Gonorrhoea: Symptoms, Testing and Treatment in Nigeria

Gonorrhoea (also spelled gonorrhea) is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It can infect the genitals, rectum, throat and eyes. Many people have no symptoms, so it often goes unnoticed, but it is easy to test for and can be cured with the right antibiotics. Here are the symptoms, how it is tested and treated in Nigeria, and how to protect yourself.

How is gonorrhoea spread?

• Vaginal, anal or oral sex without a condom with someone who has the infection
• Sharing sex toys that haven’t been washed or covered with a new condom
• From mother to baby during childbirth

You can’t catch gonorrhoea from kissing, hugging, toilet seats, swimming pools or sharing cups and towels.

Gonorrhoea symptoms in men

Symptoms usually appear within 2 to 14 days of infection, though some men have none. They include:

• Burning or pain when urinating
• White, yellow or green discharge from the penis
• Pain or swelling in the testicles (less common)

Gonorrhoea symptoms in women

About half of women with gonorrhoea have no symptoms. When symptoms happen, they can be mild and mistaken for a urine or vaginal infection:

• Pain or burning when urinating
• Unusual vaginal discharge, which may be thin, watery, yellow or green
• Bleeding between periods or after sex
• Pain in the lower abdomen or during sex

Symptoms in the rectum, throat and eyes

Infection in the rectum can cause pain, discharge or itching. Throat infections usually cause no symptoms. In the eyes, gonorrhoea causes redness, swelling and discharge, and in newborn babies it can lead to blindness if not treated quickly.

Complications if left untreated

• Women: pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), long-term pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility
• Men: painful infection of the testicles and, rarely, reduced fertility
• Both: a higher risk of getting or passing on HIV, and rarely, infection spreading to the joints, skin and blood
• Pregnancy: risk of miscarriage, premature birth and eye infection in the newborn

How gonorrhoea is tested

Testing is quick and usually painless. Your doctor may test a urine sample, or use a swab from the vagina, cervix, penis, throat or rectum, depending on the type of sex you have had. It’s a good idea to test for other STIs at the same time, including chlamydia, syphilis and HIV. See a doctor if you have symptoms, if a partner has an STI, or after unprotected sex with a new partner.

Gonorrhoea treatment in Nigeria

Gonorrhoea is treated with antibiotics prescribed by a doctor, usually an injection (most often ceftriaxone), sometimes along with tablets.

• Don’t self-medicate. Gonorrhoea has become resistant to many antibiotics that used to work. Buying antibiotics over the counter, or using leftover or herbal treatments, may not cure the infection and can make resistance worse.
• Take all the medicine exactly as prescribed.
• Avoid sex for 7 days after treatment, and until your partner or partners have also been treated, so you don’t get reinfected.
• Tell your recent sexual partners so they can be tested and treated, even if they have no symptoms.
• Go back to your doctor if symptoms don’t improve within a few days, and consider a repeat test after about 3 months, as reinfection is common.

Treatment cures the infection, but it can’t undo damage that has already happened, such as scarring from PID. That’s why early testing matters.

How to prevent gonorrhoea

• Use a condom every time you have vaginal, anal or oral sex
• Get tested regularly if you have new or multiple partners
• Talk openly with partners about testing before having sex
• Pregnant women should be tested as part of antenatal care

Read more about the health risks of oral sex and common sex myths.

Reliance HMO members can speak to a doctor privately in the Reliance Care app. Download it for iPhone or Android.

Frequently asked questions

Can gonorrhoea go away on its own?
No. It needs antibiotic treatment. Without treatment it can cause serious complications, even if you have no symptoms.

How soon do gonorrhoea symptoms appear?
Usually within 2 to 14 days, but many people, especially women, never get symptoms.

Can I get gonorrhoea again after treatment?
Yes. Treatment doesn’t make you immune, so use condoms and make sure partners are treated.

This article is for general information and does not replace advice from your doctor.

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