Complications Associated with Leprosy

World
Health Organization (2009) mentioned that leprosy complications include the
following:

v
Internal eye disease (iritis)

v
Pain in the eye when exposed to light (photophobia)

v
Ulcers or osteomyelitiss

v
Inflammation condition of the eyes which includes longophthalmes

v
Inability to fully close the eyes inflammation of the corneal etc

v
Muscle paralysis (hands, feet and face)

v
Blindness and cataracts

v
Permanently disabled persons

v
Nerve damages

v
Necrosis of skin nodules and inflamed skin patches.

International
Federation of Anti-Leprosy Association (2011) stated that the complications of leprosy depend on how quickly
the disease is diagnosed and effectively managed very few complications occur
if the disease is managed early enough but the following is a list of
complications that can occur when diagnosis and management is either delayed or
started late in the disease process.

v
Sensory loss (usually begins in extremities)

v
Permanent nerve damage (usually in extremities muscle weakness.

v
Progressive disfigurement (for examine, eyebrows lost, disfigurement of
the toes, fingers and nose)

In
addition, the sensory loss causes people to injure body parts without the
individual being aware that there is an injury. This can lead to additional
problems such as infections and poor wound healing. They further said if
leprosy damages the lining of the nose, it can frequent nosebleeds and constant
stuffiness, if leprosy damages your eyes, it can lead to glaucoma and even
blindness, lepuomatous leprosy can reduce the amount of the male hormone
testosterone and sperm counts in men, which can lead to erectile dysfunction
and infertility in more severe cases, leprosy can also damage the kidneys,
which can lead to kidney failure.