Gonorrhoea Symptoms: Signs, Tests and Treatment
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera, MD
Licensed Physician No. 484814280 · Official Medical College of Bizkaia (Spain)Last reviewed: 31 October 2026
Gonorrhoea symptoms are often mild or absent. Signs in men and women, how testing works in Spain, why treatment is an injection, and when to get help.
You don't have to figure this out alone
Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera is an independent, bilingual GP licensed in Spain. Book a 15-minute video consultation in English or Spanish for €50, with a private electronic prescription issued under Spanish law when clinically appropriate.
The main gonorrhoea symptoms are burning when you pee, a new discharge from the penis or vagina, and bleeding between periods. Many people, especially women, have no symptoms at all. Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection passed on during sex. It is cured with antibiotics, usually a single injection given in person at a clinic.
- Common signs: burning when you pee, a yellow or green discharge, bleeding between periods, sore testicles.
- Most women and many people with throat or rectal infection notice nothing.
- Testing is a urine sample or a swab. It must be done in person or with a clinic kit.
- Treatment is usually one antibiotic injection, given by a nurse or doctor.
- Avoid sex until you and your partners are treated. Partners need testing too.
- Untreated gonorrhoea can harm fertility, so do not wait for it to pass.
Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera is a GP licensed in Spain (Colegiado No. 484814280).
For a medical emergency, call 112 or go to the nearest local emergency department. Do not wait for a video consultation or an online reply.
What are the symptoms of gonorrhoea?
The NHS says symptoms usually start about 2 weeks after infection. Sometimes they take many months to appear. They depend on where the infection is.
- Vagina and cervix: a yellow or green discharge, burning when you pee, pain low in the belly, and, rarely, bleeding between periods.
- Penis: burning when you pee, a white, yellow or green discharge from the tip, and sometimes sore or swollen testicles.
- Rectum: discharge, itching, soreness, bleeding or pain when you poo.
- Throat: a sore throat, though most throat infections cause nothing.
- Eyes: redness, pain and a discharge, if infected fluid gets into the eye.
On a Spanish report or leaflet you may see gonorrea, gonococia or infección gonocócica. STIs are called ITS (infecciones de transmisión sexual).
Can you have gonorrhoea without symptoms?
Yes, and it is common. The World Health Organization says most women with gonorrhoea have no symptoms. In women, mild signs are easy to mistake for cystitis or thrush, says the US CDC. Infections in the rectum and throat are often silent in everyone.
No symptoms does not mean no harm. Get tested after a risk, even if you feel fine.
How is gonorrhoea spread?
It passes through vaginal, anal or oral sex without a condom. A pregnant woman can also pass it to her baby during birth. Condoms used every time lower the risk a lot. Having had gonorrhoea before does not protect you. You can catch it again.
How do you test for gonorrhoea?
The test is simple and usually painless:
- A urine sample, often used for men.
- A swab from the vagina, cervix or penis. Many clinics let you take a vaginal swab yourself.
- Throat or rectal swabs if you have had oral or anal sex.
The sample goes to a lab, so a video call cannot replace it. The same sample usually checks for chlamydia too. Clinics in Spain also advise tests for syphilis and HIV, because one STI often comes with another.
Worried about a discharge or a burning feeling?
You can book a video visit with a GP licensed in Spain, in English or Spanish. He listens to your symptoms, explains what they may mean, and tells you where to get tested and treated in person.
Why is gonorrhoea treated in person?
Gonorrhoea is now resistant to many antibiotics. The WHO says it risks becoming untreatable. So guidelines keep the strongest option for it.
The WHO's preferred treatment is ceftriaxone, an antibiotic given as an injection into a muscle. A nurse or doctor gives it, usually in one visit. The WHO keeps tablets for when an injection is not possible, and then advises a check test. In the UK, the NHS says the clinic may use an injection or tablets.
So you need to go in person. The test needs a lab, and a professional gives the injection. The clinic can also check for other STIs and help contact partners.
Do not take leftover antibiotics or buy them online. The wrong antibiotic may calm the symptoms but leave the infection, and it feeds resistance.
Where can you get tested and treated in Spain?
- Your centro de salud: your family doctor (médico de familia) can test, treat or refer you if you have a public health card.
- A public STI clinic (unidad or centro de ITS): most large cities have one. Many see people without a referral. Ask your region's health service.
- A private clinic or hospital, if you have private insurance or prefer to pay.
Coming from the UK? There, sexual health clinics are free and confidential. Since August 2025 they also offer the MenB vaccine (4CMenB) to the gay and bisexual men at highest risk. UK health officials say real-world studies show it prevents about 33% to 42% of cases. In the US, the CDC advises yearly tests for sexually active women under 25 and for gay and bisexual men.
What happens after treatment?
- No sex for now: the WHO and CDC say wait 7 days after treatment. Also wait until every partner is treated.
- A check test: the NHS asks people to test again about a week after starting treatment. The CDC advises a repeat test about 3 months later, because reinfection is common. In Spain, the clinic tells you which plan it follows.
- Symptoms that last: go back if they are still there a few days after treatment.
Do my partners need to know?
Yes. Your current and recent partners need a test, even without symptoms. Otherwise they can pass it back to you. The NHS says a clinic can tell them for you, without giving your name. Many STI clinics in Spain offer the same help.
Gonorrhoea in pregnancy and in children
In pregnancy, gonorrhoea raises the risk of an early birth and a small baby, says the NHS. It can also infect the baby's eyes during birth. Without treatment that can cause blindness. Testing and treatment before birth prevent this. Tell your midwife (matrona) if you think you were exposed.
A baby with red, sticky eyes in the first weeks needs a doctor today. An older child with a genital discharge always needs a doctor's check. The doctor will also make sure the child is safe, as child-protection guidance asks.
What happens if gonorrhoea is not treated?
- Women: pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). It can cause long-term pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility.
- Men: a painful infection of the testicles or prostate. Rarely, it affects fertility.
- Anyone: rarely, it spreads to the blood and joints. It may also raise the chance of getting or passing on HIV.
When should you see a doctor today, and when should you call 112?
See a doctor today if you have, or might have, gonorrhoea and notice:
- Red, painful eyes or pus on the eyelashes.
- A fever.
- Painful or swollen joints.
- A spotty or blotchy rash.
- Pain low in the belly, or symptoms while pregnant.
Call 112 or go to urgencias for severe belly or pelvic pain that is getting worse, especially with fainting, vomiting, heavy bleeding or a very high fever. Do the same for sudden, severe pain in a testicle.
Talking it through with a doctor by video
Dr. Yelamo is a GP licensed in Spain. He sees adults, children and pregnant patients by video, every day from 07:30 to 20:30 (Spain time). In the visit he will:
- Ask about your symptoms, when they started and any recent risk.
- Explain whether this sounds like an STI, a urine infection or something else.
- Tell you which tests you need and where to get them in your area.
- Explain why treatment is an injection given in person, and what to tell partners.
He does not promise any test or prescription before the visit. Where clinically appropriate, following a genuine evaluation. Treatment and prescriptions are issued solely at the doctor's discretion based on evidence-based clinical guidelines.
A prescription is never guaranteed: it is issued only where clinically appropriate after a genuine evaluation, as a private electronic prescription under Spanish law. This service is for urgent, non-emergency care. In an emergency, call 112.
See how the Urgent Care video visit works. It lasts 15 minutes and costs €50.
This guide is general information. It does not replace a consultation with your doctor.
Frequently asked questions
What are the first signs of gonorrhoea?
Burning when you pee and a new discharge from the penis or vagina are the commonest first signs. They usually start about 2 weeks after sex, but many people notice nothing.
Can gonorrhoea go away on its own?
Do not count on it. Without antibiotics it can stay and cause pelvic infection, pain and infertility, even when symptoms fade.
Can an online doctor treat gonorrhoea?
An online GP can assess your symptoms and tell you where to go. Testing needs a lab sample, and the usual treatment is an injection given in person.
How long after treatment can I have sex?
The WHO and CDC say wait 7 days after treatment, and until all your partners are treated too.
Do I need a test after treatment?
Often yes. The NHS asks for a check test about a week after starting treatment, and the CDC advises a repeat test about 3 months later. Follow your clinic's plan.
Where can I get an STI test in Spain?
At your centro de salud, at a public STI clinic in many cities, or at a private clinic. Ask your region's health service for the nearest STI clinic.
Sources
- NHS: Gonorrhoea
- CDC: About gonorrhea
- World Health Organization: Gonorrhoea fact sheet
- NHS: Pelvic inflammatory disease
- UKHSA: 4CMenB vaccine for gonorrhoea
Related guides
Medical Citations & Sources
This content is written and reviewed by a licensed physician with reference to the following official health authorities.
