosed, the other is usually tested for too.
Other sexually transmitted infections
Syphilis · Genital herpes · HIV · Pubic lice (crabs) · HPV and genital warts · Chlamydia · Yeast infection (candidiasis) · Hepatitis A, B and C · Trichomoniasis · Scabies · Mpox (monkeypox)
Sources: MedlinePlus: gonorrhea; CDC: gonorrhea treatment guidelines.Health information updated in October 2026. It does not replace advice from a healthcare professional.