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, and it is one of the easiest STIs to miss. Many people have no symptoms at all. That is why testing, not guesswork, is how anyone learns their status.

This guide covers what the CDC says about symptoms of gonorrhea in the genital tract, throat and rectum. It explains why testing each site matters, how gonorrhea treatment works, and whether gonorrhea is curable. It also covers antibiotic resistance, what Houston's numbers look like and where to get tested for free or at a reduced cost.

The tone here is plain on purpose. Gonorrhea is a health condition, not a verdict on anyone. It affects people of every gender, orientation and background.

The short answers

Is gonorrhea curable? Yes. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) describe gonorrhea as curable with antibiotics prescribed by a clinician.
Do symptoms always show up? No. The CDC says many people with gonorrhea have no symptoms, especially in the throat and rectum.
Who treats it? A clinician decides the medicine. This page names what clinicians use but gives no doses, because that is a clinical decision.
Where can you test in Houston? The Houston Health Department, Harris County Public Health and several community clinics offer testing. Details are below.

What gonorrhea is: the organism, in plain terms

This is the science-first section. Gonorrhea is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It is a Gram-negative diplococcus, which means it appears under a microscope as paired, bean-shaped cells.

The CDC explains that the bacterium infects warm, moist mucous membranes. That includes the urethra, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, rectum, throat and eyes. This is the biological reason the infection can show up in more than one place in the body.

The bacterium has a few features that matter for testing and treatment:

It attaches to cells using surface hairs called pili. Research suggests these structures also change over time, which helps the bacterium avoid the immune system. Researchers describe this as one reason a past infection does not appear to give lasting protection.
It can pick up genetic material from other bacteria. The CDC notes that this ability is part of how N. gonorrhoeae has developed resistance to many antibiotics over the decades.
It does not survive well outside the body. It spreads through contact between mucous membranes during vaginal, anal or oral sex, and it can pass from a pregnant person to a baby during birth, according to the CDC.

Because the same bacterium can live at different sites, one test of one site does not describe the whole body. The next sections explain why that matters.

Symptoms of gonorrhea by site

The CDC lists the symptoms below as possible. None of them are proof of gonorrhea, and many other conditions cause the same signs. Only a test can say what is going on.

Genital symptoms

According to the CDC, symptoms of gonorrhea in the genital tract can include:

A burning feeling when urinating.
A white, yellow or green discharge from the penis.
Pain or swelling in one or both testicles.
More vaginal discharge than usual.
Bleeding between periods.

The CDC notes that people with a cervix often have mild symptoms or none. Mild signs can be mistaken for a yeast infection or a bladder infection. Symptoms, when they happen, often appear within about a week or two of infection, but they can take longer, and many people never notice any.

Throat symptoms

Gonorrhea in the throat usually causes no symptoms, according to the CDC. When symptoms do occur, the most common one is a sore throat. A sore throat has many common causes, so it is not a reliable sign of a throat infection by itself.

Rectal symptoms

The CDC says rectal gonorrhea may cause no symptoms. When it does, people can notice:

Discharge from the rectum.
Anal itching or soreness.
Bleeding.
Painful bowel movements.

Anyone, regardless of gender, can have a throat or rectal infection depending on the kind of sex they have. This is a matter of anatomy and contact, not identity.

When symptoms call for prompt care

The CDC warns that untreated gonorrhea can lead to complications. In people with a uterus it can spread to the reproductive organs and cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which can affect fertility and cause long-term pelvic pain. In people with a penis it can cause epididymitis, which is painful inflammation near the testicles. Rarely, the bacterium enters the bloodstream and causes joint pain, skin sores or fever. The CDC also says that having gonorrhea can make it easier to get or pass on HIV.

If any of these symptoms are happening, a clinic visit is the right next step. Urgent care or an emergency room is appropriate for severe pelvic or testicular pain, fever or a swollen, painful joint.

Why testing each site matters

This is one of the most important points in the CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021). The guidelines recommend testing at the sites of sexual exposure. A urine test or a genital swab will not show whether the bacterium is in the throat or rectum.

Here is how that plays out in practice:

Infections can be present at one site and not another. A person with a negative urine test could still have a throat or rectal infection that went untested.
Throat and rectal infections often have no symptoms. Waiting for symptoms to decide whether to test can miss them.
Untreated infections can continue to pass between partners. The CDC notes that throat infections can be hard to clear and can contribute to ongoing spread.

The standard test is a nucleic acid amplification test, or NAAT. The CDC describes NAATs as the recommended test for gonorrhea. They detect the genetic material of the bacterium. The sample can be urine, a swab from the vagina, throat or rectum, or a swab from the urethra. Some people can collect their own vaginal, throat or rectal swab, and the CDC guidelines say self-collected vaginal swabs perform well.

The CDC guidelines do not set one waiting period after exposure that this page can quote for gonorrhea. If you had a recent exposure, a clinician or the health department can tell you what timing makes sense for your situation and whether to test again later.

Is gonorrhea curable? Treatment explained

Yes, gonorrhea is curable. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend antibiotic treatment, and most infections clear when treated as prescribed.

What the CDC approach looks like

For uncomplicated gonorrhea, the CDC recommends a single injection of the antibiotic ceftriaxone given by a clinician. If a chlamydia infection has not been ruled out, the guidelines also say a clinician should treat for chlamydia, because the two infections often occur together. The exact medicine, dose and plan are the clinician's decision. Treatment may differ for pregnancy, for allergies or for infections that have spread.

A few practical points from CDC guidance:

Treatment should not be delayed. A clinician may treat based on symptoms and exposure before test results return.
Avoid sex until treatment is complete. The CDC advises waiting until treatment is finished and symptoms have gone, and until partners are treated.
Partners need care too. Sexual partners from the recent past should be evaluated and treated. This protects them and prevents the infection from passing back and forth.
Retesting is advised. The CDC recommends that people treated for gonorrhea be retested about three months later, because repeat infections are common.

Test-of-cure for throat infections

A test-of-cure is a follow-up test to confirm treatment worked. The CDC guidelines say it is not needed for urogenital or rectal gonorrhea treated with a recommended regimen. Throat infection is treated differently. The CDC says a person with throat gonorrhea who was treated with an alternative regimen should return for a test-of-cure, using culture or NAAT, about 7 to 14 days after treatment. The reason is that alternative regimens work less reliably in the throat. A clinician will tell you whether this applies.

The CDC also says that anyone whose symptoms continue after treatment should go back to a clinician, who may use a culture to check how the bacterium responds to antibiotics.

Treating partners in Texas

The CDC's legal summary for Texas says there is no expedited partner therapy statute. Instead, Texas Medical Board and pharmacy rules in the Texas Administrative Code allow a physician to prescribe STD medication for partners of an established patient without examining them, and pharmacists may dispense those prescriptions. A clinician can say whether this option fits your situation.

Safety profile and questions to raise with a clinician

This is the safety section. Any prescription has trade-offs, and the right plan depends on the person. These are general topics the CDC guidelines say clinicians consider. They are not medical advice.

Allergies. Tell the clinician about any past reaction to penicillin, cephalosporins or other antibiotics. The CDC guidelines include alternatives for people who cannot take the first-choice medicine, and the clinician picks what fits.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding. The CDC addresses treatment in pregnancy separately. A clinician chooses medicines considered appropriate for pregnancy.
Other medicines. Mention everything you take, including supplements, so the clinician can check for interactions.
Side effects. Antibiotics can cause stomach upset or other reactions. Ask what to watch for and when to call.
Co-infections. The CDC recommends testing for other STIs, including chlamydia, syphilis and HIV, when gonorrhea is found or suspected. Ask about a full panel.

Antibiotic resistance: what research suggests

The CDC describes N. gonorrhoeae as a bacterium that has repeatedly developed resistance to the antibiotics used against it. Over the years, medicines that once worked have been removed from the recommended list. CDC surveillance reports have flagged rising resistance to some drug classes, and public health programs monitor for strains that respond poorly to ceftriaxone, the injectable medicine now recommended.

Research suggests several things help slow resistance:

Using the treatment a clinician selects, rather than leftover or borrowed antibiotics.
Getting tested and retested so infections are not left to spread.
Treating partners so infections do not pass back.
Returning to a clinician if symptoms continue after treatment.

Resistance does not mean gonorrhea is untreatable today. It means treatment recommendations are updated as the CDC learns more, and a clinician working from current guidance is the best source.

Doxy-PEP and gonorrhea

In 2024 the CDC issued guidance on doxycycline taken after sex, called doxy-PEP, to lower the chance of certain bacterial STIs. The CDC guidance is aimed at gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and transgender women, who have had a bacterial STI in the past year. The CDC says the evidence is strongest for syphilis and chlamydia, and weaker for gonorrhea, partly because many gonorrhea strains are already resistant to doxycycline. Whether doxy-PEP is right for a person is a decision to make with a clinician. Legacy Community Health lists doxy-PEP among the services at its Montrose location.

Gonorrhea in Houston: the local picture

The most recent county-level figures available come from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Texas STD Surveillance Report 2022. It reports 12,935 gonorrhea cases in Harris County in 2022, a rate of 270.6 per 100,000 people. For the same year, DSHS reports 62,174 cases statewide, a rate of 207.0 per 100,000.

These are reported cases, so they reflect who was tested and diagnosed. They are not a count of everyone who had an infection. DSHS notes that numbers for prior years may change. The county and state figures here are both from the same DSHS report and year, so they are comparable with each other.

Texas DSHS lists gonorrhea as a notifiable condition, which means labs and clinicians report cases to public health, generally within one week. Reporting supports tracking and partner services. It is a public health function, and it is separate from your personal health record.

Where to get tested in Houston

This section is a starting point. Services, hours and appointment rules change, so confirm with the clinic before you go. For a full, regularly updated list with costs, see our Houston STD testing guide.

Public health clinics

Houston Health Department health centers. The Houston Health Department lists STD services at Northside Health Center (8504 Schuller Rd., Houston, TX 77093), Sharpstown Health Services (6201 Bonhomme Rd., 3rd Floor, South Tower, Houston, TX 77036) and Sunnyside Health and Multi-Service Center (4410 Reed Rd., Houston, TX 77051). The phone for all three is 832-393-4220. The department lists costs on a sliding scale. It says walk-ins are accepted as capacity permits and that appointments are encouraged from September 1, 2026, so calling ahead is wise.
Harris County Public Health Antoine Clinic (5815 Antoine Dr., Houston, TX 77091; 832-927-7350). Harris County Public Health lists testing for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia, and says services are free. Its page lists hours of Monday to Thursday 8am to 7pm, closed Friday, and every other Saturday 8am to 2pm. It also suggests confirming before a visit. Its End HIV program says walk-ins are welcome.

Community health centers

Legacy Community Health, Montrose (1415 California St., Houston, TX 77006; (832) 548-5100). Legacy says HIV, syphilis and hepatitis C testing are free and available as walk-ins, while a full STI panel is offered as appointments are available. Legacy's page does not state a price for the full panel, and it says services are open to all regardless of ability to pay. It also lists express STI testing for uninsured people without symptoms.

Clinics with limited testing menus

Some Houston sites offer rapid testing but do not describe a full STI panel. Avenue 360 Health & Wellness (Heights, 2150 West 18th Street, Suite 300; Midtown, 2920 Fannin St.; (713) 426-0027) lists free walk-in rapid HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis testing. The Montrose Center (401 Branard Street; 713-529-0037) lists free walk-in rapid HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis testing, Monday to Thursday 9AM to 2PM, and says it has no full STI panel. Neither listing mentions gonorrhea testing, so ask before you go if gonorrhea is what you want checked.

Testing from home

Texas DSHS lists Test for Texas, a free mail-order self-collection kit for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia for anyone in Texas aged 13 and older, with no insurance needed. Orders are placed at testfortexas.org. Ask the program how it handles throat and rectal samples if those sites are a concern.

The CDC also runs a national locator at gettested.cdc.gov where you can look up testing sites by ZIP code.

Privacy, minors and cost

Texas Family Code Sec. 32.003 allows a minor of any age to consent to diagnosis and treatment of a reportable infectious disease, which covers reportable STIs and HIV. Parent or guardian consent is not required. The same section says a physician may tell a parent or guardian about the treatment, so confidentiality is not absolute. Ask the clinic how it handles this. The Houston Health Department also notes that a Texas law effective September 1, 2025 (SB 1188) gives parents access to a minor's electronic health record portal, which is worth asking about.

On cost, public clinics in the list above are free or sliding scale. If a price matters to you, ask when you call. If a page does not list a price, as is the case for Legacy's full panel, the clinic is the right source.

Quality indicators: choosing a testing site

Because this page is science-first, here is the equivalent of a sourcing guide. These are signs of a reliable testing experience, based on what the CDC guidelines recommend:

The site uses NAAT. This is the CDC's recommended test type for gonorrhea.
The clinic offers site-specific testing. Ask whether throat and rectal swabs are available if you have had oral or anal sex.
A clinician can treat on site or arrange treatment. This shortens the gap between result and care.
The clinic offers a full STI panel. The CDC recommends checking for related infections.
The clinic explains follow-up. Good care includes retesting at about three months and a plan for partners.
It is a known provider. Public health departments and licensed health centers are the best-documented options.

Questions to bring to your visit

Which sites should be tested, given my sexual contact?
What will the test cost, and is there a sliding scale?
How and when will I get my results?
If treatment is needed, what will it involve, and does it matter that I have an allergy?
Will I need a throat test-of-cure?
When should I be retested, and how can my partners get care?

Next step

Knowing your status is a normal part of taking care of your health. If you are due for a test, or if you have had a recent exposure or symptoms, call one of the Houston clinics above, or find another site on gettested.cdc.gov. Free and low-cost options exist across the city.

Gonorrhea: Symptoms, Testing and Treatment in Houston