Clinical Features And Sequelae
- Genital infections with C. trachomatis present as urethritis and proctitis in men and women, cervicitis, salpingitis, endometritis and pelvic inflammatory disease in women, and orchitis, epididymitis and prostatitis in men.
- Perinatal transmission of C. trachomatis can result in conjunctivitis and pneumonia in newborns and young infants.
- Conjunctivitis and respiratory infections can be the result of contact with contaminated hands, or direct exposure to semen and vaginal fluids.
- At least 70% of genital C. trachomatis infections in women and 50% in men are asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis.
- The natural course of genital chlamydia infections is not well understood:
- Spontaneous resolution of asymptomatic infections is not uncommon.
- Asymptomatic infections, particularly endocervical infections, can persist for long periods.
- Many patients with asymptomatic infections will at some point develop symptoms and clinical disease.
- Asymptomatic infections can result in complications such as blocked tubes and pelvic inflammatory disease.
Can Chlamydia Be Prevented
The only sure way to prevent chlamydia is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading chlamydia. If your or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
How Did I Get Chlamydia If I Didnt Cheat
You can get chlamydia if your partner had vaginal, oral or anal sex with someone who was infected and then had sex with you. People in relationships may have different ideas about what kinds of sexual contact counts as cheating, and this miscommunication can lead to infections. Communicate honestly with your partner about what sex youre having and what sex theyre having. Practice safer sex to reduce your risk of catching chlamydia, and get regularly screened to be sure.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
It can be embarrassing to talk about anything sex-related with your healthcare provider, including STI prevention. But your sex life is an important part of your health that your provider needs to know about to care for you. Not getting the treatment you need for chlamydia can pose serious risks to your health. Speak with your provider about getting regularly screened for chlamydia and other STIs to reduce your risks of complications. Practice safer sex to prevent the spread of chlamydia.
Also Check: Chlamydia Untreated For A Year
Home Remedies For Chlamydia
Chlamydia is caused by a bacterial infection. The only true cure for this type of infection is antibiotics.
But some alternative treatments may help ease symptoms. Its important to remember that untreated chlamydia can lead to long-term complications, including fertility problems and chronic inflammation.
Home remedies for chlamydia that may be effective include:
- Goldenseal.This medicinal plant may limit symptoms during an infection by reducing inflammation.
- Echinacea. This plant has been widely used to boost the immune system in order to help people overcome infections of many types, from the common cold to skin wounds. It may help reduce symptoms of chlamydia.
Although compounds in these plants might help to ease inflammation and infection in general, there arent any quality studies that show theyre effective specifically for chlamydia symptoms.
How Does Chlamydia Spread
Chlamydia is spread when a person has unprotected sex with an infected person.
Because chlamydial infection often has no symptoms, many people do not realise they have the infection.
Even if you know a person well, you may not be able to tell they have an STI, because people can look healthy and still have chlamydia.
Remember, you can get chlamydia and other STIs from a new sexual partner who has in the past had sex with someone who is infected.
It can also be spread from a long-term partner who has had sex with other people.
Read Also: How Do They Treat Chlamydia
Chlamydia Can Lead To Infertility
A lot of us don’t realize that some sexually transmitted diseases can cause no symptoms, meaning you could have an STD and not know it. And some STDs can silently lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, or chronic pelvic pain.
Chlamydia is one of those diseases. CDC estimates that more than 2.8 million people are infected each year.
Chlamydia is most common in sexually active young adults. More than half of all infections involve people ages 18 to 24. You can get chlamydia during oral, vaginal, or anal sexual contact with an infected partner. The disease can cause penile discharge in men and infertility in women. It can also cause serious health problems in newborn babies of infected mothers.
Many women, and some men, are infected with chlamydia but don’t know it. Even without symptoms, the disease can cause complications, particularly infertility. The longer the infection is untreated, the more damage that can be done.
If symptoms do show up, they usually occur within weeks of exposure. Men and women may face painful urination, an abnormal discharge from the urethra, or both. Women also may have abdominal pain, bleeding, and an abnormal discharge from the vagina. Symptoms usually appear within one to three weeks after being infected and may be very mild.
In pregnant women, chlamydia can cause premature delivery, the CDC says. A child born to an infected woman can develop an infection in their eyes and respiratory tracts.
Can You Die From Std Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease. It is caused by bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. It can infect both men and women. Women can get chlamydia in the cervix, rectum, or throat. Men can get chlamydia in the urethra inside the penis, rectum, or throat. You can get chlamydia during oral, vaginal, or anal sex with someone who has the infection. A woman can also pass chlamydia to her baby during childbirth. If youve had chlamydia and were treated in the past, you can get re-infected if you have unprotected sex with someone who has it. Chlamydia is more common in young people, especially young women.
In men, untreated chlamydia can who have sex with men are also at risk since testicles and anal sex. According to a report, over cause urethral infection and complications such as swollen and tender. Gay, bisexual, and other men.
Don’t Miss: How To Diagnose Chlamydia And Gonorrhea
What Happens If You Dont Seek Treatment
If you take your antibiotics as directed, chlamydia is likely to go away. But if its left untreated, it can cause a few complications.
For example, if you have a vulva, you could develop pelvic inflammatory disease . PID is a painful infection that could damage your uterus, cervix, and ovaries.
Untreated chlamydia can also lead to scarred fallopian tubes, which can cause infertility.
If youre pregnant, untreated chlamydia can be transmitted to the baby during vaginal delivery. Chlamydia can cause eye infections and pneumonia in newborns.
Untreated chlamydia can lead to epididymitis, which is when the epididymis becomes inflamed, causing pain.
Chlamydia can also spread to the prostate gland, which can lead to painful sex, lower back pain, and a fever.
Fortunately, treatment for chlamydia is relatively straightforward. And if its treated quickly, youre unlikely to experience any long-term complications.
Wednesday 25 March 2020
The clap, the clam, the pox, the gift that keeps on giving weve created so many slang terms to make sexually transmissible infections seem a little bit funnier and a little less serious. But when the long-term side effects of STIs can include chronic pelvic pain, infertility and in rare cases, cancer, it turns out they are no laughing matter.
STIs are spread from one person to another through sex and sexual body contact. And thats all types of sex anal sex, oral sex and penis in vagina sex as well as hand play and through sex toys.
You wont be able to tell for sure if you or the person youre having sex with has an STI without being tested, because these nasty infections dont always cause symptoms that you can see or feel.
That makes it kinda tricky, as people can be having sex without knowing theyre infected, which means the infection could be passed on and be causing damage to your body unnoticed. But its also simple, really simple to be sexually healthy. You see, there are a couple of easy things you can do to have a confident and healthy sex life, to look after your body and make sure you dont have an infection that could cause you harm. Weve got you covered here with a rundown of the most common STIs, what they can do to your body and simple ways you can prevent getting them.
Don’t Miss: Does Chlamydia Make You Bleed
What Would You Tell Someone Whos Sexually Active And Hasnt Been Tested For Chlamydia
Get tested and get tested now, and continue to get tested every time you change sexual partners,Tanner asserts, noting that its a simple urine test. And dont stress if youve got the big C. All you have to do is take one dose of an antibiotic, once, thats it! So its really not worth the risk.
Youre also going to have to tell all your previous partners sure, its a tad awkward, but after reading the above do you really want them to suffer? Surely not. Send them an anon text. Did we mention that you could face criminal charges if you knowingly transmit an STI to another human? You will also face the fact that youre an asshole. Even if youve only had sex with one person, you still need to get tested mate dont believe the mythical grapevine.
To get tested, people can go to their GP, a sexual health clinic, or visit stigmahealth.com to get tested online.
And if you dont hit up your GP?
Make sure you have health cover for the unexpected. Check out Medibanks Healthy Start Extras cover to learn more.
Image:Mean Girls
How Often Should I Get Checked For Chlamydia
Sexual health check-ups are recommended for anyone who is sexually active. Frequency of testing also depends on your STI risk:
- An annual sexual health check-up is highly recommended if you are sexually active especially if you are under 25.
- Get checked more often during the year if you frequently change sexual partners.
- Remember, you are at greater risk if you have sex without a condom with 1 or multiple sexual partners.
Don’t Miss: Symptoms Of Chlamydia And Gonorrhea For Males
How To Prevent Stds
Now that you know the answer to your question “Can people die from STDs?” it is important to understand how to prevent STDS.
- The only surefire way of preventing STDS is to avoid engaging in sexual activities with others.
- Limit yourself to one partner. If you two have sex with each other only, you are less likely to develop sexually transmitted diseases, especially if you go for STD screening regularly.
- Don’t engage in sexual relations when you are very young because that’s when the risk of contracting an STD is usually higher.
- Never have unprotected sex and make use of a male latex condom. Using spermicide nonoxynol-9 condom may help prevent pregnancy in 90% of cases, but they don’t offer great protection against infections.
- Improve your knowledge about the symptoms of different types of sexually transmitted diseases, so you could start a treatment as early as possible.
- Avoid douching because it affects the natural protection in your vagina.
- Be sure to take hepatitis B and HPV vaccines to stay protected.
How Can Chlamydial Conjunctivitis Be Prevented
Various vaccines are available and are most useful in breeding catteries or animal shelters where it can be difficult to eliminate the organism completely. This vaccine is considered a non-core vaccine and is recommended if your cat is at reasonable risk for contracting the disease. The protection afforded by the vaccine is relatively short, and annual boosters are usually required. Your veterinarian will advise you on the appropriate vaccination choices for your cat, based on the prevalence of this disease in your area and your cats individual risk.
Also Check: Can You Take Amoxicillin 500mg For Chlamydia
Treatment Of Chlamydia Is There A Cure For Chlamydia
Chlamydia can be cured easily and effectively with simple antibiotics once it has been diagnosed. The treatment can consist of a single dose or last up to 2 weeks depending on the type of chlamydia. The infected person should not have penetrative sex until receiving a negative Chlamydia test at an after-treatment check-up. Both partners must be treated for chlamydia and undergo re-testing after 34 months.
Chlamydia Symptoms In Women
In cases of chlamydia where symptoms occur, women may have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Pain or a burning sensation while urinating
- Abnormal vaginal discharge that may be watery or milky
- Painful discharge or bleeding from the anus
- Inflamed eyelids
Advanced chlamydia may cause additional symptoms in women. The following symptoms indicate that chlamydia infection has spread to the fallopian tubes:
- Pain during sex
- Nausea or fever
You May Like: What Are The Chances Of Getting Chlamydia
What Is Chlamydia Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment And Prevention
Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the United States. Its especially common in young adults, for reasons that have to do with both the biology of young bodies and the lifestyle choices made by many young people, such as having sex with many different partners.
While chlamydia can be easily and quickly treated, untreated chlamydia can and often does cause infertility in women. Symptoms of chlamydia can be mild or nonexistent, which means its important to get screened for it if you fit the recommended screening criteria.
Chlamydia Is Caused By Sexually Transmitted Bacteria
The bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis causes chlamydia infection, which usually occurs in the genital tract, so the cervix in women and the penis in men. In both women and men, the bacteria may also infect the rectum and the throat.
“Infections are spread during any kind of sexual activity: vaginal, anal, or oral intercourse,” says Jonathan Schaffir, MD, an ob-gyn at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.
Chlamydia trachomatis can also cause conjunctivitis if the bacteria come into contact with the eyelids or the clear membrane covering the white of the eye.
Because chlamydia infections often cause no symptoms, individuals who have one may not seek medical attention or get treated for it. However, anyone who is infected with chlamydia can pass it to other people, who can, in turn, pass it to others.
You May Like: Do Guys Show Symptoms Of Chlamydia
When To See A Healthcare Professional
If you suspect you have chlamydia, see a healthcare professional as soon as possible. Abstain from allsexual activity until your appointment.
If you arent comfortable getting tested for STIs with your usual provider, you can find a clinic in your area.
There are many free or low-cost clinics. Heres how to find one near you.
You can also visit GetTested or call CDC Info at 800-232-4636 to find local clinics.
How Do You Stop Pelvic Infection From Spreading
To reduce the risk of pelvic infection and to stop it from spreading, first of all, you need to understand how does it spread.
- Medical procedures such as abortion, dilation, or IUD insertion.
- Improper usage of tampons and contraceptive sponges.3
But how can you prevent the spread and avoid the risk of getting a sexually transmitted infection?
Practice Safe Sex â Using condoms every time you have sex can limit the risk of infections and help prevent the spread of many STIs during vaginal, anal, and oral sex.
Understanding Your Sexual Health Statusâ If you are changing your sexual partner, getting regularly tested to check for infections. Early diagnosis and treatment reduce the chances of spreading the infection to your partner.
Avoid Frequent Douchingâ Douching disturbs the bacterial balance in the vagina, so avoiding this process can prevent the spread.4
Pelvic infection is a chronic inflammation of the female reproductive organs that occurs when an infection spreads from the vagina to other parts of the reproductive tract. Most cases of pelvic infection are developed during sexual intercourse with a partner who already has an infection.
Sometimes the infections donât produce any signs and symptoms but some cases show classic symptoms of vaginal discharge, abnormal menstrual bleeding, and acute pelvic pain. It may be so mild that you barely identify it, or so sturdy that you may not even be able to stand.
Recommended Reading: Can You Be Exposed To Chlamydia And Not Get It
How Can You Be Sure Youre Experiencing A New Bout
Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics, usually azithromycin or doxycycline.
In order to make sure chlamydia is cured, you need to take the full course of antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor. You need to take every single dose dont stop taking the antibiotics until there are none left.
If youve taken all your antibiotics but you still have symptoms, contact your doctor or another healthcare professional.
According to the Center for Disease Control , youll need a follow-up test three months after treatment to ensure that the infection is cured.
There are a few reasons why you might contract chlamydia a second time:
- The initial infection wasnt cured because the course of antibiotics wasnt completed as directed.
- A sexual partner transmitted chlamydia to you.
- You used a sex toy that was contaminated with chlamydia.
A 2014 study suggests that chlamydia can live in the gastrointestinal tract and reinfect the genitals, causing chlamydia symptoms to reappear after the genital infection went away.
However, this study only looked at animal models of chlamydia. Research on human participants is needed.
The symptoms of chlamydia typically disappear once you finish your antibiotics. This can vary in time, as some chlamydia antibiotic courses are one dose taken on one day, while others last longer.