Tuesday, March 26, 2024
HomeFactsDifferent Ways To Get Chlamydia

Different Ways To Get Chlamydia

What Can Be Done To Prevent The Spread Of Chlamydia

What is chlamydia? | Infectious diseases | NCLEX-RN | Khan Academy
  • Limit your number of sex partners
  • Use a male or female condom
  • If you think you are infected or have been exposed, avoid any sexual contact and visit a local sexually transmitted disease clinic, a hospital or your doctor. Either bring your sex partners with you when you are treated or notify them immediately so they can obtain examination and treatment.

What Happens If I Get Chlamydia When I’m Pregnant

  • Chlamydia during pregnancy has been associated in very rare cases with problems such as premature birth, and infection of the uterus lining after the birth.
  • It can be passed to the baby during the birth and before the baby is born. This can cause inflammation and discharge in the babys eye and/or pneumonia.
  • You may be offered a chlamydia test as part of your antenatal care.
  • Chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics when youre pregnant and when youre breastfeeding. The antibiotics wont harm the baby, but do tell the doctor or nurse that youre pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • Youll be advised to have another test after you complete your treatment.

How Is Chlamydia Treated

Chlamydia can be cleared up with antibiotics in about a week or two. But dont stop taking your medication just because your symptoms improve. Ask your provider about what follow-up is needed to be sure your infection is gone after youve finished taking your medicine.

Part of your treatment should also include avoiding sexual activities that could cause you to get re-infected and ensuring that any sexual partners who may be infected also get treatment. You should:

  • Abstain from sex until your infection has cleared up. Starting treatment doesnt mean that youre in the clear. Take all your medication as your provider directs, and avoid all sexual contact in the meantime.
  • Contact all sexual partners. Tell any sexual partners from the last 3 months that youre infected so that they can get tested, too.
  • Get tested for other STIs . Its common to have multiple STIs, and its important to receive treatment thats tailored to each infection.

Antibiotics can get rid of your infection, but they cant reverse any harm the bacteria may have caused to your body before treatment. This is why its so important to get screened regularly for chlamydia, to see your provider at the first sign of symptoms, and get treatment immediately if youre infected.

You May Like: Does Garlic Get Rid Of Chlamydia

Chlamydial Conjunctivitis In Newborns

A pregnant woman who is infected with chlamydia can infect her newborn baby as he or she passes through the birth canal during delivery. Up to 50 percent of newborn babies can contract chlamydia from an infected mother during delivery, according to research.

Symptoms of chlamydial conjunctivitis in newborns may include swelling, redness or watery discharge. Newborns typically begin experiencing these symptoms around 5 to 7 days after birth.

Chlamydial conjunctivitis in newborns is treated through IV antibiotics, as well as with antibiotic ointment. If the condition is left untreated in newborns, it can lead to further complications, such as lung infections and even blindness.

Can I Get Chlamidia From Anything But Sex

How Chlamydia Is Diagnosed

Guest over a year ago

Loading…

Guest over a year ago

Guest over a year ago

Guest over a year ago

XDJosa over a year ago

Guest over a year ago

over a year ago

Guest over a year ago

chris03 over a year ago

🙁 Hey my name is Kat I have recently been accused of sleeping around on my almost one year relationship.. I have not cheatted on him and wasn’t planning on it…. I started feeling stomach pain and went to the doctor… and was diagnosed with chlamidya ……I know my boyfriend woulnt cheat on me either so Im guessing its from my past boyfriend Rob sence I caught him cheatting on me ….. I believe I didn’t get the symptoms till I guess 8-9 months after being with him ………

one more thing… I also believe that this kind of bacterial infection can be caused by toys!.. I like to play and I think that maybe i didnt do such a great job sanatizing my objects !

Guest over a year ago

I think there is something def. wrong here. caz well web MD does say it is possible for you to catch it off a toilet seat! ITS not likely or common but it’s possible. LOOK IT UP! I read all the post and well Ive talked to many doctors about this issue and well I honestly dont think its covered well in med school caz everyone gives me a different answer. My question is how often is it misdiagnosed?

Doctors are Not god and they to make mistakes!

Guest over a year ago

Don’t Miss: My Partner Tested Positive For Chlamydia But I Didn T

How Long Can You Have Chlamydia Without Knowing

Chlamydia is sometimes called a silent infection because the majority of people who have chlamydia regardless of gender never notice symptoms. People who do notice symptoms often dont recognize the signs that they have chlamydia until a few weeks after theyve been infected. Because chlamydia cases are often asymptomatic, its easy to spread chlamydia to someone else without realizing it. And its easy to miss out on receiving the treatment needed to prevent the serious complications that can result from chlamydia.

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.

Recommended Reading: What’s Chlamydia Caused By

What Measures Can I Take To Prevent These Conditions

The only way that you can completely prevent yourself from catching chlamydia, gonorrhea, or another STI is by abstaining from sexual activity.

But there are also plenty of ways you can reduce your risk of contracting or transmitting these infections:

  • Use protection. Both male and female condoms are effective in helping to reduce your risk from infection by either bacteria. Using proper protection during oral or anal sex can also reduce your risk of infection.
  • Limit your sexual partners. The more sex partners you have, the more you risk exposing yourself to an infection. And because these STIs may not cause noticeable symptoms, sex partners may not know they have the condition.
  • Get regularly tested. Whether youre having sex with multiple people or not, regular STI tests can help you remain aware of your sexual health and ensure that youre not unknowingly transmitting an infection to others. Regular testing can also help you identify an infection even if youre not experiencing any symptoms.
  • Dont use products that affect your vaginal bacteria. Healthy bacteria in the vagina helps fight off infections. Using products like douches or scented odor-reduction products can upset the balance of vaginal flora and make you more susceptible to infection.
  • Can Chlamydia Be Cured

    Clinical Pearls for Chlamydia & Gonorrhea

    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.

    Also Check: Is Chlamydia Curable In Females

    If You Live In Cambridgeshire Peterborough And Suffolk

    All young people can order a free chlamydia postal testing kit from the Terrence Higgins Trust or collect a free chlamydia postal kit at a participating Pickup Point.

    Anyone aged 25 and over, can order a free chlamydia postal testing kit from iCaSH Express Test.

    All young people can have a chlamydia test at an iCaSH clinic.

    Can Women Who Have Sex With Women Get Chlamydia

    Yes. It is possible to get chlamydia, or any other STI, if you are a woman who has sex only with women. Chlamydia lives in the reproductive tract of an infected woman and can pass to a sex partner, whether male or female.

    Talk to your partner about her sexual history before having sex, and ask your doctor or nurse for an STI test if you are at risk.6

    Read Also: Can I Go To Urgent Care For Chlamydia

    How Soon Can I Have Sex Again

    Dont have oral, vaginal or anal sex, or use sex toys, until you and your partner have both finished the treatment and any symptoms have gone. This is to help prevent you being re-infected or passing the infection on to someone else.

    If youre given antibiotic treatment called azithromycin, youll still need to avoid sex for seven days after starting the treatment as thats how long it takes to work.

    How To Help Partners Get Treatment

    Chlamydia Infection: Symptoms, Treatments &  Risk Factors

    If you are not sure whether your sexual partner will seek treatment, ask your doctor for extra chlamydia medication . You can give it to them so they can be treated as soon as possible.

    This is known as patient delivered partner therapy for chlamydia. Talk to your doctor to see if PDPT is right for you and your sexual partner.

    Also Check: Can You Get Chlamydia Test Results Same Day

    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.

    Where Can I Get A Test

    There are a number of services you can go to. Choose the one you feel most comfortable with.

    A chlamydia test can be done at:

    • a genitourinary medicine or sexual health clinic
    • your general practice
    • contraception and young peoples clinics
    • some pharmacies.

    Abortion clinics, antenatal services and some gynaecology services may also offer a chlamydia test.

    In England, if youre a woman aged under 25 years old, you may be offered a chlamydia test as part of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme when you visit some service for other reasons, for example at a pharmacy or your GP.

    The NCSP aims to identify people without symptoms to reduce the complications of untreated infection. If chlamydia is not treated, it can cause health complications, especially in women. Untreated chlamydia in women can cause pain in the pelvis, ectopic pregnancy and infertility .

    If you are a woman aged under 25 years old and you are offered a chlamydia test as part of the NCSP you should consider taking it.

    In many areas, free home self-sampling tests for chlamydia are available to order online. This is where you take your own sample and send it to be tested. See www.nhs.uk

    Its also possible to buy a chlamydia test to do at home. The accuracy of these tests varies. Some types are very accurate when carried out according to the instructions, others can be less reliable. If you buy a testing kit make sure you get advice from a pharmacist or your doctor.

    Read Also: Are There Any Home Remedies For Chlamydia

    Does Chlamydia Cause Cervical Cancer

    No, chlamydia doesn’t cause cervical cancer.

    It’s possible to get a sexually transmitted infection by having sex with someone who has an STI, even if they have no symptoms.

    The following measures will help protect you from most STIs including chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV.

    If you have an STI, they’ll also help prevent you from passing it on to someone:

    • Use condoms every time you have vaginal or anal sex.
    • If you have oral sex , use a condom to cover the penis, or a dam to cover the vulva or anus.
    • Avoid sharing sex toys. If you do share them, wash them or cover them with a new condom before anyone else uses them.

    How To Protect Yourself Against Chlamydia And Other Stis

    How Do #STIs Affect Pregnancy? Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, HIV and the STIs That Can Affect #Pregnancy

    Using condoms consistently and correctly helps protect against chlamydia other STIs , HIV and unintended pregnancies.

    Regular testing for HIV and STIs is essential for good sexual health and everyone should have a STI screen, including a HIV test, annually if having condomless sex with new or casual partners.

    You can find out more about STIs, HIV and sexual health on Terrence Higgins Trusts website.

    Recommended Reading: If Someone Has Chlamydia Is It Always Passed On

    How Do You Get Oral Chlamydia

    A person can get oral chlamydia by giving vaginal, penile, or anal oral sex to another person already infected with the bacteria.

    Chlamydia trachomatis can also be spread from an infected persons throat to the penis. Research has not shown that the infection can spread from an infected persons throat to the vagina or rectum during oral sex.

    Chlamydia does not seem to spread through kissing.

    What Treatment Is Available

    Chlamydia is easily treated with antibiotics. Most antibiotics are safe to take with hormonal contraception like the pill, implant, injection and patch. However, you must tell your nurse or doctor if youre taking any medications if youre pregnant, could be pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

    In urgent cases, we may treat you before getting your test results back. For example, if youve been contacted by a current or past sexual partner who has tested positive or is worried about being infected, or if youre experiencing one or more of the symptoms after having unprotected sex.

    It is extremely important that you dont have sex or any sexual contact for seven days after you and your partner have finished the treatment to avoid being re-infected or passing on the infection.

    Also Check: How Long Till Chlamydia Symptoms Show

    How Can I Prevent Chlamydia

    The best way to prevent chlamydia or any STI is to not have vaginal, oral, or anal sex.

    If you do have sex, lower your risk of getting an STI with the following steps:

    • Use condoms. Condoms are the best way to prevent STIs when you have sex. Because a man does not need to ejaculate to give or get chlamydia, make sure to put the condom on before the penis touches the vagina, mouth, or anus. Other methods of birth control, like birth control pills, shots, implants, or diaphragms, will not protect you from STIs.
    • Get tested. Be sure you and your partner are tested for STIs. Talk to each other about the test results before you have sex.
    • Be monogamous. Having sex with just one partner can lower your risk for STIs. After being tested for STIs, be faithful to each other. That means that you have sex only with each other and no one else.
    • Limit your number of sex partners. Your risk of getting STIs goes up with the number of partners you have.
    • Do not douche.Douching removes some of the normal bacteria in the vagina that protects you from infection. This may increase your risk of getting STIs.4
    • Do not abuse alcohol or drugs. Drinking too much alcohol or using drugs increases risky behavior and may put you at risk of sexual assault and possible exposure to STIs.

    The steps work best when used together. No single step can protect you from every single type of STI.

    How Easily Is Chlamydia Transmitted During Sexual Intercourse

    á? Buy Chlamydia Treatment Online With Further Information Available

    Unfortunately, chlamydia is very easily transmitted through unprotected sexual contact. This is especially true because chlamydia infections are sometimes asymptomaticâmeaning they donât cause noticeable symptoms.

    In fact, any time you come in contact with the bacteriaâeven if your sex partner doesnât ejaculate or you arenât fully penetratedâyou could become infected or pass along the chlamydial infection. This being the case, men and women should get tested for STIs before beginning any new sexual relationship.

    Read Also: Where Can I Go To Get Tested For Chlamydia

    What Is The Treatment For Chlamydia

    There are antibiotic treatments that are effective in treating chlamydia. A healthcare provider will decide which antibiotic is prescribed, taking into consideration the particular needs of the patient.

    Whatever treatment is prescribed, there are some important points about any treatment:

    • The patient must take all medications as directed.
    • All partners should be examined and treated.
    • The infected person should not have sex until they and any partner or partners have been treated and cured.
    • People who show symptoms after treatment should be tested again.
    • Women should be retested three to four months after treatment because of a high rate of reinfection.
    • Because the symptoms of chlamydia are similar to the symptom of gonorrhea, and because a person can be infected with both, doctors will sometimes go ahead and treat people with chlamydia for both infections . Remember, partners should be examined for infection and treated as well to avoid reinfection.

    RELATED ARTICLES

    Most Popular