Bull Clap

You may be wondering what the bull clap is and how the name came to be. The bull clap is the informal term for gonorrhea, with the slang's use dating back to the 1500s. Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the infection of the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. You can contract it by having anal, vaginal, or oral sex with an infected person, irrespective of gender.

Several theories show how the term ‘the clap' became everyday slang. An English theory states that it originates from the word, “clappan” which expresses a beating or throbbing. Its meaning resonates with the burning sensation while urinating and swelling of the vagina or penis of the infected. Another is the French theory, which states that it stems from the word “clapier,” meaning brothel. The French began to call the disease “clapier bubo,” which means a penis infection following a brothel visit.

There are some common symptoms that both genders experience when infected with the bull clap. They include burning sensation while urinating, sore throat, frequent urination, and creamy discharge from the penis or vagina.

Some symptoms of the bull clap differ in men and women. When it comes to infected men, it can take several weeks to start showing the symptoms. They commonly experience swelling or pain in the testicles and penis. However, the symptoms of gonorrhea are harder to notice or identify in infected women. That is due to the similarity of symptoms with other common bacterial infections. Some noticeable signs in women are heavier periods and sharp pains in the lower abdomen, and fever.

The signs of the infection will begin to show after 2 to 14 days of contact. However, there are cases where some infected individuals do not develop any apparent symptoms. Such asymptomatic carriers are more prone to spread the disease with others. There are chances that you may already have it without being aware of it. Hence, it is necessary to regularly get yourself tested to avoid further transmission of the disease. Usually, urine or a swab test is enough to detect whether you have the infection.