Non-specific urethritis

Symptoms of NSU in men

The symptoms of non-specific urethritis (NSU) in men are listed below.

• A white, or cloudy, discharge from the tip of the penis. This discharge may only be noticeable if you squeeze or massage your urethra (the tube that urine passes through).
• A burning, or painful, sensation when you urinate.
• The tip of your penis may feel irritated and sore.
• A frequent need to urinate.

However, NSU does not often cause any noticeable symptoms. Therefore, you should not assume that you are free of infection if a current, or recent, sexual partner informs you that you may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause NSU.

In these circumstances, it is always recommended that you visit your local genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic, or sexual health clinic, for testing.

Symptoms of NSU in women

NSU tends to cause no noticeable symptoms in women unless the infection manages to spread from the urethra to other parts of the female reproductive system, such as the womb, or fallopian tubes.

If the infection does spread, a woman may develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is a serious health condition that can cause persistent pain and infertility.

Symptoms of PID include:

• a thick, or unusual, vaginal discharge,
• bleeding between periods,
• fever and vomiting,
• pain in your rectum (back passage),
• discomfort, or pain, during sexual intercourse, and
• aching, or pain, in your lower abdomen.