Gonorrhoea symptoms often appear within 1 to 2 weeks after a risk contact, but plenty of people notice nothing. In men the clap sometimes causes a burning feeling when urinating and discharge from the urethra. In women symptoms more often stay away or feel vague. And gonorrhoea can also sit in your throat or anus without you noticing. A test is the only way to know for sure.
Let's say upfront that having no symptoms tells you nothing about whether you have it. Precisely because the clap often stays quiet, many people get checked as a precaution.
What exactly is gonorrhoea (the clap)?
Gonorrhoea is an STI caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, commonly known as the clap. The bacterium can settle in the urethra, cervix, throat, anus and sometimes the eyes. You can pick it up through vaginal, oral and anal contact.
According to RIVM, the number of diagnosed gonorrhoea cases in the Netherlands has been rising in recent years (RIVM). That makes it one of the more common STIs. Anyone who has sex can pick it up, regardless of age or preference.
The name clap refers to the discharge that sometimes appears from the urethra. Yet that discharge isn't present in everyone, which makes it harder to recognise.
Keep in mind there is a window period. That's the time after a risk contact when an infection isn't yet reliably detectable. For gonorrhoea a test is usually worthwhile from around 1 to 2 weeks, but if you're unsure about the timing, it helps to ask.
What are the gonorrhoea symptoms in men?
In men gonorrhoea more often causes noticeable symptoms than in women. A burning or painful feeling when urinating is a common signal. Yellow or greenish discharge from the urethra can also occur. Still, even in men plenty of people have no symptoms at all.
The signals men sometimes notice include the following.
- Burning when urinating - a painful or burning feeling while peeing
- Discharge - yellow or greenish fluid from the urethra, sometimes the classic clap
- Pain or swelling - sometimes an uncomfortable feeling or swelling in the scrotum
- Urgency - needing to pee more often than usual
A burning feeling when urinating can point to gonorrhoea, but just as easily to something else. We wrote a separate piece about it: burning when urinating, an STI or something else.
What are the gonorrhoea symptoms in women?
In women symptoms stay away more often than in men, and when there are signals, they're usually vague. Changed or increased discharge can occur, as can a burning feeling when urinating. Sometimes there is spotting between periods or pain in the lower abdomen.
Because many women notice no symptoms, an infection sometimes goes unnoticed for longer. The possible signals at a glance.
- Discharge - more or differently coloured vaginal discharge
- Burning when urinating - an unpleasant feeling while peeing
- Bleeding - bleeding between periods or after sex
- Abdominal pain - sometimes pain low in the belly
Soa Aids Nederland stresses that gonorrhoea in women often runs without clear symptoms (Soa Aids Nederland). So the absence of symptoms doesn't tell you much.
Can gonorrhoea sit in your throat or anus without symptoms?
Yes, and this is exactly what surprises many people. After oral or anal contact gonorrhoea can settle in your throat or anus, and there it often causes no symptoms at all. A standard urine test only looks at the urethra and can therefore miss a throat or anal infection.
This is the most important point of this article. If you've had oral or anal contact, a urine test alone may not be enough to rule out gonorrhoea.
What this means in practice.
- Throat infection - usually no symptoms, sometimes a mild sore throat you don't link to an STI
- Anal infection - often symptom-free, sometimes itching, discharge or an uncomfortable feeling
- Test the right site - for throat or anus a swab from that site is usually needed, not just urine
Not sure which test suits your situation, see our guide on which STI test you need and when. It also explains how to account for oral and anal contact.
What happens if gonorrhoea goes untreated?
Untreated gonorrhoea can cause symptoms over time, even if you noticed nothing at first. In women a rising infection can sometimes affect the fallopian tubes. In men an inflammation of the epididymis can occur. So testing can be worthwhile, precisely when there are no symptoms.
The clap responds well to antibiotics. The sooner you know what's going on, the simpler that usually is. A doctor decides which treatment suits your situation.
Possible consequences at a glance, without wanting to dramatise.
- In women - a rising infection can reach the fallopian tubes and sometimes affect fertility
- In men - an inflammation of the epididymis can be painful
- Passing it on - without knowing it you can infect a partner
Thuisarts.nl describes that gonorrhoea is treatable and that testing helps prevent spread (Thuisarts.nl). You always discuss treatment with a doctor.
How do you get tested for gonorrhoea discreetly?
A gonorrhoea test usually runs via a PCR analysis of urine or a swab, the same method your GP uses. You can take the sample at home and mail it to a lab, or visit a testing location. Your result then sits in a secure environment only you can open.
The kit arrives in neutral packaging and your result isn't automatically shared with anyone. For many people that discretion is exactly the reason to get checked this way.
If you want to get checked, you can choose a targeted gonorrhoea test. If you've had oral or anal contact, pick a test that covers those sites too, or discuss it with a doctor.
Gonorrhoea and chlamydia often occur together, so many people test for both at once. Read more about that other common STI in chlamydia symptoms and how to get checked. Curious about the lesser-known causes, read about trichomonas and mycoplasma.
If your test shows you have gonorrhoea, it can be worthwhile to let recent partners know. That way they can get checked too, and a bacterium can't quietly bounce back and forth. A doctor can calmly advise you on this.
Getting checked is completely normal, and it's nobody else's business.
Sources
- RIVM - Gonorrhoea (rivm.nl)
- Soa Aids Nederland - Gonorrhoea (soaaids.nl)
- Thuisarts.nl - STI (thuisarts.nl)
Every blood test result includes a professional assessment from a BIG-registered doctor. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.
Autor