This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

Gonorrhea is a common bacterial infection. It is also one of the most treatable, as long as it is found. The hard part is that many people have no symptoms at all.

This guide covers the symptoms of gonorrhea by body site, why the site you test matters, how clinicians treat it, and what antibiotic resistance means for care. It also covers what the public health data show for Chicago and where to get tested here.

Nothing here can tell you whether you have an infection. Only a test from a clinician or lab can do that.

What gonorrhea is

Gonorrhea is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The CDC describes it as an infection that spreads through vaginal, anal or oral sex. It can also pass from a pregnant person to a baby during birth.

The bacterium can live in several places. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) list the urethra, cervix, rectum, throat and eyes. That is why one infection can look very different from person to person.

Anyone who has sex can get gonorrhea, whatever their gender or orientation. Condoms and dental dams lower the chance of getting it. Regular testing is the most reliable way to find it early.

Symptoms of gonorrhea by body site

The CDC says many people with gonorrhea have no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they depend on where the infection is.

Genital infection

In people with a penis, the CDC lists burning during urination and a white, yellow or green discharge from the penis. Swollen or painful testicles can also happen.

In people with a vagina and cervix, the CDC notes that symptoms are often mild or mistaken for something else. They can include more discharge than usual, burning during urination, and bleeding between periods. Many people have none of these.

Rectal infection

The CDC says rectal gonorrhea often causes no symptoms. When it does, people may notice discharge, anal itching, soreness, bleeding or pain during bowel movements. Rectal infection can happen after receptive anal sex. Other exposures can also play a part, so a clinician may suggest testing this site even if the reader is unsure how it happened.

Throat infection

Throat gonorrhea usually causes no symptoms, according to the CDC. Some people have a sore throat, but that is common with many other illnesses and does not point to gonorrhea on its own.

A throat infection can be passed to a partner even when it feels like nothing. This is one reason clinicians ask about oral sex and not just genital contact.

Other places

Gonorrhea can reach the eyes. The CDC also describes a rare form where the bacteria spread through the bloodstream, which can cause joint pain, skin sores and fever. Anyone with symptoms like these should see a clinician promptly.

Why site-specific testing matters

A urine test only samples the urinary tract. It can miss an infection that is only in the throat or rectum.

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend testing at each site of sexual exposure for people who may have been exposed there. For example, the CDC recommends that men who have sex with men be screened at least once a year at the urethra, rectum and throat if they have had exposure at those sites. Screening can be more frequent for people at higher risk, based on a clinician's advice.

The CDC recommends nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) as the preferred type of test. These look for the genetic material of the bacterium. Depending on the site, a clinician may collect:

a urine sample
a vaginal or cervical swab, which can sometimes be self-collected
a throat swab
a rectal swab

Tell the clinician which kinds of sex you have had. You do not need to explain more than that. The goal is to test the right places, and there is nothing to be embarrassed about.

The CDC does not publish one fixed window period for gonorrhea in its guidelines. If a recent exposure is on your mind, ask the clinician when a test is most likely to be informative, and whether to repeat it later.

Who the guidelines say should be screened

Screening means testing someone who has no symptoms. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends gonorrhea screening for sexually active women 24 years and younger, and for older women who are at increased risk. The CDC adds recommendations for men who have sex with men, and for people with a new partner or more than one partner.

The CDC also recommends testing for people who are pregnant and at risk, and for anyone with symptoms. People who have been diagnosed with another STI are often advised to be tested for gonorrhea, as well as for HIV and syphilis.

A clinician can tell you which of these apply to your situation. A short conversation about your recent partners and the sex you have had is usually all it takes.

Is gonorrhea curable?

Yes. The CDC says gonorrhea can be cured with the right antibiotics. Treatment is prescribed or given by a clinician. It is not something to treat with leftover medicine or antibiotics from another source.

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) name an injectable antibiotic called ceftriaxone as the recommended treatment for uncomplicated gonorrhea. Your clinician decides the exact drug and amount, since the right choice depends on the site of infection, your health history and any allergies. This article does not give doses, because those belong in a clinician's hands.

Some key points from the CDC about gonorrhea treatment:

Treatment cures the infection but does not undo damage already done, such as scarring in the reproductive tract.
Getting gonorrhea once does not protect against getting it again.
People are advised to avoid sex for seven days after treatment, and until their partners have been treated, to prevent passing it back and forth.
The CDC recommends retesting about three months after treatment, because repeat infection is common.

Safety and allergies

Tell the clinician about any allergy to antibiotics, especially penicillin or cephalosporin medicines. The CDC guidelines include alternative approaches for people who cannot take the usual first choice, and a clinician can choose among them.

Tell the clinician if you are pregnant or may be. Also mention any other medicines you take. This helps them choose a safe option.

Test of cure and the throat

For uncomplicated gonorrhea of the genitals or rectum, the CDC says a routine test of cure is not needed after recommended treatment. A test of cure is a follow-up test to confirm the infection is gone.

Throat infection is treated a little differently. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) say that people treated for throat gonorrhea with an alternative regimen should return for a test of cure, ideally 7 to 14 days after treatment. The CDC notes that throat infections can be harder to clear with some antibiotics, which is why follow-up matters.

The CDC also says that anyone whose symptoms continue after treatment should be re-evaluated. In that case a clinician may send a culture to a lab to test which antibiotics work against the bacteria.

Treating partners

Partners need to be tested and treated too, or the infection can return. The CDC recommends that recent partners be evaluated, generally those within the 60 days before symptoms started or before the test.

Illinois law permits expedited partner therapy for gonorrhea. According to the CDC's legal status page for Illinois, the statute (410 ILCS 325/6(e)) authorizes it for chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis. It limits the practice to partners exposed within the previous 60 days. It also requires the clinician to give counseling and Illinois Department of Public Health written materials for the partner. Ask your clinician whether it is an option for you.

Antibiotic resistance and why guidance changes

The CDC reports that Neisseria gonorrhoeae has developed resistance to nearly every class of antibiotic used against it over the years. That is why treatment recommendations have changed several times.

CDC treatment guidance now centers on ceftriaxone. An earlier approach that paired it with a second antibiotic was changed because of growing resistance to the second drug. The CDC continues to monitor resistance through national surveillance and updates guidance when it changes.

For readers, this has two practical meanings:

Take the treatment your clinician prescribes exactly as directed, and do not share or save antibiotics.
Go back if symptoms continue after treatment, so the clinician can check whether another approach is needed.

What about doxy-PEP?

In 2024 the CDC issued guidance on doxycycline taken after sex (doxy-PEP) for some people. It applies to men who have sex with men and transgender women who have had a bacterial STI in the past 12 months. The CDC says research suggests doxy-PEP lowers the chance of syphilis and chlamydia. The effect on gonorrhea appears smaller, in part because resistance to this antibiotic class is common in gonorrhea bacteria.

This is a conversation to have with a clinician, who can weigh benefits and risks. The Illinois Department of Public Health lists doxy-PEP guidance on its STD page. Howard Brown Health offers doxy-PEP by appointment.

Possible complications if gonorrhea is not treated

The CDC says untreated gonorrhea can lead to health problems, though not everyone is affected. In people with a cervix, it can spread to the uterus and tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease. This can lead to long-term pelvic pain, trouble getting pregnant, or pregnancy outside the uterus.

In people with a penis, it can cause painful swelling of the tube beside the testicle, called epididymitis. This is rarely a cause of infertility.

The CDC also notes that having gonorrhea can make it easier to get or pass HIV. A baby exposed during birth can develop an eye infection. These are good reasons to test and treat, and none of them is a reason for shame.

Gonorrhea in Chicago: what the data show

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) publishes reported cases by county and jurisdiction. IDPH reports that the City of Chicago had 12,382 reported gonorrhea cases in 2022, a rate of 459.3 per 100,000 people. IDPH calculates its rates using 2010 U.S. Census population.

For comparison, the CDC's 2023 STI Surveillance state ranking tables show an Illinois statewide rate of 202.3 per 100,000 (25,387 cases), which ranks 13th among states. These figures come from different years and different sources, so they should not be treated as a direct side-by-side comparison.

Reported cases reflect people who were tested and diagnosed. They are not a count of everyone who has the infection, and they do not say how any one person should feel about their own risk. They do show that testing is a routine part of care in Chicago.

Illinois law requires health care professionals to report gonorrhea to public health within seven days of diagnosis or treatment. In Chicago, reports go to the local health department, according to the Illinois Administrative Code (77 Ill. Adm. Code Part 693). This is how health departments track trends and help partners get care.

Where to get tested in Chicago

Several clinics in Chicago offer STI testing and treatment. Costs vary, and not every clinic publishes a price. Use the list below to start, then call to confirm hours and cost before you go. For a fuller local rundown, see our guide to where to get tested for STDs in Chicago and what it costs.

Clinic	Address and phone	Walk-in and cost notes
Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) Sexual Health Clinic, Lakeview	2849 N. Clark St., 1st Fl.; 312.744.5507	CDPH says to call for an appointment, with limited walk-ins. Care is provided regardless of ability to pay or insurance status. The page does not say visits are free.
CDPH Sexual Health Clinic, Austin	4909 W. Division St., Suite 411; 312.746.4871	Same CDPH appointment and walk-in note as above.
CDPH Sexual Health Clinic, Roseland	200 E. 115th St., 1.5 fl.; 312.747.1090	Same CDPH appointment and walk-in note as above.
Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center (Cook County Health)	2020 W. Harrison St., 60612; 312-572-4700	Walk-in STI Screening Clinic. Cook County Health says to call Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, and that same-day HIV and STI services are provided. CDC GetTested lists a sliding scale.
Howard Brown Health, Sheridan	4025 N. Sheridan Rd., 60613; 773.388.1600	Walk-in, no appointment needed, first come, first served. Howard Brown describes the service as low-cost and offers a sliding fee program based on income and family size.
Howard Brown Health, 63rd St.	641 W. 63rd St., 60621; 773.388.1600	Same walk-in and sliding fee information as above.
Broadway Youth Center (Howard Brown Health)	1023 W. Irving Park Road, 60613; 773.388.1600	Walk-in. Howard Brown's site describes youth services for ages 12 to 24.
Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Rogers Park Health Center	5725 N Broadway, 60660; (773) 942-7193	CDC GetTested says an appointment is required and lists insurance and Medicaid as accepted. A self-pay or sliding scale option is not stated, so ask the center.

CDPH clinic hours differ by site and day, and the clinics close from 12 to 1 pm and on City holidays. CDPH asks people to call the clinic to verify hours. Its sexual health services page is the best place to check current days and times.

You can also find more sites through the CDC's national locator at gettested.cdc.gov. Enter a Chicago ZIP code to see nearby options, with services and payment types.

Cost and privacy

Cost depends on the clinic and on whether you have insurance. Clinics with sliding fee programs set the price by income and household size. If a clinic's page does not list a price, ask when you call. It is fine to ask before booking.

Under Illinois law, a minor 12 years of age or older who may have come into contact with a sexually transmitted disease can consent to health care related to prevention, diagnosis or treatment. Parental consent is not necessary (410 ILCS 210/4). The statute also says providers make reasonable efforts to involve the family if they believe it will not be harmful. Each STD case must be reported to public health.

Illinois repealed its HIV-specific criminal transmission statute in 2021 (P.A. 102-168). Gonorrhea has no such statute.

Judging the quality of a testing source

Not every place that offers a test is the same. A few questions help you judge quality:

Does it test the right sites? A good clinic asks about your exposures and offers throat and rectal swabs when they apply.
Does it use NAAT testing? This is the CDC's preferred method. Ask if you are unsure.
Can it treat you or connect you to treatment? Several Chicago clinics above test and treat at the same place.
Does it explain follow-up? That includes retesting, partner care and, for throat infections, a possible test of cure.
Is it a public health department, hospital system or nonprofit health center? These are the sources the CDC links to through its locator.

What to ask at your visit

Which sites should be tested, based on the sex I have had?
Will I also be offered HIV and syphilis testing?
How and when will I get results?
If treatment is needed, what will the clinician prescribe, and when should I return for follow-up?
How do I let partners know, and is expedited partner therapy an option?
Is doxy-PEP or PrEP something to discuss for me?

The bottom line

Gonorrhea is curable, but it often has no symptoms, so symptoms alone are not a reliable guide. Testing the right body sites is how clinicians find it. If treatment is needed, the CDC's current approach relies on an antibiotic that a clinician prescribes, with follow-up for throat infections.

Chicago has public, nonprofit and county clinics that offer testing, several with walk-in hours or sliding fees. Call ahead to confirm hours and cost. You can also contact the Illinois HIV/STD Hotline at 1-800-243-2437 for information.

Gonorrhea: Symptoms, Testing and Treatment in Chicago