What are the complications of Gonorrhea?

Answer 1

There can be serious complications with an infection, if left untreated. Having a prior infection does not prevent future infections; in fact, a prior infection increases the chance of complications, and allows the infection to spread more quickly in the body. Sadly, some individuals may show no symptoms at all; the lack of symptoms does not mean that damage is not being done to the body. Gonorrhea is a more localized infection; it mostly affects the genitals; in women it can affect the pelvic cavity including the vagina, cervix, uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, urethra, rectum, throat, and pharynx; in men the penis, urethra, prostate, rectum, throat, and pharynx. It can also have an effect upon the whole body.

Gonorrhea Complications: petechial skin infection (cellulitis); fevers; general pelvic inflammation, possibly developing into pelvic inflammation disease; painful sex; risk of other types infections; pregnancy complications, such as an ectopic pregnancy, preterm delivery or miscarriage; scaring of the fallopian tubes; infertility; increased susceptibility to HIV; adult gonococcal keratoconjunctivitis; eye infections, gonorrheal conjunctivitis, corneal abscess, and blindness; chronic sore throat, possibly leading to cancer; lymphadenitis; chronic joint pain; general joint infection or prosthetic joint infection; gonococcal infectious Arthritis (a septic form of arthritis) with skin lesions; gonorrheal osteomyelitis; meningitis; endocarditis; mycotic ascending aortic aneurysm; abdominal aortic aneurysm; scalp infections; adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS); blood infection (sepsis), which can lead to septic shock; kidney failure; urethral scarring; cartilage swelling of the dorsum of the penis; inflammation and scarring of the urethra; gonorrheal urethritis; prostatic neoplasms; prostatic cancer; tenesmus; serious rectal bleeding; endocervicitis; orchiepidydimitis; epididymitis; gonococcal tenosynovitis; and finally even the possibility of death.

Additionally, gonorrhea can be spread to newborns at birth, including eye infections (gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum) eye infections, conjunctivitis, corneal abscess, and blindness; meningitis; sepsis an infection of the blood and joints; septic shock; or neonatal gonococcal keratoconjunctivitis.

Gonorrhea is treatable if diagnosis quickly. If a person has any questionable symptoms, they should discontinue sexual activity immediately, and seek medical advice and treatment.