Is It Just a UTI — or Could It Be Gonorrhoea? How To Know When To Test

Many people mistake early gonorrhoea symptoms for a simple urinary tract infection (UTI). Both can cause burning when you urinate, pelvic discomfort, and increased urgency to go to the bathroom. But while UTIs are caused by bacteria in the urinary tract, gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection that can spread and cause serious complications if left untreated.

If your UTI-like symptoms don’t go away quickly with treatment, or if you’ve recently had new or unprotected sexual partners, it may be time to test for gonorrhoea — just to be safe.

Here’s what you NEED to know:

What is Gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhoea is the second most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) in both men and women (Raccagni et al., 2023). It spreads through vaginal, anal, or oral sex and is caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium (World Health Organization, 2024).

The bacteria that causes gonorrhoea has developed resistance to many antibiotics (Raccagni et al., 2023), making early testing and treatment crucial.

How Do You Get Gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhoea spreads through sexual contact involving the penis, vagina, mouth, or rectum of an infected person (World Health Organization, 2024).

How To Protect Yourself

While no method offers full protection, you can reduce your risk by:

• Using condoms consistently and correctly

• Avoiding sex with partners who show STI symptoms

• Getting tested regularly, especially if you have new or multiple partners

What Are the Symptoms of Gonorrhoea?

Many people with gonorrhoea do not notice any symptoms — which is why regular testing is so important if you’ve had unprotected sex or think you may have been exposed.

When symptoms do appear, they usually develop about two weeks after infection, though in some cases they may take several months to show.

Symptoms in Women

If you have a vagina, gonorrhoea may cause (National Health Service [NHS], 2024):

• Yellow or green vaginal discharge

• A burning sensation when urinating

• Pain or discomfort in your lower abdomen

• Spotting or bleeding between periods (less common)

Symptoms in Men

If you have a penis, gonorrhoea may cause (National Health Service [NHS], 2024):

• A burning sensation when urinating

• Discharge from the penis

• Pain or tenderness in the testicles

Gonorrhoea in Other Areas

Gonorrhoea can also infect other parts of the body that come into contact with infected fluids (National Health Service [NHS], 2024):

• Anus — pain, itching or discharge

• Throat — soreness or irritation

• Eyes — redness, discomfort and discharge

Why Testing Matters

• Many women with gonorrhoea have no symptoms — but untreated infections can cause serious complications. These include pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and pregnancy complications.

• Gonorrhoea can also be passed to newborns during delivery, causing eye infections that may lead to blindness if untreated.

• Regular testing helps catch infections early, protecting your health and that of your partners.

Testing With Epicentre

At Epicentre, testing is simple, private, and accessible.

You have two options:

1️⃣ Walk-In Testing At Our Lab

Visit one of our branches — no doctor referral needed. Simply walk in or book online. Our team will take care of everything discreetly and professionally.

2️⃣ Test At Home With STI Test In A Box

Prefer privacy? Order our STI Test In A Box.

– Collect your sample at home

– Use the prepaid shipping label to send it to our certified lab

– Receive your results confidentially online

Booking is easy — just visit Epicentre to choose the option that works for you.

All Our STI Packages (In Lab)

  • Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Package

    Includes: E. coli, E. faecalis, C. albicans, C. albicans, C. dubliniensis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. lusitaniae, Candida parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, S. aureus S. agalactiae

    Lab results in 5 to 7 working days - No referral required

  • Women’s Large Sexual Health Package

    Includes: Atopobium vaginae, Bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria 2 (BVAB2), Candida spp, Chlamydia trachomatis, Escherichia coli O18, Gardnerella vaginalis, Herpes simplex virus, Human Papilloma virus (HPV), Lactobacillus spp, Mobiluncus spp, Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma hominis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Prevotella bivia, Trichomonas vaginalis, Uncultured Megasphaera spp, Ureaplasma urealyticum

    Lab results in 5 to 7 working days - No referral required

  • Comprehensive HPV Package

    Includes: HPV-6, HPV-11, HPV-40, HPV-42, HPV-43, HPV-44, HPV-54, HPV-61, HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-26, HPV-31, HPV-33, HPV-35, HPV-39, HPV-45, HPV-51, HPV-52, HPV-53, HPV-56, HPV-58, HPV-59, HPV-66, HPV-68, HPV-69, HPV-70, HPV-73

    Lab results in 2-5 working days. No referral required

  • Women’s Extra Large Sexual Health Package

    Includes: Atopobium vaginae, BVAB2, Bacteroides fragilis, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli O18. Gardnerella vaginalis, Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus iners, Lactobacillus jensenii, Mobiluncus curtisii, Mobiluncus mulieris, Prevotella bivia, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Uncultured Megasphaera 1, Unclutured Megasphaera 2, Candida albicans, Candida dubliniensis, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, Candida lusitaniae, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis, Chlamydia trachomatis, Haemophilus ducreyi, Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasm hominis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Trichomonas vaginalis, Herpes Simplex Virus type 1, Herpes simplex virus type 2, HPV

    Lab results in 5 to 7 working days - No referral required

Our Home Packages

  • Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Package

    Includes: E. coli, E. faecalis, C. albicans, C. albicans, C. dubliniensis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. lusitaniae, Candida parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, S. aureus S. agalactiae

    Lab results in 5 to 7 working days - No referral required

  • Women’s Large Sexual Health Package

    Includes: Atopobium vaginae, Bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria 2 (BVAB2), Candida spp, Chlamydia trachomatis, Escherichia coli O18, Gardnerella vaginalis, Herpes simplex virus, Human Papilloma virus (HPV), Lactobacillus spp, Mobiluncus spp, Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma hominis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Prevotella bivia, Trichomonas vaginalis, Uncultured Megasphaera spp, Ureaplasma urealyticum

    Lab results in 5 to 7 working days - No referral required

  • Gut Health Package

    Includes: Akkermansia muciniphila, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium genus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, H. Pylori, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus genus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Roseburia hominis, Streptococcus thermophilus, Bacteroides fragilis, Escherichia coli, Prevotella genus, Bacteroides genus, Candida albicans, Clostridium difficile, Enterococcus faecalis, Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Campylobacter spp., Clostridioides difficile, Plesiomonas shigelloides, Salmonella spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Vibrio spp., Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), Shiga-like E. coli (STEC).

    Lab results in 5-7 working days. No referral required

  • Comprehensive HPV Package

    Includes: HPV-6, HPV-11, HPV-40, HPV-42, HPV-43, HPV-44, HPV-54, HPV-61, HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-26, HPV-31, HPV-33, HPV-35, HPV-39, HPV-45, HPV-51, HPV-52, HPV-53, HPV-56, HPV-58, HPV-59, HPV-66, HPV-68, HPV-69, HPV-70, HPV-73

    Lab results in 2-5 working days. No referral required

Meet The Author

Loryn Smith is a compassionate Research Assistant at Epicentre Health Research with a Master’s degree in Psychology focused on research methodology and community health.

She has a passion for supporting disadvantaged populations and addressing social inequalities. Loryn combines her research expertise with hands-on fieldwork coordination to help improve health outcomes and empower communities.

References

National Health Service (NHS). (2024, December 16). Gonorrhoea. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gonorrhoea/

Raccagni, A. R., Ranzenigo, M., Bruzzesi, E., Maci, C., Castagna, A., & Nozza, S. (2023). Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial resistance: The future of antibiotic therapy. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(24), 7767. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12247767mdpi.com+1researchgate.net+1

World Health Organization. (2024, July 4). Gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/gonorrhoea-(neisseria-gonorrhoeae-infection)