Get Close Without Clothes
Skin-to-skin contact may seem harmless, but its all herpes or HPV need to become your lifelong viral travel companion. The bare-down-there grooming trend makes transmission even more likely because it is easier to cause breaks in the skin. Your risk of contracting either infection depends on many factors, such as the level of infection and condition of the skin.
Do Condoms Protect Against All Stis
It depends. They are most effective against STIs which are transmitted through bodily fluids.
Consistent and correct use of latex condoms or internal condoms is associated with a significant reduction in STI contraction and transmission . If you have penis-in-vagina sex with a condom, you are 80% less likely to contract HIV, compared to sex without a condom .
Some STIs like herpes, human papillomavirus , or genital ulcer diseases like syphilis and chancroid, are spread via skin-to-skin contact. If a condom does not cover the infected area, then a condom cannot offer protection from these STIs. However, if the infections are limited to areas where the condom covers, then the risk of spreading these diseases will be reduced . Find out here about how to correctly put on a condom.
What Problems Can Happen
If it’s not treated, chlamydia can lead to:
- in girls: pelvic inflammatory disease , which can damage the reproductive system, making it hard or impossible for a woman to get pregnant later on
- in guys: swelling in the testicles and tubes at the back of the testicles, possibly preventing a man from fathering kids later on
- joint problems
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More About Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
For women, one of the most serious complications from untreated chlamydia is pelvic inflammatory disease .
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 1020% of women with untreated chlamydia and gonorrhea infections may develop PID. And 1 in 8 women with a history of PID experience difficulties getting pregnant. PID can also cause ectopic pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain.
Like chlamydia, it is possible for a woman to have PID and not have any symptoms, or have symptoms too mild to notice, for an unknown period of time. If symptoms do occur, they could include:
- Dull pain or tenderness in the lower abdomen
- Burning or pain when you urinate
- Nausea and vomiting
- Increased or changed vaginal discharge
- Pain during sex
Im Pregnant How Does Chlamydia Affect My Baby
If you are pregnant and have chlamydia, you can pass the infection to your baby during delivery. This could cause an eye infection or pneumonia in your newborn. Having chlamydia may also make it more likely to deliver your baby too early.
If you are pregnant, you should get tested for chlamydia at your first prenatal visit. Testing and treatment are the best ways to prevent health problems.
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Getting A Chlamydia Test
Because you can have and transmit the infection without symptoms, a test is necessary to detect the presence of the bacteria and begin treatment. Even if you had sex once, you could still contract chlamydia.
Men should have a chlamydia screening if they experience any symptoms that could be an infection. They should also see a doctor if their partner tests positive for chlamydia regardless of their sexual orientation.
For women, testing should occur at least once a year if youre under 25 and sexually active. Younger people are more likely to contract an STD because they tend to have more unprotected sex or multiple partners. Women should also undergo an annual screening if theyre over 25 and have a new partner.
Another reason for women to have a chlamydia test is pregnancy. A mother can pass chlamydia to their baby during birth, resulting in medical issues for the newborn.
Can You Have Chlamydia And Not Show Symptoms
Its not uncommon for the chlamydia bacteria to lie dormant for years and produce a low-grade infection. During that time, you may not have any symptoms for months, or they can be absent forever.
Around 75% of women and 50% of men with chlamydia report having no symptoms. For that reason, its best not to assume that if you or your partner has chlamydia that it means one of you was unfaithful. You could be in a loving, mutually monogamous relationship and be unaware that you have chlamydia.
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What Can I Do
Use a condom during vaginal intercourse and anal intercourse.
Use a condom or oral dam during oral sex.
There is no vaccine to protect against chlamydia.
Get tested
The only way to know for sure whether or not you have chlamydia is to get tested. A doctor or nurse can do the test. The test involves a swab of the genitals, rectum or throat or a urine sample. Tell the doctor or nurse about all the different kinds of sex you are having so they can test all the right parts of your body.
It is a good idea to get tested for other sexually transmitted infections , including HIV, when you get tested for chlamydia. Other STIs can be passed on in the same way as chlamydia. Talk to your healthcare provider about how often you should test for chlamydia and other STIs.
If you are diagnosed with chlamydia, a public health staff person will talk to you about informing your sex partners that they might have been exposed to chlamydia and encouraging them to get tested. Your identity will not be revealed.
Get treated
Chlamydia can be cured with a single dose or a short course of antibiotics. If you are given a single dose to treat the infection, you should wait for seven days after taking it before having sex again. If you are given pills to take for seven days, you should wait until you have taken all the pills before having sex again. If you have a regular partner or partners, they should also be treated before you have sex with them.
Resource
Chlamydia Infection May Have Long
For women, the long-term effects of an untreated chlamydia infection may include:
- Severe infection with pain and fever requiring a hospital stay
- Pelvic inflammatory disease, an infection of the upper reproductive tract
- Scarring in the reproductive tract that causes infertility
- Higher risk of ectopic pregnancy
Men are less likely than women to have major health problems linked to chlamydia, although they can develop epididymitis, an inflammation of a structure within the testicles called the epididymis that can result in infertility.
A chlamydia infection can sometimes result in reactive arthritis in both men and women.
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If I Have An Unusual Rash Pain Or Discharge Does That Mean I Have An Sti
Maybe. Sometimes STIs do cause problems that you might notice. These symptoms donât always mean you have an STI, they could indicate another health problem such as a yeast infection or UTI.
If you have any of these symptoms on or near your genitals, anus, or mouth, see your healthcare provider:
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Pain
-
Pain or burning when you urinate
-
Vaginal discharge that has a different smell, color, or texture
-
Bleeding from your genitals
How Can I Have Chlamydia When He Doesn’t
Ajay asks:
Me and my partner have been together for 5 months now. I have just recently been tested positive for an STI . My partner and I have never used condoms because I am on the pill. My partner went and got himself tested and his results came back negative. How is that possible?
Heather Corinna replies:
If you had a partner before him for oral, vaginal or anal sex, that could be who you got it from and your current partner managed not to contract it from you , or contracted it so recently that he isn’t testing positive yet. Or, your current partner’s test wasn’t accurate, or he said he got tested and truly did not. Any of those things are the biggest possibilities of what’s up here.
A typical practice in healthcare with Chlamydia is this: when your doctor prescribes you a treatment, they ask for your partner’s name and give you a prescription for him as well. In other words, if you know you have only had one partner when you contracted the infection, it is that partner who has the infection, and there’s no need for testing. Regardless, since you have been with this partner while you’ve had the infection, he should be treated, so call into your healthcare provider to get him that treatment. And if you had not had a screening before this partner and had a partner or partners before him, then you’ll want to phone those people — or you can use an anonymous notification service — to inform them about the STI so they can be treated.
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Symptoms Can Differ For Men And Women
By and large, most cases of chlamydia are asymptomatic they are picked up by screening, which is why it’s so important to have good screening programs in place, notes Dr. Stoner. Men or women who have chlamydia symptoms may experience painful urination.
Women may also have these symptoms:
- Smelly discharge from the cervix
- Pain during sex
And men may have these symptoms:
- Discharge from the penis
Take The Downtown Express
Many people dont consider oral sex to be real sex because it doesnt involve nether-region-to-nether-region contact or penetration. However you classify it, oral sex can transmit diseases if the penis, vagina, or anus involved are infected. The secretions, sores, and broken skin that are common to genital herpes, most commonly caused by herpes simplex virus 2, are all very likely to spread the disease during oral sex. Chlamydia, in rare cases, can infect your throat during oral sex. Diseases like herpes and HPV cant be prevented by condoms.
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How Long Can You Have Chlamydia Without Knowing
If youve had intercourse with an infected man or woman, chlamydia symptoms may appear between 1 3 weeks after contact.
However, you may still be asymptomatic after a chlamydia infection. This is because chlamydia can be silent or dormant for months and years without showing symptoms.
In men, about 50 70 percent will show symptoms of chlamydia while only 30 50 percent of women will be symptomatic. Absent symptoms of chlamydia do not mean absent infection. You should take chlamydia test to confirm if you have the infection or not.
Can You Pass Chlamydia By Kissing
Guest over a year ago
hi i just got tested positive for chlamydia and this is my first time ever having it! idk if im still able to kiss only because i read that you can pass it by kissing. im scared of giving it to someone! plz help me!
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Concerned Citizen over a year ago
You can only catch chlamydia through unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex. It can also be passed on if you share sex toys and dont wash them or don’t cover them with a condom each time theyre used. Its not clear whether chlamydia can be spread if infected semen or vaginal fluid on your fingers is transferred to another persons genitals, or by rubbing female genitals together. You cant catch chlamydia from kissing or sharing facilities, such as toilets or towels, with someone who has the infection. Chlamydia can be treated easily with antibiotics. If you dont get treatment for chlamydia, it can lead to long-term problems for both women and men, including infertility. For more information you can give this nation wide hotline 1-888-989-0477It is anonymous and private for your comfort.. Please always use protection
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Can Chlamydia Be Cured
Yes, chlamydia can be cured with the right treatment. It is important that you take all of the medication your doctor prescribes to cure your infection. When taken properly it will stop the infection and could decrease your chances of having complications later on. You should not share medication for chlamydia with anyone.
Repeat infection with chlamydia is common. You should be tested again about three months after you are treated, even if your sex partner was treated.
How Can You Get Rid Of Chlamydia
If your chlamydia test comes back positive, you may be wondering how to get chlamydia treated. Itâs important to discuss treatment options with your healthcare provider. Most likely, you will be treated for chlamydia with oral antibiotics. With treatment, infections often clear up in one to two weeks.
Even if your symptoms resolve sooner, however, itâs very important to complete your healthcare providerâs entire course of prescribed antibiotics. Otherwise, the infection may not be completely eliminated and you could be at risk for reinfection. You could also still pass chlamydia to a partner if you donât complete the recommended course of antibiotics.
Finally, as part of your treatment for chlamydia, connect with any sexual partners you may have unintentionally exposed to this infection. Your healthcare provider may also recommend antibiotics for your partner. This is a key part of chlamydia treatment, since it can help prevent reinfection when you resume sexual intercourse.
Chlamydia is a potentially harmful infection, but fortunately, itâs easy to test for. Itâs also simple to treat when you have a confirmed diagnosis. The important thing is stay informed and know your statusâsomething you can do from the privacy and comfort of home with our STD Test for women.
References
1. Overview: Chlamydia. National Health Service. URL. Accessed March 27, 2020.
2. Chlamydia – CDC Fact Sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. URL. Accessed March 27, 2020.
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How Is Chlamydia Transmitted
Chlamydia, like other STIs, is passed from an infected person to a partner through certain sexual activities. Chlamydia is passed primarily during anal or vaginal sex. Chlamydia can be passed even if the penis or tongue does not go all the way into the vagina or anus. If the vagina, cervix, anus, penis or mouth come in contact with infected secretions or fluids, then transmission is possible.It is less likely to be transmitted through oral sex.
Chlamydia can be passed when the mucous membranethe soft skin covering all the openings of the bodycomes into contact with the mucous membrane secretions or semen of an infected person. This is what happens during unprotected sex whether vaginal or anal sex.
Oral sex is not a common cause of infection with this bacteria. Chlamydia is less likely to be transmitted during oral sex because the bacteria that cause chlamydia prefer to target the genital area rather than the throat. This is why it is unlikely for chlamydia to be transmitted from mouth-to-penis and penis-to-mouth contact, although it is still possible. It is even less likely for transmission to take place from vagina-to-mouth or anus-to-mouth contact. Transmission is not known to occur from mouth-to-vagina and mouth to anus contact.
Even a woman who has not had anal sex can get chlamydia in the anus or rectum if bacteria are spread from the vaginal area, such as when wiping with toilet paper.
What Other Problems Can Chlamydia Cause
In women, an untreated infection can spread to your uterus and fallopian tubes, causing pelvic inflammatory disease . PID can cause permanent damage to your reproductive system. This can lead to long-term pelvic pain, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. Women who have had chlamydia infections more than once are at higher risk of serious reproductive health complications.
Men often don’t have health problems from chlamydia. Sometimes it can infect the epididymis . This can cause pain, fever, and, rarely, infertility.
Both men and women can develop reactive arthritis because of a chlamydia infection. Reactive arthritis is a type of arthritis that happens as a “reaction” to an infection in the body.
Babies born to infected mothers can get eye infections and pneumonia from chlamydia. It may also make it more likely for your baby to be born too early.
Untreated chlamydia may also increase your chances of getting or giving HIV/AIDS.
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How Do You Prevent Chlamydia
Using a new male or female condom or dental dam every time you have sex is the best way to protect against chlamydia.
Chlamydia can be passed on by sharing sex toys. Always cover sex toys with a new condom and wash them after use to reduce your risk of getting chlamydia and other STIs.
Its important to regularly test for chlamydia, even if you dont have any symptoms, especially if youve had multiple sexual partners.
The contraceptive pill and other types of contraception wont prevent you getting chlamydia, and neither will PrEP.
You Can Catch Chlamydia If Youve Only Had Sex Once
You may have heard that its not possible to get chlamydia from a single sex act. If youve had sex with someone who has the infection, you could get it, too. One encounter is all it takes to pass on the bacteria, so get tested.
In up to 15 percent of women with untreated chlamydia, the infection spreads to the uterus and uterine tubes, leading to symptomatic pelvic inflammatory disease.
If youve had unprotected sex and are worried that you might have chlamydia, get tested. The test is easy and painless. Your doctor could take a sample of your cells with a cotton swab or ask you to pee in a cup. The sample is tested for chlamydia bacteria. If your doctor says you have chlamydia, dont worry. Its treatable.
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