Gonorrhea patients are more vulnerable than others to HIV the virus that causes AIDS. Moreover, HIV-infected people who also suffer from gonorrhea turn out to be easy conduits of HIV to others not having gonorrhea. There are different but equally serious consequences among people of the either sex.
Gonorrhea Complications among Women
Among women, gonorrheal infection can lead to 'PID' and/or increase the risk of developing ectopic pregnancy. The acronym 'PID' refers to 'Pelvic Inflammatory Disease'. Annually, one million American women suffer from PID. It refers to a syndrome that can be quite severe or rather mild. 'Pelvic Inflammatory Disease' or PID is characterized by fever or/and abdominal pain.
In extreme cases, PID can lead to five serious and at times really dangerous eventualities : Formation of abscesses, recurrent pelvic pain, damage of the fallopian tubes, infertility, and last but not the least ectopic pregnancy. The abscesses are pockets filled with pus. They are formed within the body and are very difficult to be cured. Hence these are internal pus-filled pockets.
When PID causes damage to the fallopian tubes, the patient turn sterile or even run the risk of having the life-threatening condition of ectopic pregnancy. In ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg develops not in the uterus (where it should be), but in a fallopian tube.
Gonorrhea Complications among Men
Among men too, gonorrhea can be painful and, long lasting and life threatening. Gonorrhea can lead to the painful condition of epididymitis. It affects the ducts connected to the testicles. If untreated, epididymitis can cause that sterility. When gonorrhea spreads to the joints or the joints, it turns out to be life-threatening.
By Nilutpal Gogoi
