Symptoms of Gonorrhea

Published May 16, 2021

Gonorrhea can be tricky, because you or your partner may not have any symptoms. The signs of gonorrhea may be so mild you do not even notice them. Sometimes people have to trouble gonorrhea symptoms with other infections. Lots of people do not even realize they have gonorrhea – that’s why it’s so common (and why it’s so important to get tested). Gonorrhea can lead to serious health problems and even infertility if you do not treat it. But it’s usually easy to cure it with medicine. This is why regular STD testing is so important, no matter how healthy you feel. Symptoms of gonorrhea Most people with vaginas who get gonorrhea do not have any symptoms. If they do, gonorrhea symptoms show up within a week of being infected. These include:

Gold bread burning feeling when you pee
Abnormal discharge from the vagina that may be yellowish or bloody
Bleeding between periods

People with penises are more likely to have symptoms if they get gonorrhea. The symptoms usually begin within a week after they get the infection. These include:

Yellow, white, or green discharge from your penis
Gold bread burning feeling when you pee
Gold bread swelling in your testicles

Gonorrhea can also infect your anus if you have anal sex, or you can spread the infection to your anus from another part of your body (like by wiping after you go to the bathroom). Anal gonorrhea often does not have any symptoms. But signs of gonorrhea in your anus can include:

Itching in or around your anus
Discharge from your anus
Pain when you poop

Gonorrhea infections in the throat also rarely cause symptoms. It’s usually just a sore throat. If you or your partner go to a nurse, doctor, or your local Planned Parenthood Health Center. It’s especially important to get checked out if you’re pregnant. The only way to know for sure if you have gonorrhea is to get tested.

What are the gonorrhea symptoms in women?

Most women with gonorrhea do not have any symptoms. If you do get symptoms, they usually show up between 2 and 14 days after having sex with someone infected. Symptoms can also show up later. Even without symptoms, if you have gonorrhea and you cannot get it treated, it can cause other health problems: Causes of your reproductive system, increasing your risk of getting or giving HIV, causes pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or lead to infertility. In rare cases, it can be spread to your blood or joints. That’s why it’s so important to regularly get tested for STDs if you’ve had vaginal, anal, oral sex. Gonorrhea symptoms are usually mild and can easily be mistaken for vaginal infection. They can include:

Gold bread burning when you pee
The urge to pee more than usual
Unusual vaginal discharge
Vaginal bleeding between periods
Painful sex
Bread in your belly
A fever

You can also get gonorrhea in your butt, usually getting anal sex. Symptoms are not common, but you might notice:

An itchy or sore anus (butthole)
Discharge or bleeding
Painful bowel movements

Fun fact: Gonorrhea symptoms in women are most likely to show up in the morning. If you have any of these symptoms, or if your partner has been diagnosed with gonorrhea or another STD, or if your partner has symptoms, check with your doctor or nurse or your local Planned Parenthood health center right away.

What are the gonorrhea symptoms in men?

Most men with gonorrhea do not have any symptoms. If they do get symptoms, they usually show up between 2 and 14 days after having sex with someone infected. Symptoms can also show up later. Even if you have symptoms, you may have problems with it. Untreated gonorrhea can cause your reproductive system, increase your risk of getting or giving HIV, cause epididymitis, or lead to infertility. In rare cases, it can be spread to your blood or joints. That’s why it’s so important to regularly get tested for STDs if you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Gonorrhea symptoms in men can include:

burning sensation when urinating (hence the term “hot-piss”);
The urge to pee more than usual
Pus or white, yellow, or green discharge coming from your penis
Swelling or redness at the opening of your penis
Pain and swelling in one or both of your testicles

You can also get gonorrhea in your butt, usually getting anal sex. Symptoms are not common, but you might notice:

An itchy or sore anus (butthole)
Discharge or bleeding
Painful bowel movements
Fun fact: gonorrhea symptoms in men show up most often in the morning.

If you have any of these symptoms, or if your partner has been diagnosed with gonorrhea or another STD, or if your partner has symptoms, check with your doctor or nurse or your local Planned Parenthood health center right away.

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This page is for general informational purposes only and isn't a substitute for advice from a healthcare provider about a specific situation.

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