No Symptoms, Still Infected: The Silent Rise of Gonorrhea in NC

It starts with nothing. No itch. No burn. No discharge. You feel fine, maybe a little tired, maybe stressed, but nothing out of the ordinary. You wouldn’t think to get tested for an STD because nothing feels “off.” And that’s exactly how gonorrhea spreads in silence.

27 August 2025

12 min read

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Quick Answer: Gonorrhea can be completely asymptomatic, especially in women, and North Carolina ranks among the highest in the U.S. for infections. You can still carry and spread it without knowing.

This Isn’t a UTI, And Here’s Why

You're standing in the bathroom, Googling “burning after I pee but no other symptoms.” Or maybe you're not burning at all, you just had unprotected sex and something feels... off. The truth? Gonorrhea doesn’t always show symptoms. Especially in the early stages, or in people with vaginas, this infection can hide for weeks, or even months.

Here’s what you might feel (or not feel):

Silent: More than 50% of people with gonorrhea don’t experience any symptoms
Subtle: When symptoms do show, they often mimic UTIs, yeast infections, or general irritation
Late-stage: If untreated, gonorrhea can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infertility, or chronic pain, even if it never “felt like an STD”

In men, symptoms like burning or discharge might appear faster, but even then, it’s easy to mistake them for a mild infection or irritation. And for queer folks, trans people, and those having anal or oral sex, the symptoms might be totally different, or absent.

As Ty, 27, from Asheville shared:

"I thought it was just dehydration or something. No pain, no smell, no nothing. If my ex hadn’t told me he tested positive, I would’ve never known."

Why North Carolina Is a Silent Hotspot

Let’s talk numbers. In 2023, North Carolina had over 26,000 reported gonorrhea cases. That puts it in the top six states nationwide. And while Q1 of 2025 shows slightly fewer cases than the year before, experts warn: those stats don’t account for the people who haven’t been tested yet.

Public health records show 3,639 gonorrhea infections in just the first three months of 2025. That number may sound manageable, until you factor in asymptomatic cases, people avoiding clinics, and the backlog from the pandemic. If we’re only catching the loudest infections, the silent ones are still spreading unchecked.

And that silence? It’s deadly to trust.

People assume symptoms will warn them. But gonorrhea doesn’t play fair. It adapts. It waits. And it spreads while you feel totally fine. This is why it’s called “the silent STD.”

And why North Carolina, despite being full of educated, informed, sexually active people, is struggling to contain it.

People are also reading: How to Talk to Your Partner About Getting Tested for STDs: A Step-by-Step Guide

Testing Drought: What COVID Left Behind

Remember 2020? Everyone avoided hospitals and clinics unless it was an emergency. STD testing dropped sharply, and it never fully recovered. A 2025 study published in Sexually Transmitted Diseases shows that STI testing, particularly for younger adults, remains below pre-COVID levels.

Now add this:

Rural areas: Limited access to free testing, clinics, or LGBTQ-inclusive care
Youth & students: Less likely to seek care unless symptomatic
Shame & stigma: Still alive and well in southern sexual culture

The result? Thousands of cases walking around undetected. People who think they’re clean because they “don’t feel sick.” But if you're not testing, you’re not knowing. And if you're not knowing, gonorrhea keeps moving from partner to partner, without raising any alarms.

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You Don’t Need Symptoms to Get Tested

This is where we flip the script. Gonorrhea testing isn’t just for people who feel something, it’s for anyone who:

Had unprotected sex (oral, anal, or vaginal)
Has a new partner (or their partner has one)
Had a partner test positive recently
Wants peace of mind, not guesswork

Whether you're in Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington, or somewhere rural, confidential, fast testing is available. And if clinics feel out of reach, there’s another option:

The Combo STD Home Test Kit lets you screen for gonorrhea and other infections from the privacy of your home, with results in minutes. No awkward clinic visit. No waiting room judgment.

Testing is care, not shame, start today.

“But I Feel Fine”, When Silence Becomes a Symptom

Let’s be clear: the absence of symptoms doesn’t mean the absence of infection. Gonorrhea can live silently in your body, spreading and causing damage without ever making a sound. Especially for people with uteruses, the infection often travels upward, through the cervix, into the uterus, and into the fallopian tubes, without causing obvious discomfort.

This is where long-term consequences kick in. And most people don’t realize the damage until it’s irreversible.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): A common result of untreated gonorrhea in women. It can cause chronic pelvic pain and scarring of reproductive organs.
Infertility: The CDC estimates that untreated STDs like gonorrhea cause infertility in over 20,000 women annually in the U.S. alone.
Testicular Pain and Swelling: Men aren’t immune, epididymitis can occur when gonorrhea goes unchecked.
Throat & Rectal Complications: Gonorrhea can infect the throat and rectum, often with zero symptoms, especially in queer men and those practicing oral or anal sex.

Gonorrhea’s danger isn’t that it always hurts. It’s that it doesn’t have to.

Case Study: “My Partner Tested Positive. I Wasn’t Even Itching.”

Ellie, 32, lives in Durham and has always been careful. She uses condoms. She gets annual checkups. But when her partner tested positive for gonorrhea, she got tested out of solidarity, not fear.

“I expected a negative result. I had zero symptoms, no burn, no weird smell, nothing. I almost canceled the appointment because I felt silly. But then the doctor called and said it came back positive. I was shocked. I didn’t feel sick at all.”

Ellie had been carrying gonorrhea for over a month. If she hadn’t gotten tested, she might’ve gone another year not knowing. Meanwhile, she could’ve unknowingly passed it to future partners, or developed complications that wouldn’t show until it was too late.

Ellie’s story isn’t rare. It’s the rule, not the exception. That’s why it’s so important to test based on risk, not symptoms.

People are also reading: How At-Home STD Tests Are Changing the Landscape of STI Prevention

Which Gonorrhea Test Works Fastest in NC?

When you're anxious or confused, the last thing you want is to wait days for results, or feel like your doctor is judging you. Fortunately, you’ve got options in North Carolina:

Clinic-based NAAT tests: Very accurate, results in 2–5 days. Available at most county health departments and Planned Parenthoods.
Urgent care or primary care: Can test, but many require symptoms or a reason for testing.
STD rapid test kits: At-home, private, and discreet. You swab or pee in a cup, then get results in minutes, no mailing required.

If you’re deciding between a Gonorrhea Test Kit and a clinic visit, think about your needs:

Need privacy or can’t get time off work? At-home might be better.
Need other services like PrEP or birth control? A clinic may make more sense.

Either way, the most important thing is: don’t wait. If you had a new partner, an unprotected encounter, or just a weird gut feeling, go with that instinct. Silent doesn’t mean safe.

Check Your STD Status in Minutes

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Gonorrhea Test Kit

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Who’s Most at Risk, And Doesn’t Know It?

Gonorrhea doesn’t discriminate, but here’s who public health officials in NC are most concerned about in 2025:

Young adults (18–29): Especially those in college towns like Chapel Hill, Greensboro, and Boone
Black and Latinx populations: Systemic access barriers, stigma, and lack of culturally sensitive care contribute to higher case rates
LGBTQ+ communities: Especially gay, bisexual, and trans individuals engaging in oral or anal sex
Rural residents: Limited access to testing clinics or health education

Notably, many in these groups either don’t feel symptoms or don’t know what symptoms to look for. That’s why many cases go unreported, until a partner reaches out, or a health scare sends them to a clinic.

It’s not about blame. It’s about systems that aren’t built for proactive, shame-free testing. That’s where change starts, with knowledge, tools, and access.

Take control of your sexual health today. Order your rapid test kit and get answers, before symptoms ever show.

What Happens When You Don’t Know, But Still Hook Up?

This is where things get real. Gonorrhea spreads because people don’t know they have it, and still have sex. Not because they’re careless, but because they feel fine. No pain. No burning. Maybe a little extra discharge that gets shrugged off.

And that’s how the infection jumps, quietly, invisibly, sometimes even with protection.

Condoms and barriers help, but they don’t eliminate all risk. Oral sex can transmit gonorrhea. Anal sex too. Even mutual masturbation with shared fluids can pose a small risk if one person is infected and doesn’t know it.

Most people aren’t trying to be reckless. They’re just under-informed.

Jalen, 22, from Greensboro said:

"We used protection, and I always pull out. But I still ended up testing positive. The nurse said I probably had it in my throat and passed it to my partner during oral. I had no idea you could even get it that way."

That’s the scary part, and the empowering part. Once you know better, you can do better. That’s where testing comes in.

People are also reading: Hepatitis B Transmission: How Vaccination Makes a Difference

Myth-Busting: You Can’t Trust These Signs

Let’s kill a few myths right here and now. These are some of the most common (and dangerous) beliefs people in North Carolina and beyond still hold in 2025:

“If I had an STD, I’d know.” False. Many cases, especially gonorrhea, have zero symptoms.
“You can’t get it from oral.” False. You absolutely can, and it’s often the source of asymptomatic throat infections.
“Only ‘promiscuous’ people get STDs.” False and shaming. Gonorrhea doesn’t care if it’s your first hookup or your fiftieth.
“I got tested last year, so I’m good.” Not necessarily. If you’ve had new partners since then, or even the same partner who was exposed, you could be at risk now.

Myths keep people untested. And untested means untreated. It's time to make regular testing a normal part of self-care, like going to the dentist or therapy.

North Carolina’s Next Move: What Needs to Change

Public health officials can only do so much. They need people to get tested, to report results, and to normalize sexual health conversations. But the burden shouldn’t fall on you alone. Here's what advocacy groups and clinicians are pushing for across NC:

Free asymptomatic testing: Especially in schools, community centers, and mobile vans
More funding for rural clinics: To reach underserved counties without accessible care
Sex-ed reform: Moving away from abstinence-only and into inclusive, practical conversations
LGBTQ+ health equity: More providers who understand queer sex and provide judgment-free care

You deserve testing that’s easy, fast, affordable, and stigma-free. Whether that’s at your local clinic or through an at-home rapid test, the first step is the same: make the decision to know.

End the guessing game, know your status now.

FAQs

1. Can you have gonorrhea and no symptoms?

Yes. Many people, especially women, experience no symptoms at all. This is why gonorrhea is often called a “silent” STD.

2. Is gonorrhea common in North Carolina?

Yes. In 2023, there were more than 26,000 cases of gonorrhea in North Carolina, making it one of the top six states in the U.S.

3. Is it possible to get gonorrhea from oral sex?

Yes. Gonorrhea can spread to the throat through oral sex, often without any signs.

4. How long can you have gonorrhea without knowing it?

Weeks or even months. Some people only find out they have it after their partner tests positive or during a routine screening.

5. Will gonorrhea go away by itself?

No. It needs antibiotics to get better. If you don't treat gonorrhea, it can cause serious problems like PID and infertility.

6. Is it possible to test for gonorrhea at home?

Yes. You can buy at-home rapid test kits that give you quick, private results without having to go to a clinic.

7. Should I get tested if I feel fine?

Yes. Just because you feel fine doesn't mean you don't have an STD. If you have sex, you need to get tested regularly.

8. Can you get rid of gonorrhea?

Yes, but only if you take the right antibiotics. But some strains are becoming resistant, so it's important to find them early.

9. What will happen if I test positive at home?

You should see a doctor for more tests and a prescription for treatment.

10. Can untreated gonorrhea affect fertility?

Absolutely. Infections that move into the reproductive tract can cause permanent damage if left untreated.

You Deserve Answers, Not Assumptions

If you’ve read this far, you’re already doing the brave thing, facing the unknown. Gonorrhea doesn’t always knock loudly. Sometimes it whispers, sometimes it hides. But what matters is that you now know it could be there, even in silence.

There’s no shame in getting tested. Only strength. You’re protecting yourself, your partners, your future.

Don’t wait and wonder, get the clarity you deserve. This at-home combo test kit checks for the most common STDs discreetly and quickly.