There are some possible complications of non-specific urethritis (NSU).
Persistent urethritis
The most common complication is persistent or recurrent urethritis. This is when you still have urethritis one to three months after being treated for NSU. This affects one or two men in every ten who are treated for NSU.
If you still have symptoms two weeks after you start to take antibiotics, you should return to the genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic or sexual health clinic. See NSU - treatment for more information.
Reiter's syndrome
Reiter's syndrome, also known as reactive arthritis, is an uncommon complication of NSU. It is estimated that Reiter's syndrome will affect less than 1 in 100 people with NSU.
Reiter's syndrome is caused by the immune system (the body’s natural defence system). For reasons that are not fully understood, the immune system begins to attack healthy tissue, rather than the bacteria that are responsible for NSU. This can cause:
- joint pain
- conjunctivitis (inflammation of the eyes)
- recurring urethritis
See the Health A-Z topic about Reiter's syndrome for more information about this condition.
Epididymo-orchitis
Epididymo-orchitis is a possible complication of NSU in men. It is a combination of epididymitis and orchitis:
- epididymitis is inflammation (redness and swelling) of the epididymis, which is a long coiled tube in the testicles that helps store and transport sperm
- orchitis is inflammation of the testicles
Epididymo-orchitis affects less than 1 in 100 men with NSU.
