Gonorrhoea is a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) caused by a bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae or gonococcus. It used to be known as "the clap". The bacteria can live in warm, moist parts of the body such as the throat, rectum, penis and vagina. If left untreated it can cause infertility in both men and women. 

The bacteria that cause gonorrhoea are mainly gounf in discharge from the penis and in vaginal fluid. Gonorrhoea can easily be passed between people through:

• Unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex.
• Sharing vibrators or other sex toys that have not been washed or covered with a new condom each time they are used.

The bacteria is able to infect the entrance to the womb in women (cervix), the tube that passes urine out of the body (urethra), the rectum and also the throat and eyes (not common). The infection also has the ability to be spread from a pregnany women to her baby. If you are pregnany and have gonorrhoea, is it important that you get tested and treated before the baby is born. Without treatment, gonorrhoea can cause permanent blindness in a newborn baby. 

Gonorrhoea CANNOT be spread by kissing, hugging, swimming pools, toilet seats or sharing of baths, towels, cups, plates or cutlery. The bacteria CANNOT survive OUTSIDE the human body for long. 

In many cases, gonorrohoea can be symptomless. However, if present, symptoms can affect many sites of the body but most commonly will appear in the genital tract. 

Gonorrhoea Affecting The Genital Tract in Men and Women

Signs and symptoms of gonorrhoea infection in women include:

• Painful urination
• Increased vaginal discharge
• Abodminal or pelvic pain
• Vaginal bleeding between periods (e.g after vaginal intercourse)

Signs and symptoms of gonorrhoea infection in men include: 

• Pus-like discharge from the tip of the penis
• Pain or swelling in one testicle
• Pain on urination

Gonorrhoea Affecting Other Parts of The Body

• Eyes - Gonorrohea affecting the eyes is not all that common, however symptoms include hyper sensitivity to light, pain in the eye, and a pus-like discharge from one or both eyes.
• Joints - If one or more of your joints become infected with the bacteria the affected joints may become warm, red, swollen and very painful durin rest and especially when moving. This type of infections is known as septic arthritis. 
• Rectum - Signs and symptoms associated with infection of the rectum include anal itching, a pus-like discharge from the rectum, spots of bright red blood on toilet tissue and having to strain during bowel movements.
• Throat - If your throat is infected with the bacteria you might experience a sore throat and swollen lymphnodes in the neck. These symptoms are however rather common with many infections so it is not safe to assume you have gonorrhoea in your throat if these are the only symptoms you have. If you do suspect infection in your throat then you must undergo furhter investigation using a testing method, 

Everyone is susceptible to gonorrohea if you are engaging in unprotected sexual activities if an infected individual, however sexually active women under the age of 25 and men who have sex with other men are at the highest risk of getting gonorrhoea. Other risk factors associated with increased likelihood of getting gonorrhoea include: 

• Having a sexual partner who has other sexual partners
• Having had a previous history of sexually trasnmitted infections
• Having had Gonorrohea in the past
• Being immunocompromised and having unprotected sex with multople partners
• Having a sex partner 

The more sexual partners you have and the more you have sex, the more likely you are to get a sexually transmitted infection, including gonorrhoea. Using condoms or femdoms for penetrative sex and dental dams for oral sex will significantly reduce your risk of contracting gonorrhoea. To further reduce your risk of getting gonorrhoea, you can use a condom as well as a dental dam for oral sex. Please note, you can still contract gonorrhoea if neither partner cums. 

The current recommended treatment for gonorrhoea is an antibiotic injection in the buttock and a tablet combination. If you however don't have access to a sexual health clinic or have a phobia of needles, current NICE guidlines indicate that combination oral antibiotics can be taken to cure gonorrhoea. 

7-10 days following your dose, you MUST get tested. You must also inform all sexual partners even if you believe you have had protected sex.

You must get re-tested 7-10 days after your treatment before you have have sexual intercourse again. In order to avoid getting infected with gonorrhoea again or spreading gonorrhoea to your partner(s) you and your partner(s) must avoid having sex until you have completed the treatment, been re-tested and received NEGATIVE results for your gonorrhoea test.

If you have contracted gonorrhoea once and received treatment, this DOES NOT MEAN you are immune, you can contract gonorrhoea again; please remain vigilant.