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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Sometimes. The doctor directs the urine test or swab by video, interprets it and prescribes the oral antibiotic course for chlamydial or other non-gonococcal urethritis; gonococcal urethritis is referred for the in-person injection, and a swollen testicle, fever or no urine need in-person care.
- What it is: inflammation of the urethra, in men usually from a sexually transmitted infection: chlamydia in up to half of non-gonococcal cases, Mycoplasma genitalium in 1 in 4, with ureaplasma, trichomonas, herpes and adenovirus behind some; irritation, trauma and catheters cause the rest.
- Timelines: symptoms appear 1 to 5 weeks after sex, often within 2; the urine test needs 1 to 2 hours without urinating beforehand; a 7-day doxycycline course clears most NGU, with symptoms settling over 1 to 2 weeks and a check at 3 weeks if not.
- Sex and partners: no sex, including oral sex, until 7 days after you and your current partner have both finished treatment and symptoms have gone; partners from the past 4 weeks (symptomatic) to 6 months are tested and treated, or reinfection follows.
- Persistent: symptoms still present 3 weeks after treatment affect up to 1 in 5 men with NGU, most often from reinfection, Mycoplasma genitalium, or an untreated partner; a repeat test with resistance testing guides the second antibiotic rather than a repeat of the first.
- Emergency: urethritis is never a 112 emergency; a sudden painful swollen testicle needs in-person care without delay because it can be epididymitis or, rarely, torsion, and inability to pass urine with a distended bladder needs an emergency department.
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?
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.
The doctors on Mobi Doctor apply 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 the doctors use, aligned with European guidance:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| 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 |
Not sure which row is you? A doctor can tell you in one consultation.
See available times →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 urethritis is treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated 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.
In-person care: 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 CET. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, exact price up front.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about urethritis: a private video call: you describe what you feel, the doctor asks what matters, and you agree the right plan together.
- Get your plan: the right test, treatment where it fits online, a clear referral where not, and a partner and retesting plan included.
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Not sure it’s urethritis? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and UTI can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about urethritis
What is urethritis, and what causes it?
Urethritis is inflammation of the urethra, the tube from the bladder to the outside. In men it is usually caused by a sexually transmitted infection: chlamydia and Mycoplasma genitalium account for most non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU), gonorrhoea for gonococcal urethritis, and trichomonas, ureaplasma, herpes and adenovirus for some; irritation from soaps, vigorous sex, squeezing the penis, a catheter or an instrument explains the rest, and sometimes no cause is found.
What are the symptoms of urethritis?
Urethritis causes burning or stinging when passing urine, a discharge from the tip of the penis that is clear, white, cloudy, yellow or green, often most obvious first thing in the morning, an itchy or irritated urethral opening, a feeling of needing to urinate often, and sometimes testicular discomfort; it appears days to weeks after sex, and some men have no symptoms. In women the same infections more often inflame the cervix.
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 chlamydial, is treated with a 7-day oral antibiotic such as doxycycline, with the prescription usable at a pharmacy near you; if a current partner has a confirmed infection, treatment can start before your own result. Gonococcal urethritis needs an in-person injection, so the doctor refers you. A prescription is never issued without a consultation.
Is urethritis the same as a urinary tract infection?
No. Urethritis is inflammation of the urethra, usually from a sexually transmitted infection, with discharge and burning but no fever. A urinary tract infection is a bacterial infection of the bladder, rare in young men, causing frequency, urgency, lower abdominal discomfort and cloudy or bloody urine without discharge. They need different tests and antibiotics, and a man with burning after a new partner is tested for urethritis before being treated for a UTI.
Do I need a test before urethritis treatment?
Usually yes. Because the right antibiotic depends on the cause, and gonorrhoea needs an injection while chlamydia and Mycoplasma genitalium need different tablets, a first-pass urine sample held for at least an hour, or a swab from the urethra, is tested for chlamydia, gonorrhoea and ideally Mycoplasma genitalium, with other STI tests at the same time. If a current partner has a confirmed infection, urethritis treatment matching it can start at once.
Should my partner be treated for urethritis too?
Yes. Current partners need testing and, where an infection is found or you have confirmed chlamydial urethritis, treatment, or the infection passes straight back; partners from the past four weeks if you have symptoms, or the past six months if not, should be advised to test. Women carrying the same infection often have no symptoms but can develop pelvic inflammatory disease, so the conversation protects them. Clinics can notify partners anonymously.
What if urethritis symptoms come back after treatment?
Persistent or returning urethritis needs a fresh look rather than a repeat of the same course. Common reasons are reinfection from an untreated partner or sex too soon, Mycoplasma genitalium, which resists the usual first antibiotic in a large share of cases, trichomonas, or an irritant cause. A repeat test with resistance testing where available guides the second antibiotic, and symptoms beyond six weeks get an in-person urology or sexual health review.
How long does urethritis last?
With the right antibiotic, urethritis symptoms usually ease within two to three days and clear within one to two weeks, though a little irritation can linger for a few weeks after the infection has gone. Untreated chlamydial or gonococcal urethritis can grumble on for weeks or months, often becoming symptom-free while still infectious and able to spread to the testicles or a partner's pelvis, which is why it is tested and treated.
What can I do at home while urethritis is treated?
Take the full antibiotic course even once symptoms fade, avoid all sex including oral sex until a week after you and your partner have finished treatment, drink enough to keep urine dilute, take paracetamol or ibuprofen for stinging, do not squeeze or milk the urethra to check for discharge because it prolongs inflammation, avoid soaps, antiseptics and lotions on the area, and keep the follow-up test if symptoms persist. Cranberry products do nothing for urethritis.
How can I prevent urethritis?
Prevent urethritis by using condoms for vaginal and anal sex and a condom or dam for oral sex with new partners, testing with a new partner before stopping condoms, not sharing sex toys without washing or a new condom, avoiding harsh soaps, spermicides and lubricants that irritate the urethra, and not inserting anything into the urethra. Prompt treatment of a partner's chlamydia or gonorrhoea prevents most repeat episodes.
Is urethritis different in women or with a catheter?
In women, the infections that cause urethritis more often inflame the cervix and bladder, so the picture is discharge, burning, bleeding after sex or pelvic pain, and the test is a vaginal swab; untreated infection can spread to the womb and tubes. With a urinary catheter, urethritis is usually irritation or bacterial infection rather than an STI and is managed in person by the team caring for the catheter.
Is it urethritis or something else?
Burning or discharge in men has other causes: a urinary tract infection (frequency and cloudy urine without discharge), prostatitis (pelvic, perineal or lower back ache with urinary symptoms and sometimes fever), balanitis (a sore red glans rather than the urethra), thrush, a urethral stricture (weak stream), kidney stones, and dermatitis from products. The doctor separates them by the history and the first-pass urine test, and refers anything that does not fit urethritis.
- 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.
- Urethritis, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed May 2023.
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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