Where the name comes from
No one knows for certain where "the clap" comes from. The two explanations most often quoted are the old French word clapier, originally a rabbit hutch and later slang for a brothel, and older slang for the swelling and soreness the infection can cause. Neither is settled fact.
Symptoms in men
In men, gonorrhoea often causes a thick yellow or green discharge from the penis and a burning feeling when urinating. Some men also notice pain or tenderness in the testicles. Others have no symptoms at all, so a test is the only way to be sure either way.
If discharge is what has brought you here, a penile discharge assessment at Medical Express Clinic covers the examination alongside testing.
Symptoms in women
In women, gonorrhoea can cause increased vaginal discharge, pain when urinating, bleeding between periods and lower abdominal pain. Many women, though, have no symptoms whatsoever, which is one reason routine testing after a new partner or unprotected sex matters more than simply waiting to feel unwell.
None of these symptoms are unique to gonorrhoea. They overlap with other infections and with conditions that have nothing to do with sex, so a test rather than symptom-watching is the reliable way to know.
Throat and rectal gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea can infect the throat after oral sex and the rectum after anal sex, and both are usually symptomless. A urine sample only tests the genital site, so if you've had oral or anal sex, tell the clinician so a throat or rectal swab can check those sites too. Each site is tested separately; a clear genital result doesn't tell you whether the throat or rectum is also infected.
How the test works at our clinic
A gonorrhoea test uses a urine sample or a swab, and it can be combined with a chlamydia test from the same sample, since the two infections often turn up together. If you'd rather cover more ground in one visit, our STI screening packages include the Bronze screen alongside a consultation.
Ways to test for gonorrhoea at 117A Harley Street:
If you need an answer the same day, FAST testing brings 6-hour gonorrhoea results. Walk in seven days a week at 117A Harley Street when there is capacity, or book online to guarantee a time. No GP referral is needed. Our guide to private STI testing in London explains how a confidential visit works.
Treatment and test of cure
Gonorrhoea is treated by a doctor, with an antibiotic injection or course chosen for you; it isn't something to self-manage or wait out. Because antibiotic resistance is something clinicians watch closely, you're asked to come back for a test of cure 2 weeks after treatment, to confirm it has cleared. Our guide to antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea has more on why resistance matters.
Telling partners
If you test positive, your current partner, and any recent partners, should be tested too, even if they have no symptoms and feel completely well. Without this, you can be reinfected shortly after finishing your own treatment, and the cycle simply repeats. For more on what either of you might notice, see our guide to gonorrhoea symptoms in men and women.
Whether you've got symptoms or you're testing after a new partner, a gonorrhoea test at 117A Harley Street gives you a clear answer within days, or hours on FAST. Walk in seven days a week, or book online for a guaranteed time.
