--- title: "Gonorrhoea: test, treat, tell partners | HealthAnswers" description: "Gonorrhoea is a bacterial STI. Many people have no symptoms. Free NHS clinic tests, clinic-prescribed antibiotics, and partner treatment matter." url: https://healthanswers.co.uk/conditions/gonorrhoea/ robots: noindex --- # Gonorrhoea: test, treat, tell partners | HealthAnswers Health A–Z Gonorrhoea is a bacterial STI. Many people have no symptoms. Free NHS clinic tests, clinic-prescribed antibiotics, and partner treatment matter. Written by HealthAnswers editorial team Medically reviewed by [Dr Neil Singh MBChB - nMRCGP](https://healthanswers.co.uk/our-doctors/neil-singh/) · GMC 7039648 Reviewed 13 August 2026 ## Quick answer How do I get tested and treated for gonorrhoea? Gonorrhoea is a bacterial STI that can infect the genitals, rectum and throat. NHS notes that many people have no symptoms. Free confidential tests are available at sexual health clinics. Treatment is antibiotics prescribed by a clinic, often an injection plus tablets. Partners must be treated. Avoid sex until you are advised it is safe. ## Who is this page for? This page is for people in the UK who want a plain-English overview of Gonorrhoea, including when to seek help and what NHS care usually involves. It explains general information, not what is wrong with you personally. ## Who should skip this page? Skip this page if you need a diagnosis, a prescription, or emergency care. It cannot replace a GP, pharmacist, NHS 111 or 999. If you are in immediate danger, call 999; for urgent advice that is not life-threatening, call 111 in England, Scotland or Wales, or use your GP out-of-hours service in Northern Ireland. On this page 8 sections ## Key facts about gonorrhoea - NHS notes that many people with gonorrhoea have no symptoms. - Free confidential tests are available at NHS sexual health clinics. - Clinics usually test for chlamydia at the same time. - Treatment is antibiotics prescribed by a specialist clinic, often an injection plus tablets. - Partners need testing and treatment to prevent reinfection. - Untreated infection can cause pelvic inflammatory disease in people with a womb. ## Should I use this page, or skip it? Use this page if you want to know how gonorrhoea is tested and treated on the NHS, including if you feel well. Skip it and get same-day help for severe pelvic pain with fever, a swollen painful testicle, or a red painful eye after possible sexual exposure. This page cannot diagnose you or choose antibiotics. A green discharge is not something to sit on until Monday. Use the [sexual health hub](https://healthanswers.co.uk/sexual-health/) for clinic routes. [Chlamydia](https://healthanswers.co.uk/conditions/chlamydia/) is tested at the same visit. HIV PEP is a separate 72-hour emergency if the exposure was high risk. ## What is gonorrhoea and what does it feel like? Gonorrhoea is a bacterial sexually transmitted infection that can infect the cervix, urethra, rectum, throat and eyes. It is passed through vaginal, anal or oral sex without a condom, and by sharing sex toys. NHS notes that many people have no symptoms, which is why a test after a new partner still matters. When signs appear, men may notice green or yellow penile discharge and burning when peeing. People with a womb may notice more vaginal discharge, bleeding between periods, pain when peeing, or pelvic pain. Throat and rectal infection are often silent, so “I would know” is not a reliable plan. ## How do I get a free confidential test? NHS sexual health clinics are the usual door. Tests are free and confidential, and you do not always need a GP. Tell the clinic about oral and anal sex so throat and rectal swabs are taken when needed. A urine sample or vaginal swab alone can miss those sites and give false reassurance. Clinics routinely test for chlamydia as well. If a partner has gonorrhoea, get tested even if you have no symptoms. Postal kits exist in some areas, but complicated symptoms, eye involvement, or severe pain belong in clinic the same day, not in a letterbox. ## How is it treated? A sexual health clinic prescribes antibiotics according to current UK guidance. That is often an injection plus tablets. Do not guess a course from the internet or from leftover [antibiotics](https://healthanswers.co.uk/treatments/antibiotics/). Resistance is a real reason clinics, not home leftovers, should treat this infection, and the combination can change as guidance updates. You may be asked to return for a test of cure. Attend it even if you feel better. Avoid sex until you and your partners have been treated and a clinician says it is safe. If you are pregnant, say so — treatment still matters for you and the baby. ## Why do partners and follow-up matter? An untreated partner will often reinfect you, which is why partner notification is part of the job rather than an optional extra. Clinic staff can help, including anonymously. Finish the course you were given and keep the test-of-cure appointment if you were offered one. In people with a womb, untreated gonorrhoea can cause [pelvic inflammatory disease](https://healthanswers.co.uk/conditions/pelvic-inflammatory-disease/), which can affect fertility. Rarely, the infection spreads to joints or the bloodstream. Those are reasons to treat promptly, not to wait for symptoms to “settle” over a fortnight. ## When is it 111 or 999? Same-day clinic, GP or 111 is right for pelvic pain with fever or discharge, testicular pain and swelling, or a painful red eye after possible exposure. Call 111 in England, Scotland and Wales; in Northern Ireland use GP out-of-hours via nidirect. Call 999 or go to A&E if you collapse, have severe abdominal pain, cannot keep fluids down, or feel very unwell with a high temperature. A painful eye that is getting worse is urgent clinic or A&E, not a wait-and-see weekend. [Emergency contraception](https://healthanswers.co.uk/treatments/emergency-contraception/) is a different same-day door if pregnancy is also a risk. ## Do NHS doors differ across the UK? Call 111 in England, Scotland and Wales if you need urgent advice and are not in immediate danger; Northern Ireland uses GP out-of-hours via nidirect rather than a general 111 service. Pharmacy schemes and what is free also vary by nation and local area, so ask rather than assuming last year’s rule still applies. 999 is the same emergency number everywhere. A sexual health clinic, GP or pharmacist in any UK nation can still start the right pathway even if the branding of the minor-illness scheme is different. Take a list of medicines and allergies with you. ## Who should skip this page? Skip this page if you already have severe pain, fever and collapse, or an acutely painful red eye — get urgent care now. It is not an [HIV](https://healthanswers.co.uk/conditions/hiv/) test, not PEP, and not a pregnancy service. If you also need emergency contraception, treat that as a separate time-critical task the same day. ## ! When to see a GP about gonorrhoea Get tested at an NHS sexual health clinic if you have had unprotected sex, discharge, pain when peeing, bleeding between periods, or a partner with gonorrhoea. Seek same-day clinic, GP or 111 help for severe lower tummy pain, testicular pain and swelling, or a red painful eye after possible exposure. Call **999** or go to A&E if you collapse, have severe pain, or feel very unwell with a high temperature. ## Common questions about gonorrhoea What are the symptoms of gonorrhoea? NHS notes that many people have no symptoms. Men may notice green or yellow discharge from the penis, pain when peeing, or testicular pain. Women may notice more discharge, pain when peeing, bleeding between periods, or pelvic pain. Throat and rectal infection are often silent, so tell the clinic about all types of sex. How is gonorrhoea treated in the UK? Sexual health clinics prescribe antibiotics according to current national guidance. That is often an injection plus tablets. Do not use leftover antibiotics from a previous illness. You may be asked to return for a test of cure. Finish the course and avoid sex until you and your partners have been treated. Can gonorrhoea go away without treatment? Do not rely on that. Untreated gonorrhoea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, fertility problems, testicular inflammation, and rarely a more widespread infection. Testing and treatment are free and confidential. If you are pregnant, tell the clinic so mother and baby can be protected. How long after treatment can I have sex? Avoid vaginal, anal and oral sex until you and recent partners have completed treatment and a clinician says it is safe. That usually means waiting until the course is finished and any symptoms have settled. Condoms reduce risk with new partners but do not replace clinic follow-up. Is gonorrhoea the same as chlamydia? No. They are different bacteria with overlapping symptoms. Clinics test for both together because co-infection is common. Treatment is not interchangeable, which is why leftover tablets from a friend are a bad idea. If one test is positive, partners still need a full assessment. Can oral sex transmit gonorrhoea? Yes. Throat infection often has no symptoms but can still be passed on. Ask for a throat swab if you have had oral sex. Rectal swabs matter after anal sex. A urine test alone may miss those sites. Clinics expect these questions and keep them confidential. Why might I need a test of cure? Gonorrhoea can be harder to treat than it used to be because some strains resist antibiotics. A clinic may ask you to come back for a repeat swab after treatment, especially for throat infection. Attend that appointment even if you feel better. Never share leftover antibiotics with anyone else. ## Sources - [NHS — Gonorrhoea](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gonorrhoea/) - [NHS — Sexual health services](https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/sexual-health-services/) - [BASHH — Guidelines](https://www.bashh.org/guidelines)