Non Specific Urethritis
What is it?
Non-specific Urethritis can also be referred to as non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) or non-specific genital infection (NSGI).
All of these terms mean that the urethra (the tube in the penis that the urine comes out of) is irritated.
How do I know I’ve got it?
You may have any of the following symptoms:
- Pain or burning when passing urine
- Discharge from your penis
- Pain in your testicles
NSU can really only be diagnosed using a microscope, and these are usually only used in genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics. A soft cotton swab is used to take a sample from the end of the penis. It is important you try not to pass urine for 2 hours before this sample is taken.
Half of the cases of NSU are caused by Chlamydia infection. The cause in the rest of the cases cannot often be found, which is way it is referred to as ‘non-specific’.
How do you get it?
- Through unprotected sex (having sex with no condom)
- Sharing sex toys
Where can I get tested?
GUM clinic
You can get tested for Chlamydia by Postal testing kits
Antibiotics will get rid of the infection.
Avoid having sex until 1 week after you and your partner(s) have been treated.
You don’t usually need a repeat test to ensure your infection is gone.
Treating sexual partners
It is essential that your sexual partner(s) are treated. You can discuss this with the health adviser who can help you tell/talk to your partner to get tested and treated.
What if I don’t get treated?
If the NSU is caused by Chlamydia, then infection can spread to the testicles, and in females can lead to other more serious problems such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) when the infection gets into the womb and fallopian tubes. This can lead to problems such as infertility and ectopic pregnancy.
If your infection is untreated you may pass it into other sexual partners.
How do I make sure I don’t get NSU again?
The best way to prevent all sexually transmitted infections is to practice safer sex. This means using a condom for vaginal, oral or anal sex.