Gonorrhea is an infection caused by bacteria (a type of germ). It is a sexually transmitted disease (STD), which means it spreads through sex (vaginal, oral, or anal).

Someone with gonorrhea may have no symptoms at all or may have pain in the belly or back, fever, discharge from the vagina, penis, or anus, or pain when peeing.

The infection is treated with antibiotics. Even if there are no symptoms, treatment is still needed. Without treatment, your symptoms will continue (if you have them), you will still spread gonorrhea through sexual activity, and you may develop long-lasting medical problems.

• Take all antibiotics exactly as your healthcare provider prescribed.
• If you were given an antibiotic shot and the area is sore, you can:
  • Put a cool, wet washcloth on the area.
  • Take acetaminophen (Tylenol® or a store brand) or ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand). Follow the package directions for how much to take and how often.
• You need to tell all sexual partners from the past 2 months to get treatment, too, even if they don't have signs of gonorrhea. If you haven't had sex for more than 2 months, you should tell your most recent partner to get treatment.
• Do not have sex until:
  • Treatment is finished and there are no more signs of an STD. This is usually at least 1 week after treatment starts.
  • Your partner(s) have been treated and have no symptoms.
• Go for follow-up STD testing as recommended by your healthcare provider.
• Be sure you get all doses of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (shot). HPV is an STD that can lead to some kinds of cancer and genital warts.
• Talk to your healthcare provider about what kind of birth control is best for you.

You:

• Can't take the antibiotics as directed
• Aren't getting better after a few days on the antibiotics
• Get new or worsening symptoms, such as fever, belly pain, discharge from your vagina or penis, or pain when peeing
• Start to have joint pain

You:

• Feel very sick
• Have severe belly pain
• Have swelling or pain in the testicles (for males)

What happens if gonorrhea is not treated? If it's not treated, gonorrhea can lead to:

• Permanent damage to a female's reproductive system, making it hard or impossible for them to get pregnant later on
• Swelling in a male's testicles and tubes at the back of the testicles, possibly preventing them from fathering kids later on
• Trouble peeing
• Problems in the joints

Can I get gonorrhea again? Yes. People can get gonorrhea again if their partners aren't treated with antibiotics or if they have sex with someone else who has gonorrhea.

How can I avoid getting another STD? The only way to completely avoid getting an STD (also called a sexually transmitted infection, or STI) is not to have sex (vaginal, oral, or anal). If you do have sex, you can help prevent STDs by:

• Using a condom every time you have sex (vaginal, oral, or anal).
• Having only one partner, who has been tested and does not have an STD. That partner should not have sex with other people, only you.