Gonorrhea (a.k.a. “the clap” or “the drip”) is a bacterial infection that affects the genitals, rectum, and throat. It is very common, especially among teens and young adults (ages 15-24)*. Anyone who is sexually active can get gonorrhea. Gonorrhea affects both men and women. Gonorrhea can be spread through oral, vaginal, and anal sexual contact (*source).
To completely avoid STIs, abstain from vaginal, anal, and oral sex.
If you are sexually active, reduce your risk of gonorrhea by:
The only way to know if you have gonorrhea is to get a medical exam. A urine test is usually enough, but a culture swab may be necessary if the infection is in your throat, rectum, urethra, or cervix.
Some people – including most women – have no symptoms at all. Symptoms in men can include a burning sensation when urinating, white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis, and painful or swollen testicles.
Gonorrhea is treated with antibiotics – often two kinds taken together. However treatment will not repair any damage the infection has caused (e.g. scarring). It is becoming harder to treat gonorrhea because some strains are becoming drug-resistant. If your symptoms continue for more than a few days after treatment, get medical help.
After treatment, wait seven days before you have sex again.
Untreated gonorrhea can cause serious and permanent health problems in both women and men. In women, it can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and in men, it can cause a painful condition in the tubes attached to the testicles, potentially leading to infertility.
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