Urethritis Treatment Online & Online Prescription

Key facts

Treated online: Sometimes. Testing comes first; many confirmed causes are then treated online.
Urethritis is inflammation of the urethra, usually caused by an STI, and is confirmed by a urine test or swab, so testing comes first.
Non-gonococcal urethritis, most often caused by chlamydia, is treated with oral antibiotics; gonococcal urethritis needs an injection.
After urethritis treatment, avoid sex until seven days after both you and your current partner have finished the course.
If pain is sudden and severe, you cannot pass urine, or someone collapses, call 112 immediately.

Check before you book

Book urgent in-person care instead if you have pain or swelling in a testicle, a fever, blood in your urine, or you cannot pass urine at all. A painful, swollen testicle in particular needs same-day assessment, because it can signal a spreading infection or, rarely, a surgical emergency. See the referral criteria below before booking.

Can an online doctor treat urethritis?

Partly

Urethritis: testing first, then treated online.

Often, in part. Urethritis is usually caused by a sexually transmitted infection, so it is confirmed by a urine test or swab, and after a positive result many causes, such as chlamydia, can be treated by video.^[1] Gonococcal urethritis needs an antibiotic injection given in person. The order is test first, then treat. Prescribing rules vary by country.

Mobi Doctor, an online healthcare service with licensed doctors, applies that division openly. The point of the consultation is to work out what is causing the inflammation, direct you to the right test, treat what fits online, and refer what does not, rather than guessing at antibiotics before anyone knows the cause.

Listen: Urethritis Treatment Online

The audio version of this topic from the Mobi Doctor podcast. Open the episode.

How an online consultation helps with urethritis

Test first, honestly:

because the treatment depends on the cause, the doctor helps you get the right test (a urine sample or swab for chlamydia and gonorrhoea) rather than treating blind.

Treatment for what fits online:

non-gonococcal urethritis, most often caused by chlamydia, can usually be treated by video after a positive test, with a prescription sent to a local pharmacy.

Honest referral for the rest:

gonococcal urethritis needs an injection given in person, and the doctor arranges that clearly.

Partner treatment and follow-up:

who needs testing and treating, when you can have sex again, and when a repeat test is needed.

What is urethritis, and what causes it?

Urethritis is inflammation of the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body. It is most often caused by a sexually transmitted infection, and the typical symptoms are discharge from the tip of the penis, burning or discomfort when passing urine, and sometimes irritation or itching inside the urethra.^[1] It is far more commonly recognised in men because the symptoms are more obvious; in women the same infections often cause different or no symptoms and are picked up on testing.

The common infectious causes are chlamydia (the most frequent), Mycoplasma genitalium, gonorrhoea and, less often, trichomonas.^[2]^[4] Non-infective irritation, for example from a catheter or a chemical, is possible but much less common. Because these causes need different treatments, and because gonorrhoea in particular needs a specific approach, identifying the cause with a test is central to treating urethritis properly.

NGU versus gonococcal urethritis: what is the difference?

Urethritis is divided into two groups based on the cause, and the split decides the treatment. Non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) means urethritis not caused by gonorrhoea; gonococcal urethritis is caused by gonorrhoea. This is why a test that distinguishes the two matters so much:^[1]

Non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU): most often caused by chlamydia or Mycoplasma genitalium. It is usually treated with oral antibiotics, typically doxycycline, which can often be arranged online after a positive test.
Gonococcal urethritis: caused by gonorrhoea. It is treated with an antibiotic injection (usually ceftriaxone) given in person, because of resistance patterns and the way the medicine is given.

Many people have both infections at once, which is one reason testing checks for chlamydia and gonorrhoea together. Mycoplasma genitalium is increasingly resistant to some antibiotics, so it sometimes needs specific treatment guided by testing, rather than a standard course.^[2]

How is urethritis tested and treated?

Testing comes first. A urine sample or a swab is tested for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, and sometimes Mycoplasma genitalium and trichomonas, and the result guides treatment.^[1] This is the framework our doctors use, aligned with European guidance:

Swipe sideways to compare →

Urethritis presentation, likely first step, online suitability and when in-person care is needed
Presentation	Likely first step	Suitable for online care?	When referral or in-person care is needed
Urethral discharge or burning, no test yet	Urine test or swab for chlamydia and gonorrhoea	Online assessment and testing direction	Testing is done at a lab or clinic
Confirmed non-gonococcal urethritis (e.g. chlamydia)	Oral antibiotics, usually doxycycline for seven days	Usually yes, after a positive test	Mycoplasma genitalium may need specific, resistance-guided treatment
Confirmed gonococcal urethritis	Ceftriaxone injection, given in person	Assessment and referral for treatment	The injection is given in person
Pain or swelling in a testicle, or fever	Urgent in-person assessment (possible epididymo-orchitis)	No	Same-day face-to-face care
Symptoms persisting or returning after treatment	Reassess, retest, and check partner treatment and reinfection	Partly	In-person review if symptoms persist

Availability of individual medicines and who may prescribe them vary by country; your doctor confirms what applies where you are.

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Antibiotics are prescribed on the basis of a confirmed or clearly likely infection, not just in case, because targeted treatment is what keeps these medicines working.^[3] After treatment, avoid sex until seven days after both you and your current partner have completed treatment, and a repeat test (a test of cure) is advised for gonorrhoea and Mycoplasma genitalium.

Urethritis or a urinary tract infection?

Burning when passing urine is the symptom that most often causes confusion, because it happens in both urethritis and a urinary tract infection, but the two are different problems with different treatments. Urethritis is inflammation of the urethra, usually from a sexually transmitted infection, and typically comes with urethral discharge. A urinary tract infection involves the bladder, tends to cause frequent, urgent urination and lower tummy discomfort, and is usually caused by bacteria from your own gut rather than a partner.

The distinction matters because treating the wrong one delays getting better. In a man with urethral discharge and a recent new partner, urethritis is far more likely than a simple urine infection, which is uncommon in younger men. Part of the consultation is sorting out which picture fits, and directing the right test.

What the doctor checks in an online urethritis consultation

The consultation is structured to identify the cause and get you the right treatment. The doctor will typically check:

Your symptoms and their pattern: discharge, burning, itching, when they started, and any recent new partner.
Any test results you already have: a positive chlamydia or gonorrhoea result changes the consultation from testing to treatment.
The sites and type of contact: genital, oral or anal, because tests and treatment must match.
Red-flag symptoms: testicular pain or swelling, fever, blood in the urine, or inability to pass urine, which need in-person care.
Pregnancy, medicines and allergies, which affect which antibiotics are appropriate.
Partners and exposures, so notification and retesting advice is complete.

When we treat urethritis online, and when we refer you

We treat online: assessment of urethral symptoms to direct the right test; confirmed non-gonococcal urethritis, most often caused by chlamydia, which can be treated by video after a positive test; and the partner-notification and retesting plan that goes with it. The doctor also arranges wider STI testing, including HIV, where that is sensible.

We refer or redirect you: gonococcal urethritis, whose injection is given in person; a painful, swollen testicle or fever, suggesting the infection has spread and needing urgent assessment; symptoms that persist despite treatment, where an in-person review and further tests are the honest next step; and any situation where you have symptoms but no test yet, in which case the right first step is a test, not a blind prescription. Where the picture fits the bladder rather than the urethra, the doctor may steer you to a urinary tract infection assessment instead.

How do I tell my partner about urethritis?

Because urethritis is usually caused by a sexually transmitted infection, current and recent partners need to be told so they can test and, where needed, be treated. If a current partner is not treated, the infection often passes straight back, and you avoid sex until seven days after you have both finished treatment.

The conversation is factual, not an accusation: partners should test because they may have been exposed, and these infections are common and treatable. Because chlamydia and other causes can be silent for a long time, a positive result does not reveal when or from whom it came. Several countries run anonymous partner-notification services, and the doctor can tell you what is available where you live.

Why treating urethritis properly matters

Left untreated, the infections that cause urethritis can spread and cause lasting harm. In men, the infection can travel to the epididymis and testicle, causing epididymo-orchitis with pain and swelling, and reactive arthritis can follow some infections. In women, the same organisms can ascend to cause pelvic inflammatory disease, with a real risk of chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and reduced fertility, which is why treating a partner is not just courtesy but prevention.^[3]

Getting the cause right also protects everyone else. Gonorrhoea is developing resistance to several antibiotics, so it is treated with a specific injection and, where advised, a follow-up test of cure to confirm it has cleared.^[5] Using the correct, targeted treatment, rather than repeated broad courses on spec, is part of keeping these medicines effective. A short, accurate course guided by a test deals with the problem and avoids the cycle of half-treated, recurring symptoms.

When to get in-person care

Urethritis itself is rarely an emergency, but some situations need urgent face-to-face care: pain or swelling in a testicle, a fever with feeling unwell, blood in your urine, or being unable to pass urine at all. A sudden, severely painful, swollen testicle can be a surgical emergency (testicular torsion) that mimics infection. If pain is sudden and severe, you cannot pass urine, or someone collapses, call 112 immediately.

How Mobi Doctor works

Book a time that suits you: open daily 7am–11pm, often the same day, with the exact price, €47, shown before you pay.
Speak to a licensed doctor about urethritis: a private video consultation, from anywhere in Europe.
Get your plan: the right test, treatment where it fits online, a clear referral where it does not, and a partner and retesting plan. If we can’t help you online, you get a full refund.

Frequently asked questions about urethritis

Can an online doctor prescribe antibiotics for urethritis in Europe?

For some causes, yes, after a consultation and usually a positive test. Non-gonococcal urethritis, most often caused by chlamydia, can be treated with oral antibiotics such as doxycycline, sent to a pharmacy near you in most EU countries. Gonococcal urethritis is treated with an injection given in person, so the online role is assessment and referral. Prescribing rules vary by country.

How much does a urethritis consultation cost?

A video consultation costs €47. The exact price is shown before payment, and there is no subscription. Tests and any medication are paid for separately. If the doctor can’t treat you online, you get a full refund and clear directions to the right care.

How quickly can I speak to a doctor?

Appointments are available daily from 7am to 11pm, often the same day. That means you can get advice on which test you need, or discuss a result, without waiting for a clinic appointment.

Is urethritis the same as a urinary tract infection?

No. Urethritis is inflammation of the urethra, usually caused by a sexually transmitted infection and often with discharge. A urinary tract infection involves the bladder and causes frequent, urgent urination and lower tummy discomfort. They have different causes and treatments, which is why identifying the right one matters.

Do I need a test before treatment?

Usually yes. Because the treatment depends on the cause, and gonorrhoea needs a different approach from chlamydia, a urine test or swab guides the right antibiotic. If a current partner has already tested positive for something specific, treatment may start sooner, which the doctor will advise on.

Should my partner be treated too?

Yes. Current partners should be tested and, where needed, treated, or the infection often passes back to you. Recent partners should be advised to test. The doctor helps you decide who to contact, and many countries offer anonymous notification services that do not name you.

What if my symptoms come back after treatment?

Persistent or returning symptoms need a fresh look, because it may be reinfection from an untreated partner, a resistant infection such as Mycoplasma genitalium, or another cause. The doctor will reassess, arrange retesting, and refer for in-person review if needed rather than simply repeating the same antibiotic.

Sources & further reading

European guideline on the management of male non-gonococcal urethritis, IUSTI Europe (International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infections), 2016 (updated).
Gonorrhoea: facts and guidance, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), 2024.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) fact sheet, World Health Organization (WHO), 2024.
Chlamydia: facts and guidance, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), 2025.
Gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection) fact sheet, World Health Organization (WHO), 2025.

This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.

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