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Can You Get Chlamydia In Your Throat

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Pharyngeal Chlamydia

STD Glossary: Chlamydia

In the majority of cases, pharyngeal chlamydia is asymptomatic. If it does cause symptoms, they usually include sore throat or an uncomfortable feeling in the throat. However, the CDC does not consider pharyngeal chlamydia to be an important cause of pharyngitis . More likely causes include viral infections, strep throat, allergies, reflux, and others .

How Do You Get Chlamydia

Chlamydia is usually spread during sexual contact with someone who has the infection. It can happen even if no one cums. The main ways people get chlamydia are from having vaginal sex and anal sex, but it can also be spread through oral sex.

Rarely, you can get chlamydia by touching your eye if you have infected fluids on your hand. Chlamydia can also be spread to a baby during birth if the mother has it.

Chlamydia isnt spread through casual contact, so you CANT get chlamydia from sharing food or drinks, kissing, hugging, holding hands, coughing, sneezing, or sitting on the toilet.

Using condoms and/or dental dams every time you have sex is the best way to help prevent chlamydia.

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.

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Chlamydia In The Throat What Are The Odds

Men or women who orally satisfy men are slightly more likely to get an oral STD than men or women who orally satisfy women. This has to do with the fact that a penis often gets deeper into the mouth and can therefore more easily infect the throat mucosa. Chlamydia in the throat is rare, but you are more likely to get it if you perform unsafe oral sex.

Symptoms of STI chlamydia in the mouth

The incubation period of chlamydia in the throat is 6 weeks. Just like Chlamydia of your genitals, Chlamydia in your throat doesn’t always cause complaints. It can also be vague symptoms, an oral STI can also cause a sore throat. Complaints that go with oral Chlamydia are:

  • sore throat
  • swollen glands in the neck
What is the treatment of Chlamydia in the mouth or throat?

The treatment of Chlamydia in the mouth or throat is the same as that of genital Chlamydia. The treatment consists of a single course of antibiotics.

Testing for Chlamydia in your throat?

If you have had unsafe oral sex and doubt whether you have an STD? Then it is always wise to have an STD test to do. It is important that you tell the doctor that you also want to be tested in your throat! For an STD test at the One Day Clinic, you can often make an appointment the same day and you will have the results of your STD test the next working day.

Dr. H.J.E. Smink MSc, doctor

How Is Oral Chlamydia Related To Other Chlamydias

Chlamydia In Women Symptoms

Chlamydia is the name of a group of bacteria the type of chlamydia that affects genitals and the throat is called chlamydia trachomatis. This is only a subset of chlamydia bacteria and there other types.

Other types of chlamydias there are some alternative forms of chlamydia to the strain responsible for oral infections, including:

  • Lymphogranuloma venereum this can also cause genital infections but is very rare in the UK
  • Chlamydia psittaci which cause a flu-like illness
  • Chlamydia pneumoniae which causes pneumonia in adults

Do tests vary between different types of chlamydia? yes. The tests for chlamydia will be different even for the same strain of chlamydia depending on where the infection is:

  • Throat swab for mouth chlamydia
  • Vulvovaginal swab for genital chlamydia in women
  • A urine test for genital chlamydia in men

Other different strains or types of chlamydia also require different tests as they affect other parts of the body such as the lungs or eyes.

Does treatment vary between types of chlamydia? generally not very much. Because different types of chlamydia are still all bacterial infections, they are usually treated with broad spectrum antibiotics like doxycycline.

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How To Help Avoid Oral Chlamydia

The most effective way to avoid getting oral chlamydia is to refrain from engaging in any form of sexual activity. However, its understandable that this prevention method may not be ideal or realistic for many people.

The NIH recommends using a barrier method every time you engage in oral sex to reduce your risk for oral chlamydia. Use a condom for oral sex on the penis, and a dental dam for oral sex on the vagina or anus. Another step you can take is to stay in a long-term monogamous relationship with your partner, as having multiple sex partners can often increase your risk for STDs including oral chlamydia.

If youre in need of chlamydia testing, visit Solv today to browse and locate chlamydia testing providers in your area. Solv can help you find a walk-in clinic in your area that offers same-day STD testing, as well as lab testing for other health conditions.

  • Do I have tonsillitis or chlamydia?

    Tonsillitis and chlamydia share some of the same symptoms, making it difficult for you to determine which condition you have. Sore throat, swollen tonsils, and difficulty swallowing due to throat pain are symptoms of both tonsillitis and chlamydia, according to data from the NIH.

    Symptoms that are specific to tonsillitis include:

  • White or yellow coating on tonsils
  • Swollen glands in the neck
  • Fever

What Are The Symptoms Of Oral Chlamydia

Chlamydia is commonly referred to as the silent infection, the reason for this being pretty self-explanatory – most people infected with the disease are asymptomatic and experience little to no symptoms.

In saying that, when chlamydia in the mouth and throat do show symptoms, they may include:

  • A sore throat that is not being treated effectively with throat medicine
  • A cough that is not being treated effectively with cough medicine
  • Feeling feverish
  • Dryness and itchiness in the mouth and throat

Read Also: How To Tell If A Male Has Chlamydia

What It Looks Like

Symptoms of oral chlamydia look very similar to tonsillitis or strep throat. The throat will be red, and the tonsils will be swollen. White spots might appear on the back of the throat. In addition, a person might feel swollen lymph nodes on the sides of the neck.

The most accurate way to know whether you have oral chlamydia is through swab testing. Testing for chlamydia outside of the genital area is not a routine part of STD screening, which means that throat infections can go undiagnosed and untreated.

Untreated chlamydia of the throat could be a reason for the ongoing spread of the disease.

How Does A Chlamydia And Gonorrhea Test Work

What is Gonorrhoea? | Why is Untreated Gonorrhoea so Serious?

Screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea can be done at home or at a clinic. A sample of urine is typically sent to a laboratory, which checks the urine for chlamydia and gonorrhea DNA. If you are using the Everlywell at-home test, youâll receive secure, online results just a few days after the lab receives your sample.

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Symptoms To Look Out For

Many people donât show symptoms of chlamydia. In fact, nearly 70% of women are asymptomatic and about 50% of men with chlamydia, which is one of the reasons it can spread quickly and unknowingly. Itâs important to test regularly if youâre sexually active because chlamydia can be dangerous if left untreated.

  • Unusual odor from the vagina or penis
  • Heightened soreness around the genitals
  • Rectal pain or anal bleeding if passed through anal sex
  • Pain or swelling in one or both testicles for men
  • Bleeding between menstrual periods for women

If left untreated, chlamydia can have serious long-term consequences. For men specifically, possible issues could include:

  • Nongonococcal urethritis , or an infection of the urethra, which can lead to uncomfortable or frequent urination, abnormal discharge, and more
  • Epididymitis, or an infection of the tube carrying sperm from the testes, which can lead to testicular pain and swelling
  • Proctitis, or inflammation of the rectum

If left untreated in women specifically, issues could include:

  • Pelvic inflammatory disease , which can cause chronic pelvic pain and infertility
  • Ectopic pregnancy, when an unfertilized egg grows outside the uterus and can damage organs or cause blood loss
  • Preterm birth or other issues for babies that are delivered vaginally

Rules For Successful Treatment

The patient should make sure that the doctor is informed if the patient is pregnant or has any allergies. These conditions influence the choice of the medicine prescribed. No matter which antibiotic the patient takes treating chlamydia the following points should be remembered:

  • The treatment of all partners on the infected person is obligatory
  • Abstain from sex contacts during the treatment and until the negative result on chlamydia test is received
  • It is unadvisable to interrupt the course of antibiotics treatment as it will result in the necessity to start again from the beginning. Although the symptoms may disappear, the infection may still remain in the body
  • It is necessary to get tested after 34 months after the end of the treatment to make sure the infection is no longer in the body.

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Hpv In The Throat And Mouth

Human papillomavirus are a group of more than 200 viruses that cause warts. Of these 200 viruses, 40 variants can be transmitted through sexual contact and affect someone’s genitals, anus, mouth, or throat.

HPV is often an asymptomatic infection. However, HPV symptoms can include:

  • Genital lumps or bumps
  • Warts

What Are The Symptoms Of Chlamydia In The Throat

Can You Get Chlamydia in Your Mouth?

Many people who contract oral chlamydia have no symptoms. Some people may experience only a sore throat and think they have the flu or a cold. Other possible symptoms of a pharyngeal infection with chlamydia bacteria include mouth pain, oral sores , or pain in the throat when swallowing. In rare cases, chlamydia bumps on the tongue have also been seen. If you are experiencing white spots on the back of the throat, it is highly suggested to get it checked out by a doctor.

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What Is The Difference Between Chlamydia In The Throat And Streptococcus Infections

Both chlamydia in the throat and streptococcus throat are bacterial infections that affect the mouth and throat area.

The main difference is that they are caused by a different bacterium. Chlamydia is caused by the bacteria called chlamydia trachomatis and strep throat is caused by bacteria streptococcus pyogenes.

This means that although they share some of the same symptoms, such as pain and soreness in the throat, inflammation of the lymph nodes and fever, they also have symptoms that differ. For example, chlamydia often presents as white spots towards the back of the throat and strep throat causes red spots. Aside from this difference, itâs difficult to distinguish the difference between the two.

A swab test is required to accurately diagnose both.

Chlamydia is treated using either doxycycline or azithromycin, and strep throat infections are treated using penicillin and erythromycin antibiotics.

How Do You Get Tested

There are several different reliable tests for chlamydia. Newer tests, called NAATs , are very accurate and easy to take. Your healthcare provider can explain what testing options are available . If you dont have a regular healthcare provider, you can search here for a clinic near you.

People infected with chlamydia are often also infected with gonorrhea, so patients with chlamydia are often treated for gonorrhea at the same time, since the cost of treatment is generally less than the cost of testing.

If you live in Alaska, Maryland, or Washington, D.C., you can have a free at-home chlamydia test. Visit iwantthekit.org for more information.

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What Can Happen If Chlamydia Isnt Treated

Untreated chlamydia can put your health at risk. Make an appointment with your provider immediately if you notice any symptoms of chlamydia, and get regular STI screenings to avoid complications later.

Complications of chlamydia for people with vaginas

Untreated chlamydia can cause:

  • Pelvic inflammatory disease . PID is a serious condition that requires hospitalization. It can occur when an untreated STI, like chlamydia, damages your reproductive organs. PID can lead to infertility and chronic pelvic pain. It can also cause an ectopic pregnancy,which is life-threatening for the fetus and potentially deadly for the mother or gestational parent, too.
  • Pregnancy complications. An untreated infection can lead to pre-term delivery. Also, if youre pregnant and have chlamydia, you can pass the infection on to your newborn. Babies born with chlamydia may have pneumonia or conjunctivitis that could lead to blindness if not treated.

Complications of chlamydia for people with penises

Untreated chlamydia can cause:

  • Epididymitis. Infection can spread to the testicles and the tube that carries sperm to your testicles , causing symptoms like pain, swelling and tenderness in your testicles.
  • Reduced fertility. Chlamydia can harm your sperm, negatively impacting your ability to conceive.

Complications of chlamydia that can affect all genders

Untreated chlamydia can:

How Do I Know If I Have Chlamydia

Clinical Pearls for Chlamydia & Gonorrhea

Most people who have chlamydia have no symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may not appear until several weeks after you have sex with an infected partner. Even when chlamydia causes no symptoms, it can damage your reproductive system.

Women with symptoms may notice

  • An abnormal vaginal discharge
  • A burning sensation when urinating.

Symptoms in men can include

  • A discharge from their penis
  • A burning sensation when urinating
  • Pain and swelling in one or both testicles .

Men and women can also get infected with chlamydia in their rectum. This happens either by having receptive anal sex, or by spread from another infected site . While these infections often cause no symptoms, they can cause

  • Rectal pain
  • Discharge
  • Bleeding.

You should be examined by your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms or if your partner has an STD or symptoms of an STD. STD symptoms can include an unusual sore, a smelly discharge, burning when urinating, or bleeding between periods.

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I Was Treated For Chlamydia When Can I Have Sex Again

You should not have sex again until you and your sex partner have completed treatment. If your doctor prescribes a single dose of medication, you should wait seven days after taking the medicine before having sex. If your doctor prescribes a medicine for you to take for seven days, you should wait until you have taken all of the doses before having sex.

What Is Oral Gonorrhea

Specifically, oral gonorrhea is defined as an STD infection of the pharynx with Gram-negative coccal-shaped bacteria named Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Infection is acquired through direct contact with white/yellowish pus-like fluid containing N. gonorrhoeae bacteria from one sex partner. This discharge is caused by N. gonorrhoeae bacterium inflaming the local tissue. It mixes with a person’s vaginal fluids, seminal fluids, or mucus membranes near the anus and rectum that come in contact with another person’s oral mucus membranes. The exudate may not always be easy to see. The bacterial infection then establishes itself in the pharynx and may be asymptomatic , but can cause symptoms of sore throat and discomfort when swallowing food. The affected throat resembles a strep throat with redness and occasionally may have some white spots or whitish/yellow discharge. People who perform fellatio are more likely to get oral gonorrhea than those who do cunnilingus . Men who have sex with other men are the most likely to develop oral gonorrhea .

Although oral gonorrhea can be cured by the body , not all people will be able to self-cure and this could lead to spread of the disease throughout the body .

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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 To Tell Your Partner You Have Chlamydia

Can You Get Chlamydia in Your Throat?

The first thing you need to do when your test comes back positive is to tell your partner. Your sexual partner should know about the infection so that they too can be tested and treated. If you dont tell them about your condition, youre risking getting reinfected.

Here are some tips for handling the conversation:

  • Educate yourself about the STD youve contracted so you can thoroughly explain to your partner what exactly you have, the treatment, and how you plan on keeping them safe.
  • Inform your current or most recent sexual partner about a positive STD test by telling them face-to-face, or by calling them. Sending them a message is not the most respectful way.
  • When telling them the news, stay calm and collected. Sit them down and tell them youve been tested. Tell them that the results are positive and discuss the next steps.
  • Make sure you keep your partner from getting infected. Use condoms at all times, take antibiotics, and abstain from intercourse during your treatment.

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