Assessment complete

Facts about Gonorrhoea:

• It is a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
• The UK reported more than 82,000 cases in 2022
• 50% of female cases display no symptoms
• It is treatable with antibiotics available on prescription

How can Gonorrhoea be diagnosed?

Testing is the only method to determine if you have gonorrhea. It's critical to get tested as soon as possible if you think you may have gonorrhea or any other STI.

After having sex, you can get tested a few days later, but you might be told to wait up to a week. Even in the absence of symptoms, you are still eligible for testing.

Gonorrhoea can have fewer consequences, such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) or testicular infection if it is detected and treated early. Treatment for long-term infection-related complications is far more challenging.

When to get tested for Gonorrhoea?

It is advised that you get tested if:

• You or your spouse believe you are experiencing gonorrhea symptoms
• You had sex with a new partner without protection
• You or your partner has had unprotected sex with other people
• You are infected with another STI
• Someone you've had intercourse with claims to have an STI
• Your doctor or nurse informs you that there is a discharge or that the cells in your cervix are irritated during a vaginal examination.
• You're pregnant or planning a pregnancy.

How to get tested for Gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhoea can be tested for in a variety of methods. Men could merely be requested for a urine sample, but in most situations, a swab will be used to remove a sample for testing.

A swab resembles a cotton bud in appearance, although it is rounder and smaller. It is applied to potentially contaminated body areas to collect discharge samples. It's not painful, but it could be a bit uncomfortable for a few seconds.

How to prevent Gonorrhoea?

It is possible to successfully prevent gonorrhea and other STIs by using the recommended form of contraception and by adopting other safety measures, like:

• wearing condoms—either male or female—during anal intercourse or whenever you engage in vaginal sex
• if you engage in oral sex, cover your female genitalia with a latex or plastic square (dam) or a condom when covering your penis
• avoid sharing sex toys; instead, wash and replace them with a fresh condom before using them on someone else

For more advice, visit a sexual health clinic if you suspect you may have an STI.

How does Gonorrhoea spread?

Vaginal fluid and discharge from the penis are the primary sources of the germs that cause gonorrhea. Gonorrhoea can easily be transmitted from person to person through:

• Unprotected anal, oral, or vaginal sex
• Sharing vibrators or other sex toys that haven't been cleaned or covered with a fresh condom after each usage
• The rectum, the urethra (the tube that exits the body carrying urine), the womb entrance (the cervix), and, less frequently, the throat or eyes can all become infected by the bacteria.

Additionally, an unborn child can contract the virus from the mother. It's critical to get diagnosed and treated for gonorrhea before giving birth if you think you may be pregnant and have the infection. It can leave a newborn baby permanently blind if treatment is not received.

Hugging, sharing baths, towels, glasses, plates, or cutlery, or using swimming pools or toilet seats are not ways to transmit gonorrhea. The bacteria cannot endure long periods outside of the human body.

Available treatment for Gonorrhoea in the UK

Antibiotics are available in numerous forms. They are typically recommended for the management of bacterial infections. They function by dissolving the bacterial cells that cause infections and bringing the body's balance back.

Doctors used to treat gonorrhea with a single antibiotic medication until recently. To guarantee that the illness is adequately treated, many doctors now recommend a combination treatment comprising two antibiotics due to the advent of resistant forms of the infection.

A single antibiotic injection is typically used to treat gonorrhea (generally in the buttocks or thigh). The majority of your symptoms should get better in a few days if you receive good treatment.

A week or two following treatment, it is normally advised that you attend a follow-up appointment so that an additional test can be performed to determine whether you are infection-free.

Until you are informed that you are clear of the illness, you should refrain from having intercourse. You still run the risk of contracting gonorrhea if you have had a successful treatment in the past.

What medications are available for Gonorrhoea?

• STI Test Kit

Everything you need to get tested at home is included in the 2-in-1 (Chlamydia & Gonorrhoea Combined) Test Kit, and results are typically available two days after the kit is received by the lab.

1. Take the test

2. Return the sample in a prepaid envelope

3. Receive Results

If the result is positive, we can also provide treatment. Please be aware that this test is delivered in ordinary packaging to the delivery address of your choosing and is entirely confidential. 

Antibiotic Medicine

Antibiotic medication is used as a treatment for gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection. It includes two tablets of antibiotics, cefixime and azithromycin.

Azithromycin:

Azithromycin belongs to the class of antibiotics called macrolides, which are very useful in treating bacterial infections like chlamydia.

To prevent the infection-causing bacteria from growing in a particular location, azithromycin acts by destroying them. Taken as directed, it will concentrate on the infection site and stop new bacteria from forming, so the infection should go away in a few days.

Cefixime:

Infections caused by bacteria can be treated with cefixime in different parts of the body. This medication is categorized under the cephalosporin antibiotics class of medications. It either eradicates or stops the growth of bacteria. This medication can only be purchased with a prescription from your physician.

The following dosages are available for this medication:

1. Capsule
2. Powder for the suspension

How do I know I have Gonorrhoea?

Typical signs and symptoms of Gonorrhoea include:

• a thick green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis, 
• pain during urination, 
• bleeding throughout the menstrual cycle 

However, almost 50% of infected women and 1 in 10 males do not show any symptoms.