Chlamydia Treatment Azithromycin Over The Counter

How To Get Rid Of Chlamydia

If you are wondering how to cure chlamydia, the first step is to receive a diagnosis from a doctor after you get a lab test. If you test positive for chlamydia, you can get rid of the infection by taking a course of antibiotics prescribed by your physician. Chlamydia treatment for men and women primarily involves taking antibiotics.

How Is Chlamydia Diagnosed

Chlamydia can be diagnosed with either a first-catch urine test or a swab collected from the endocervix or vagina in women, or a first-catch urine test or a swab collected from the urethra in men.

Self-collected vaginal swab testing is available and many women find this screening strategy highly acceptable.

• Geisler WM, Uniyal A, Lee JY, et al. Azithromycin versus Doxycycline for Urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis Infection. N Engl J Med. 2015 373:2512-2521. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1502599
• Workowski, K, Bolan G. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2015. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
• WHO Guidelines for the Treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis. Geneva: World Health Organization 2016. 4, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TREATMENT OF CHLAMYDIAL INFECTIONS. Available from:
• Chlamydia Treatment and Care. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/treatment.htm
• Chlamydia Treatment Information Sheet. Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

How Do You Get Chlamydia

Chlamydia is spread by having sex with an infected individual, or by coming into contact with the genital fluids of an infected individual.

You can get chlamydia by:

• Unprotected sex
• Using sex toys that havent been washed after use or protected with a condom before use by an infected person
• Your genitals coming into contact with an infected persons genitals, even if there is no penetration or ejaculation.
• Getting infected genital fluids in your eyes

You cannot get chlamydia from:

• Kissing, hugging or sharing a bed with an infected individual
• Toilet seats or swimming pools

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What You Need To Know About Azithromycin For Chlamydia Treatment

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in America.

In fact, in 2018, four million infections occurred in the U.S. However, many cases may go unreported because people with chlamydia are often asymptomatic and therefore dont know they have an infection.

Because chlamydia can go undetected, regular testing is extremely important in both fighting the spread of the infection and in treating it.

If you happen to test positive, the good news is, the vast majority of chlamydia cases can be cured easily with antibiotics such as azithromycin.

In this article, Ill explain if azithromycin treats chlamydia, who can take this antibiotic, the best dosage to treat chlamydia, and how to take it.

Then Ill break down how azithromycin compares with another antibiotic, doxycycline, for treating chlamydia.

Finally, Ill share everything you need to know about being tested for chlamydia.

What Chlamydia Treatment Is Available

Fortunately treating chlamydia is quick and easy. It involves a short course of antibiotics.

The two most commonly prescribed chlamydia treatments are Azithromycin and Doxycycline. They are an effective treatment for chlamydia, and if taken correctly cure more than 95 out of every 100 cases of chlamydia.

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What Is The Best Over

Over the counter medications cannot be used to treat chlamydia. Effective treatment for chlamydia relies on antibiotics, which are only available with a prescription.

Over-use of antibiotics in a population can lead to bacteria, including Chlamydia trachomatis, becoming resistant to the medication. In an attempt to limit the development of this problem, antibiotics are generally only available with a doctors prescription.

If they were available over the counter, they would likely be used much more frequently, including in cases where a person did not in fact have an infection that could be treated with an antibiotic leading to the development of resistant strains. In fact, even with antibiotics only available of prescription, experts believe that doctors currently prescribe antibiotics far too readily, contributing to the problem of resistance. The only antibiotics available without prescription are topical .

Treatment for chlamydia is quite simple but you will need to see a healthcare professional to obtain it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a range of antibiotics in most cases, either azithromycin or doxycycline .

You also need to see a healthcare professional to have your condition accurately diagnosed the symptoms of several other sexually transmitted infections are quite similar to those of chlamydia.

How Often Should I Get Tested

The CDC recommends that adults and adolescents ages 13 to 64 get tested for HIV at least once a year as part of their routine health check-up.

Sexually active people who were assigned female at birth and are younger than 25 years old should be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia every year.

Pregnant people should be tested for syphilis, hepatitis B, and HIV.

Sexually active men who have sex with other men should be tested for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea annually.

However, if symptoms arise, you shouldnt wait. The quicker youre tested, the sooner you can begin treatment.

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Does Azithromycin Cure Chlamydia

Cure rates of 97% were reported in an analysis of 12 randomized clinical trials that investigated the use of azithromycin 1 gram for the treatment of chlamydia. That means for every 100 people with chlamydia who take azithromycin, 97 will be cured and 3 will not be cured.

This relies on the person with chlamydia taking azithromycin exactly as directed and not sharing the medication with anyone. Any sexual partners must be also treated.

Although azithromycin cures chlamydia in most people, it will not repair any permanent damage done to tissues by the disease.

If you have been symptomatic with chlamydia before treatment and your symptoms continue for more than a few days after receiving treatment, then ask to be re-evaluated by your health care provider.

Unfortunately, repeat infection with chlamydia is common. This means that even though azithromycin has cured your current infection with chlamydia, this does not mean you will not get chlamydia again. If your sexual partners have not been appropriately treated, you are at high-risk for reinfection. Having chlamydia multiple times puts women at high risk of fertility problems, ectopic pregnancy, and pelvic inflammatory disease. Infants born to mothers who are infected with chlamydia may develop chlamydial conjunctivitis and/or pneumonia. Chlamydial infection in infants can be treated with antibiotics.

What Happens If You Dont Get Treated For Chlamydia

Even though chlamydia is common and doesnt usually cause any symptoms, it can become a big deal if its not caught and treated early.

Chlamydia can spread to your uterus and fallopian tubes if it goes untreated for a long time. This can cause you to have pelvic inflammatory disease . PID can cause permanent damage that leads to pain, infertility, or ectopic pregnancy. So getting tested regularly for chlamydia really lowers your chances of getting PID.

If you have a penis, a chlamydia infection can spread to your epididymis if its left untreated, and can cause chronic joint pain. Rarely, it can make you infertile.

Having chlamydia may increase your chances of getting or spreading HIV.

If you have chlamydia during your pregnancy and dont treat it, you can pass it to your baby when youre giving birth. Chlamydia can also cause eye infections and pneumonia in newborns, and it also increases the risk of delivering your baby too early.

Testing and treatment for chlamydia is quick, easy, and the best way to avoid all of these problems.

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What Else Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider

If you have pubic lice, ask your provider:

• What pubic lice treatment do you recommend?
• How many times should I do the treatment?
• When can I resume having sex?
• Should I tell my sexual partner that I have pubic lice?
• How can I prevent the lice from coming back?
• Are there any long-term complications from crabs?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

If you have pubic lice, or genital crabs, dont feel alarmed. While crabs can be annoying and cause discomfort, its easy to treat them. Pubic lice wont cause long-term health problems, either. If youre not sure you have crabs, talk to your healthcare provider. Pubic lice treatment usually involves special creams or shampoos to destroy the lice. After treatment, make sure to comb any nits out of your hair. Wash all clothes, bedding and towels to destroy any lice living there. And suggest to recent sexual partner that they get treated as well.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 12/17/2020.

References

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Can Chlamydia Turn Into Gonorrhea

No, chlamydia on its own cannot turn into gonorrhea as they are caused by two different bacteria.

It does happen that people contract and carry both chlamydia and gonorrhea bacteria, so you can have them at the same time. Also, having one increases your likelihood of contracting another thus, it is always important to be treated for both.

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Things To Be Aware Of With Chlamydia Treatment

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When Can I Have Sex Again After Taking Chlamydia Antibiotic Tablets

If you have chlamydia, you should not have vaginal, oral or anal sex until 7 days after you have finished your chlamydia treatment course. If you have been tested positive for chlamydia, it is important to let your sexual partner know, so that they can also get treated and avoid re-infecting you with chlamydia once you have completed treatment.

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Does The Treatment Work

Usually, yes. You can infect another sex partner as soon as you get chlamydia. Most women and some men do not have early signs of the disease.

A pregnant women can also pass on the infection to her baby as it is being born. This can lead to infection of the eyes and lungs in the infant. It is important to inform people you have had sex with during the past 3 months because they may have the disease and not know they need treatment. Your public health nurse will contact your partner if you prefer. Your name will be kept confidential.

How Does Doxycycline Treat Chlamydia

Antibiotics work against bacteria. For their own survival and reproduction bacteria need to produce certain proteins. Doxycycline works by entering the bacteria cells and blocking the production of these proteins.

If taken correctly, doxycycline helps to completely get rid of a bacterial infection like chlamydia in 95% of the cases. To make sure that doxycycline will work properly, its important that you complete the treatment by taking every single dose on time.

Doxycycline helps you to fight the bacteria that are causing an infection in your body, but it does not prevent you from catching infections like chlamydia again. During your chlamydia treatment youre advised to avoid vaginal, oral, and anal sex, even with a condom. The same is true for your partner. This will ensure you dont pass the infection to other people or catch it again while you are recovering.

If you do decide to have sex anyway, use a condom to make sure you avoid spreading your infection.

If you are under 25 you should take a chlamydia test 3 months after finishing your treatment.

If you need to start a course of chlamydia treatment, you can order it online from Superdrug Online Doctor in a few simple steps:

• Fill in a quick questionnaire about your health

• One of our doctors will review your order and approve a suitable treatment

• Doxycycline will be sent to you with a fast and discreet delivery

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Just How Is Chlamydia Spread Can You Get Chlamydia Medicine Over The Counter

You can obtain chlamydia by having vaginal, rectal, or foreplay with a person that has chlamydia.

If your sex companion is male you can still get chlamydia even if he does not climax.

If you have actually had chlamydia and were dealt with in the past, you can still get contaminated once more. This can take place if you have unprotected sex with someone that has chlamydia.

If you are expecting, you can offer chlamydia to your infant throughout giving birth.

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Complications From Chlamydia And Gonorrhea

Because these two diseases often have no symptoms, some people go untreated.

Even with those who have symptoms, stigma, access, or other reasons get in the way of getting medical attention.

Not receiving prompt and proper treatment can create serious health problems.

For women, chlamydia and gonorrhea that goes untreated can spread through your uterus to your fallopian tubes.

Fallopian tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus and transport fertilized eggs during pregnancy. If untreated bacteria that cause gonorrhea and chlamydia spread to this area, the result is pelvic inflammatory disease , affecting around 5% of women in the US.

Pelvic inflammatory disease, similar to chlamydia and gonorrhea, can have no symptoms or just some pelvic or abdominal pain initially.

Unfortunately, PID can do permanent damage to a womens reproductive system, including:

For men, gonorrhea and chlamydia can also lead to serious health problems.

It is uncommon for either to cause infertility in men, but sometimes the infection can spread past the penis causing fever or pain.

One difference is that chlamydia can also spread to the urethra, causing Non-Gonococcal urethritis, which is an infection of the tube that carries urine resulting in inflammation, pain, and fever.

This cannot be caused by the bacteria that causes gonorrhea. However, for both diseases, it is possible for either to cause:

For both women and men, chlamydia and gonorrhea can develop into a form of arthritis:

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Who May Buy Azithromycin

Pharmacists will be able to sell azithromycin only to individuals with a positive NAAT result and to their sexual partners. Partner notification contact slips will be used to obtain a supply partners will not need to have a positive test. A database of test results will be held, which pharmacists will need to access to confirm the results for index cases.

Manufacturer Actavis is working with the NPA on training materials for pharmacists and medicines counter assistants as well as a Clamelle-branded chlamydia test kit. The NPA has developed a chlamydia screening service package, which is due to be launched on 11 August 2008. Clamelle is expected to be available in late October 2008.

Does Chlamydia Treatment Have Side Effects

An antibiotic called Doxycycline is the most common medicine used to treat chlamydia. Like most medicines, it can cause mild side effects. The most common side effects of Doxycycline are nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, loss of appetite, mild diarrhea, skin rash or itching, change in skin color, vaginal itching, or discharge. These side effects should go away after you finish taking the medicine. Talk to your nurse or doctor about any medicines youre already taking and any medical issues you already have before taking Doxycycline.

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Multiple Std Testing Combo

Taking multiple STD tests individually might be more expensive, rather go with a comprehensive test package which is considerably low cost compared to all the individual tests summed up.

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Can You Get An Std From Kissing

Although kissing is considered to be low-risk when compared to intercourse and oral sex, its possible for kissing to transmit CMV, herpes, and syphilis. CMV can be present in saliva, and herpes and syphilis can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, particularly at times when sores are present.

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What Are The Treatments For Chlamydia

If you are diagnosed with chlamydia, your doctor will prescribe oral antibiotics. A single dose of azithromycin or taking doxycycline twice daily for 7 to 14 days are the most common treatments and are the same for those with or without HIV.

With treatment, the infection should clear up in about a week. Do not have sex for at least 7 days until you have taken all of your medication, and do not stop taking the antibiotics even if you feel better.

Your doctor will also recommend that your partner be treated as well to prevent reinfection and further spread of the disease.

Women with serious infections, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, may require a longer course of antibiotics or hospitalization for intravenous antibiotics. Some severe pelvic infections may require surgery in addition to antibiotic therapy.

Make sure you get retested after three months to be certain the infection is gone. Do this even if your partner has been treated and appears to be infection free.