Your healthcare provider will take a medical history and ask you questions, some of them about your sexual history. They will also do a physical examination to check for redness or discoloration, swelling and pain.
Your provider may order tests that may include:
Lab tests of discharge.
Blood tests.
Urine tests.
These tests may help your provider diagnose urethritis and the type of infection causing it.
Antibiotics are the main treatment for urethritis, either alone or in combination. Some of the antibiotics used to treat urethritis include:
Azithromycin.
Doxycycline.
Ofloxacin.
Levofloxacin.
Ceftriaxone.
Cefixime.
Your provider may start you on antibiotics even before getting results back if they believe you have an infection. They might also suggest you use a pain reliever.
If you have urethritis from friction or from using irritating chemicals like soap or spermicide, your provider will suggest that you stop wearing tight clothing, stop using the irritant and cut back on the time you spend doing the activity that causes friction.
Complications/side effects of the treatment
Many antibiotics do have side effects that can include nausea, diarrhea and stomach pain. Sometimes antibiotics may interact with other medications. Be sure to discuss all of your medications and over-the-counter treatments with your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
