Bacteria
called Neisseria gonorrhoea, or gonococcus cause gonorrhoea. Some people used
to refer to it as “the clap.” It is passed between someone who is having
unprotected anal, oral or vaginal sex with a person who has it or by sharing
unwashed sex toys that have not been covered with a condom. (1,2)
Symptoms
vary between men and women, although some men and women experience no symptoms
at all. Around half of women and 1 in 10 men have no symptoms. However,
symptoms in men include an unusual discharge from the tip of the penis, pain
when urinating and sometimes, pain in the testicles. Women who are infected may
experience an unusual discharge, pain when urinating, lower abdomen pain and,
rarely, bleeding between periods. (1,2)
Gonorrhoea
is an STI that is very simple to treat. It is no longer necessary to visit a GP
to obtain a gonorrhoea cure. Treatment, after taking an STI test, comes in the
form of a single dose of 2 antibiotics called Azithromycin and Cefixime. This
treatment also clears chlamydia and can
be bought online. (3,4)
Common
myths about gonorrhoea include that it can be caught from kissing and hugging, toilet
seats, in swimming pools or sharing cups, plates and so on. (1)
A
person taking a gonorrhoea cure must refrain from any sexual activity for 7 days after taking the treatment.. They
should then take another STI test two weeks after taking the gonorrhoea drug. If a person buys a
gonorrhoea cure online, it can be delivered the next working day within a
one-hour time slot or at a designated pick-up point. (1,2)
1.
NHS gonorrhoea, [cited 29 June 2018], available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gonorrhoea/
2.
Family Planning Association, gonorrhoea information, [cited April 2019].
Available at https://www.fpa.org.uk/sites/default/files/gonorrhoea-information-and-advice.pdf
3.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Azithromycin, [cited
October 2019]. Available at https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/azithromycin.html
4.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Cefixime, [cited
October 2019]. Available at https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/cefixime.html#indicationsAndDoses
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