Women can also experience swelling and pain in the vagina. Long-term effects can include sterility, arthritis, and heart problems. It is important to know that 80 percent of women and 10 percent of men who have gonorrhea show no symptoms. Thus, even if you believe your partner is free from disease, there may be risk in having unprotected sex with that person. This is a bacteria that can remain in person's body for life and cause disfigurement, mental disorder, or death.
Symptoms occur in stages.
During the early stages, painless sores appear on the genitalia or mouth. Some people may get swollen glands. During the next stage, the sores may come and go, a rash may develop on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet, and an infected person may experience fever, fatigue, hair loss, headaches, and muscle pains. During the late stages, if a person has not received treatment, there may be significant damage to the heart, brain, and other organs. Syphilis can remain latent in which a person shows no symptoms.