Non-Specific Urethritis

Non-Specific Urethritis This bacterial infection is usually spread by other STIs or characterised by an inflammation of the urethra.

What is it?

The urethra is the tube that carries urine out of the body. Urethritis is defined as an inflammation of this tube and is usually caused by an infection, although this is not always the case. Non-specific urethritis (NSU) is the term that is used when the direct cause of the infection hasn't been identified. It is usually classified as a sexually transmitted bacterial infection that is often spread via other STIs, mainly chlamydia. Gonorrhoea is known to not be a cause of NSU, however.

Non-specific urethritis can also be caught through damage to the urethra through vigorous sexual intercourse. It is more common in men, but women can still contract it. Around 80,000 cases of NSU are diagnosed in men every year, but it's often more difficult to diagnose the infection in women as it is rarely symptomatic.

What are the symptoms?

A non-specific urethritis infection doesn't often cause symptoms, and those that do appear are often mild and easily overlooked. It can also cause different symptoms in men and women.

Noticeable non-specific urethritis symptoms in men include a burning or painful sensation during urination. You might also notice a white or cloudy discharge from the tip of the penis, and that you are urinating more often. The head of the penis can also become red and sore as a result of this infection.

In women, few non-specific urethritis symptoms are apparent until the infection reaches the womb, urethra or fallopian tubes. If this occurs, you may experience pain and discomfort and should consult a doctor. Once the infection spreads, women may experience deep pelvic pain and discomfort, unusual vaginal discharge, a high temperature, vomiting, stomach pain or bleeding between periods or after sex.

What are the risks?

Non-specific urethritis can damage your fertility levels and cause infections of the testicles for men and in the cervix for women.

This infection can also cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women, as well as also thin the cervical mucous, block the fallopian tubes and cause ectopic pregnancy.

The most commonly reported complications of NSU are:

• recurrent urethritis, where you still have urethritis up to three months after being treated;
• Reiter's Syndrome, or reactive arthritis, resulting in joint pain or conjunctivitis; and
• epididymo-orchitis, a combination of epididymitis and orchitis where men experience a simultaneous inflammation of the epididymis and the testicles

Can you cure it?

Non-specific urethritis can easily be treated with antibiotic medicine. There are two options for treatment: Azithromycin, a single dose antibiotic, and Doxycycline, which is a seven-day treatment.

Azithromycin may cause more side effects than Doxycycline, because it contains a highly-concentrated dose of the medication. However, a single tablet should help you to cure your infection and you won't have to continue taking the antibiotic for seven days. A single 2000mg dosage of this medication, taken an hour before a meal and at least two hours after your last meal, will treat the infection successfully.

Doxycycline doesn't usually cause side effects, because it is taken in a low dosage and over a longer period of time than other medications. To successfully treat non-specific urethritis, one Doxycycline tablet should be taken twice a day for seven days. You should always complete the course of treatment, even if your infection has cleared up before you finish taking the antibiotics.

Taking a test

The only way to test for non-specific urethritis is by taking a Full STI Screen test, as non-specific urethritis is often caught alongside another infection, usually chlamydia. After placing an order, you will receive a test kit in the post. Urinate in the specimen tube provided and place it in the transport cup. Then seal it in the pre-paid envelope and post it to our laboratory. They will complete the test and notify you via email that your results are available online within two to three days. If you test positive, then we will help you to find a non-specific urethritis treatment.