How is Gonorrhoea Tested?
Whether you’re experiencing symptoms of gonorrhoea or just being proactive, understanding the testing process can help alleviate any concerns and ensure you’re taking the right steps to protect yourself and your partners. So, how do they test for gonorrhoea?
A gonorrhoea infection is usually tested for via one, or more of the following methods, depending on the site of the infection:
- Genital swab (from the cervix or urethra, or the tip of the penis)
- Throat swab
- Rectal swab
- Urine sample
Read on to learn about the types of tests that are used to detect gonorrhoea, how long you wait before testing for gonorrhoea, and how quickly you’ll get your test results back.
How Do They Test For Gonorrhoea?
Gonorrhoea is tested using a fluid sample, which is collected using one of the following four methods. You may need to use multiple methods, depending on the location of the infection:
Genital Swab
The most common way that a sexual health testing provider will test you for gonorrhoea is by doing a simple swab of your genital region with a medical-grade cotton bud (usually smaller than an everyday cotton bud). This only takes a few seconds, and usually isn’t painful. This may include a swab from your cervix or urethra if you have a vagina or a swab from the tip of your penis/urethra.
To ensure your genital swab is as accurate as it can be, avoid using any douches, gels, or creams in and around the vagina 24 hours leading up to your appointment.
Rectal Swab
If you believe you have contracted gonorrhoea from penetrative anal sex, a rectal swab is the best way to test for gonorrhoea. Much like the genital swab, a medical practitioner will use a cotton bud 2-3cm inside your rectal region to collect a sample.
To ensure that your test results are 100% accurate, we recommend completing a rectal swab alongside a genital and throat swab to ensure you haven’t contracted the infection in other parts of the body.
Throat Swab
Similar to a genital or rectal swab, a throat swab may be performed if there’s a possibility of oral gonorrhoea infection (usually contracted via unprotected oral sex with someone who has an infection in their genital region). This involves swabbing the back of the throat to collect a sample for testing, which may be slightly uncomfortable but is over in a few seconds.
Urine Sample
Collecting a urine sample is an ideal non-invasive technique that is sometimes, although less commonly, used when testing for gonorrhoea in the genital region. You’ll use a sterile cup to catch the first part of your urine stream, which is then sealed and sent to the laboratory for testing. To ensure your urine sample is accurate at the time of testing, you should avoid urinating 1-2 hours before your appointment.
Women aren’t usually asked to provide a urine sample for gonorrhoea as it can be less accurate than a vaginal swab, so this is only really recommended for men. If you have contracted a gonorrhoea infection from oral or anal sex, you should instead complete a swab sample instead of a urine sample.
Where Can You Get a Gonorrhoea Test?
Because gonorrhoea is one of the most common STDs in the UK, tests are easy to find. You can find testing services:
- At your local GP clinic
- At a GUM (genitourinary medicine) clinic
- At a private sexual health clinic
- Online, via a postal testing service
Here at Your Sexual Health, we have over 150+ private sexual health clinics located across the UK. By going private, you avoid long NHS wait times, plus, it is far more discreet as it won’t be shown on your medical record.
Prefer to test in the comfort of your own home? We also provide a postal testing service. Simply choose the gonorrhoea test that is right for you, pay online, and a testing kit will be delivered straight to your door. Post the samples back to us, and we’ll notify you of your results online.
How Long Should You Wait Before Testing For Gonorrhoea?
It’s important to wait at least two weeks (14 days) after potential exposure to gonorrhoea before getting tested. Testing too soon can result in a false negative, as the Neisseria gonorrhoeae or gonococcus bacteria may not be detectable yet, resulting in a “false negative” test result.
Learn more about how long you need to wait in order to get an accurate STD test result in one of our helpful blogs: How Long After Sex Should You Test For STDs?
How Quickly Will You Get Gonorrhoea Test Results Back?
If you get tested using the NHS, or other free sexual health services, results will take at least one week, sometimes two, to get back to you.
However, at Your Sexual Health, we pride ourselves on offering speedy turnaround times. If you test at one of our private sexual health clinics, you can expect results within 2-3 days. If you choose one of our instant gonorrhoea tests, which are over 96% accurate, you’ll get your results in under half an hour!
If you’d like more information on how long different STD tests take to come back, read our helpful blog: How Long Does it Take To Get an STD Test Result?
Speedy Turnaround Times With Your Sexual Health
At Your Sexual Health, we understand the anxiety that can come with waiting for test results. That’s why we prioritise quick and accurate testing services, ensuring you get the peace of mind you need as soon as possible. Our standard tests come with turnaround times of 2-3 days, but, we also offer a range of instant testing services – giving you results in less than half an hour!
Get started by visiting our Clinics or Tests page. Unsure which test is right for you? Get in touch with our friendly team – we’d be happy to help!
