Non-Gonococcal Urethritis (NGU)

What is it?​

This is also sometimes called non-specific urethritis (NSU).

NGU is an inflammation of the urethra (water passage) in men, which can cause discomfort or pain when you pass urine.  It can be treated with antibiotics.  

Half of all cases turn out to be caused by Chlamydia.  There are some other rare causes.

Testing for NGU

NGU can be immediately diagnosed at a sexual health clinic.  A swab is taken from the end of the penis and any material gathered on the swab is looked at under a microscope.

Treatment

NGU is treated with the same antibiotics that are used to treat chlamydia. 

Partners/sexual contacts

Regular sexual partners should be treated.

A GP or practice nurse can test and treat your partner.  Or they can contact Lothian Sexual Health for an appointment. 

We can give you treatment vouchers for your regular sexual partner(s) to take to a community pharmacy in Lothian, which will allow them to be treated there.

You should contact any previous partners in the last 6 months so that they can get tested.

Do not have sex, even with a condom, with anyone until 7 days after you have been treated.  For any current sexual partner who is treated after you, you need to wait 7 days from when they are treated before you can safely have sex with them.