Gonorrhea: Symptoms, Testing, Treatment, and Prevention

Gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can be easy to miss because many people have no symptoms. Left untreated, it can cause pelvic pain, infertility, or spread through the bloodstream. This page gives clear, practical steps: how to spot it, how testing works, what treatment looks like today, and smart prevention moves.

Symptoms and When to Get Tested

Some people feel burning during urination, unusual discharge, or pelvic/rectal pain. Others get sore throat after oral sex or joint pain and skin rashes if the infection spreads. Still, a lot of infections are silent — especially in women. If you’ve had unprotected sex, a new partner, or symptoms, get tested.

Best testing is a NAAT (nucleic acid amplification test). It works on urine or swabs from the cervix, urethra, throat, or rectum depending on exposure. NAATs are fast and accurate. If you test positive, your clinic will explain next steps. If you test negative but symptoms persist, ask for follow-up testing because early tests can miss very recent exposure.

Treatment, Resistance, and Prevention

Treatment is antibiotics given by a clinician. Current recommended therapy focuses on an effective injected antibiotic because gonorrhea has become resistant to many older pills. Always follow your healthcare provider’s instructions, finish the full prescription, and avoid sex until you and your partners have completed treatment and any wait period your clinician advises.

Gonorrhea has a real problem: antibiotic resistance. That’s why it’s important to use recommended treatments only and avoid unverified online antibiotics without a prescription. If symptoms continue after treatment, return for re-evaluation — persistent infection can mean resistance or a missed co-infection like chlamydia.

Tell recent partners so they can get tested and treated too. Most clinics help with partner notification. You should also schedule a repeat test a few months after treatment to check for reinfection; many clinics recommend retesting around 3 months.

Prevention is straightforward: use condoms for vaginal, anal, and oral sex; reduce the number of casual partners; and get regular STI screenings if you’re sexually active, especially if you have multiple partners or are part of groups with higher STI rates. Vaccines don’t protect against gonorrhea, so screening and safer sex matter most.

If you notice fever, severe joint pain, or a spreading rash, get care right away — those can be signs the infection has spread. Pregnant people should see a clinician promptly, because treatment choices and timing matter for pregnancy.

Getting tested is quick and private at many clinics and sexual health centers. If you’re unsure where to go, ask your primary care doctor or search local sexual health services. Early testing and proper treatment protect your health and stop the spread.