Non-specific urethritis - Complications of non-gonococcal urethritis

Non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) can have serious complications, although these are rare.

Persistent urethritis

The most common complication of NGU is persistent or recurrent urethritis. This is when you still have urethritis 1 to 3 months after being treated for NGU. This affects 1 or 2 men in every 10 who are treated for NGU, and can affect women too.

If you still have symptoms two weeks after starting a course of antibiotics, you should return to the genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic or sexual health clinic.

Reactive arthritis

Reactive arthritis is an uncommon complication of NGU, estimated to affect less than 1 in 100 people with the condition.

Reactive arthritis is caused by the immune system attacking healthy tissue for an unknown reason, rather than the bacteria responsible for NGU.

This can cause:

joint pain
conjunctivitis (inflammation of the eyes)
recurring urethritis

Epididymo-orchitis

Epididymo-orchitis is a possible complication of NGU in men. It is a combination of epididymitis and orchitis:

epididymitis is inflammation of the epididymis – a long coiled tube in the testicles that helps store and transport sperm
orchitis is inflammation of the testicles

Epididymo-orchitis affects fewer than 1 in 100 men with NGU.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

In women, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can be a result of NSU if left untreated. PID is a serious condition that can increase the risk of infertility and ectopic pregnancy.