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.
What Happens If I Dont Get Treated
The initial damage that chlamydia causes often goes unnoticed. However, chlamydia can lead to serious health problems.
If you are a woman, untreated chlamydia can spread to your uterus and fallopian tubes . This can cause pelvic inflammatory disease . PID often has no symptoms, however some women may have abdominal and pelvic pain. Even if it doesnt cause symptoms initially, PID can cause permanent damage to your reproductive system. PID can lead to long-term pelvic pain, inability to get pregnant, and potentially deadly ectopic pregnancy .
Men rarely have health problems linked to chlamydia. Infection sometimes spreads to the tube that carries sperm from the testicles, causing pain and fever. Rarely, chlamydia can prevent a man from being able to have children.
What Can Cause False Results
The incubation period of chlamydia is normally between one to five days so, getting tested too early after a high-risk sexual encounter, may show a false negative result. Also, a positive result may reflect an old infection, in that case, we can call it a false positive since the results do not indicate an active infection.
The incubation period of gonorrhea is normally between two to six days however it can range anywhere from one to fourteen days. So, getting tested before that time will not give accurate results. It is always recommended to get tested after the incubation period has passed to prevent a false negative test, otherwise you would be advised to take the test again.
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Home Remedies To Cure Chlamydia
Chlamydia in women, as well as men, can create trouble if left untreated hence on the slightest symptom, you must get it diagnosed. While there are medical treatments for it,you can also opt for home remedies that are quite effective in treating the infection. Further, these have no adverse effects on your body. Here are simple home remedies for Chlamydia.
Can You Have Chlamydia And Gonorrhea At The Same Time
A single STD on its own is a gruesome enough prospect. But what about contracting multiple STDs? Can you have STDs like chlamydia and gonorrhea at the same time? The answer is yes. In fact, its fairly commonplace for individuals to carry more than one STD at once. Thats why its important for all sexually active individuals to get tested for every STD not just one or two. Below, well explain more about the nature of STDs and help you determine how best to deal with one :
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Who Is At Risk And How Can They Prevent It
Any person who is sexually active has a risk of STIs. A person can transmit or contract STIs through oral, anal, or vaginal sexual intercourse.
To prevent contracting either of these infections, a person should use barrier methods, such as condoms, and get tested regularly.
Even when they do not cause any symptoms, these infections can cause complications.
If a person does not seek treatment for gonorrhea, for example, there may be a of contracting HIV. They may also contract disseminated gonococcal infections.
What Are The Signs Of Chlamydia Or Gonorrhea
Many people who have chlamydia or gonorrhea dont have any signs or symptoms. When there are symptoms, chlamydia and gonorrhea cause very similar things.
Women with symptoms may have:
- Abnormal discharge from the vagina
- Burning when they urinate
- Bleeding between periods
Men with symptoms may have:
- Abnormal discharge from the penis
- Burning when they urinate
- Painful or swollen testicles
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What Happens During A Gonorrhea Test
If you are a woman, a sample may be taken from your cervix. For this procedure, you will lie on your back on an exam table, with your knees bent. You will rest your feet in supports called stirrups. Your health care provider will use a plastic or metal instrument called a speculum to open the vagina, so the cervix can be seen. Your provider will then use a soft brush or plastic spatula to collect the sample.
If you are a man, your provider may take a swab from the opening of your urethra.
For both men and women, a sample may be taken from a suspected area of infection, such as the mouth or rectum. Urine tests are also used for both men and women.
Some gonorrhea tests can be done with an at-home STD test kit. If your health care provider recommends at-home testing, be sure to follow all directions carefully.
Your health care provider may order tests for other STDs when you get a gonorrhea test. These may include tests for chlamydia, syphilis, and/or HIV.
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How Is Chlamydia Spread
You can get chlamydia by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has chlamydia.
If your sex partner is male you can still get chlamydia even if he does not ejaculate .
If youve had chlamydia and were treated in the past, you can still get infected again. This can happen if you have unprotected sex with someone who has chlamydia.
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Silent Stis: Chlamydia And Gonorrhea
You might think that if you had a sexually transmitted infection you would know, but the fact is that some STIs are usually asymptomatic in women. Two of these silent STIs are chlamydia and gonorrhea. Depending on your age and risk factors, your gynecologist may screen you for both of these STIs at your annual checkup. That’s because if you do have one of these infections and it’s left untreated, it can cause infertility later on.
Read on to learn more about why you should take chlamydia and gonorrhea screening seriously.
How Do You Get Chlamydia And Gonorrhea
- Engaging with multiple sexual partners in one year The more partners who engage with, the more likely you will be exposed to an infected person and contract an STD.
- Having unprotected sex Condoms can reduce the likelihood of you contracting an STD however, condoms are never 100% effective. If you are concerned you may have an STD, you should get tested regardless of whether you used a condom in your last sexual encounter.
- Younger than 24 Individuals younger than 24 tend to practice unprotected sex more often than other age groups and are less likely to be tested.
- Previous diagnosis of an STD Having already contracted an STD increases your bodys susceptibility to contracting another STD. It can be common for those who have contracted chlamydia to be at risk for contracting gonorrhea or HIV. If you contract gonorrhea, you are at a greater risk of contracting HIV.
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How Do I Know If I Have Chlamydia Or Gonorrhea
Most women do not have any symptoms of chlamydia or gonorrhea. Some women have abnormal vaginal discharge, burning when they urinate , or bleeding between periods. Many men who have chlamydia or gonorrhea will have a discharge from their penis or burning when they urinate. Your health care provider will take a sample of fluid from your cervix with a cotton swab or a urine sample to test for the bacteria.
Chlamydia And Gonorrhea Responsible For 10% Of New Hiv Infections Among Msm According To New Study
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A new study published January 19 in the journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases estimates that 10% of new HIV cases among men who have sex with men are caused by existing gonorrhea or chlamydia infections. While the number of new HIV cases among MSM has remained fairly stable, sexually transmitted infections are at an all-time high and threaten to make HIV prevention harder.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea are the two most common reportable STIs in the United States, and the rates are rising among men. In 2017, there were 363.1 cases of chlamydia per 100,000 men. This represents a 39% increase from just four years earlier in 2013. The gonorrhea rate among men rose even more during that same time period, from 108.7 to 202.5 cases per 100,000 men. Data suggest that the incidence of these and other STIs is higher in MSM than in men who have sex only with women.
HIV diagnoses have fallen among injection drug users and heterosexuals since 2012. They have also fallen among white gay and bisexual men but have remained stable among African-American gay and bisexual men, while increasing among Latino gay and bisexual men. Overall, the HIV rates remain unchanged among MSM.
For this study, researchers used agent-based modeling that took all of these factors into account. The behavioral variables in the model, such as specific sexual behaviors and frequency of condom use, were based on data collected for a study of sexual networks in Atlanta, Georgia.
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What Does Chlamydia In The Throat Look Like
Chlamydia in the throat may cause white spots to appear in the back of the throat or tonsils. If you have swollen tonsils and any other symptom that resembles a strep throat infection, it may be wise to still get tested for chlamydia. These white spots may resemble tonsillitis that are caused by a bacterial infection.
How Gonorrhea And Chlamydia Are Tested
Both gonorrhea and chlamydia can be diagnosed with similar methods. A healthcare provider might do a physical examination to look for symptoms, and they may do a urine test to check for the bacteria that cause chlamydia or gonorrhea.
But screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea doesnât have to take place at a clinic. With the Everlywell at-home Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Test, you can easily check for these STIs from the comfort and privacy of your home.
The kit comes with easy-to-follow instructions and everything you need to collect your sample at home, and your physician-reviewed results can be conveniently and securely viewed online on your device. Plus, if you receive a positive result after you get tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea with the Everlywell at-home test, youâll have the opportunity to connect with our independent physician networkâand may be prescribed medication to treat the infection.
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How Soon Do Symptoms Appear
In males, symptoms usually appear two to seven days after infection but it can take as long as 30 days for symptoms to begin. Often, there are no symptoms for people infected with gonorrhea 10 to 15 percent of men and about 80 percent of women may have no symptoms. People with no symptoms are at risk for developing complications to gonorrhea. These people also spread this infection unknowingly.
Can You Get Multiple Stds At Once
Again, the answer to this question is yes. If you engage in sexual relations with someone who has more than one STD, then you could pick up multiple STDs during a single encounter. Its probably more likely to pick up multiple STDs over time, though, than to contract two or three STDs at once. Since most individuals arent aware that they have an STD, they might not get tested or treated for years at a time, which could increase their chances of getting another infection.
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How Can You Avoid Getting Oral Chlamydia
Practice safe sex consistentlyâsuch as using condoms during sex, including oral sexâto help lower your odds of contracting STIs like chlamydia from a sex partner. Making sure you regularly test for STIs is also important, especially if you may have been involved with an infected person. Though it might not directly prevent you from getting oral chlamydia, routine STI testing can be a powerful way to detect a chlamydial infection early onâbefore itâs been passed on to others or seriously affected your health. Because untreated chlamydia increases one’s risk of long-term health complications, be sure to speak with your healthcare provider as soon as possible if you think you might be infected or if you test positive.
To easily check for 6 common STIs , consider our at-home STD Test for women or men.
References
1. Chan PA, Robinette A, Montgomery M, et al. Extragenital Infections Caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae: A Review of the Literature. Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol. 2016 2016:5758387. doi:10.1155/2016/5758387
2. Vonck RA, Darville T, O’Connell CM, Jerse AE. Chlamydial infection increases gonococcal colonization in a novel murine coinfection model. Infect Immun. 2011 79:1566-1577. doi:10.1128/IAI.01155-10
3. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease – CDC Fact Sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. URL. Accessed January 31, 2020.
Are You At Risk For One Of These Types Of Stds
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the rates of several sexually transmitted diseases in the United States skyrocketed to a record high in 2018. The combined number of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis cases which are among the most common STDs increased by more than 100,000 compared to 2017. Chlamydia infection alone has reached 1.7 million cases.
A sexually transmitted disease is passed from an infected person, usually unknowingly, to an uninfected person during sex, but it can also spread whenever there is bodily fluid exchange. Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are bacterial infections that can be spread simply by touching an infected area. It isnt necessary for a man to ejaculate in order to pass the infection to his partner. Unfortunately, people infected with these diseases may not know it.
These infections often have minimal or no symptoms in their early stages, says Varinthrej Pitis, MD, a primary care physician at Scripps Clinic Carmel Valley. Without treatment, persistent or inappropriately treated infections can lead to serious complications from pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, neurological consequences, joint problems and congenital birth defects.
Learn more about these different types of STDs:
Chlamydia
- Unusual vaginal discharge, itching or burning
- Bleeding between periods
- Pain during urination or sex
Chlamydia symptoms in men may include:
Treatment: Most cases are treated successfully with oral antibiotics.
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Syphilis: Symptoms & Treatment Options
Symptoms: The symptoms of syphilis will vary depending on the stage the disease is in: Primary, secondary, latent, or tertiary.
During its primary stage, you may get painless sores in the affected area: genitals, anus, or mouth. They usually will go away within a couple of weeks. However, the person will still be infected with the virus unless they receive treatment.
During the secondary stage, you may get flu-like symptoms, such as a sore throat, fever, headaches, and being tired all the time.
During the latent stage, the person wont have any symptoms. If left untreated, the illness will reach its tertiary stage.
During the tertiary stage, the disease will start to affect internal organs, including your central nervous system and your brain.
Treatment: Syphilis can be treated with Penicillin. The dosage and length of treatment will depend on the stage of the disease. You should also follow up within 6 to 12 months after treatment has ended to make sure youre cured.
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Chlamydia And Gonorrhea: How To Know The Difference
04.Feb.2021
Chlamydia and gonorrhea are arguably some of the most common, and well known, sexually transmitted infections worldwide. As a matter of fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention refer to both of these infections as two nationally notifiable STIs .
Occasionally mistaken for one another, chlamydia and gonorrhea have similar symptoms and signs, and can even cause some similar side effects when left untreated. In saying that, both chlamydia and gonorrhea are individual infections, with a variety of distinct differences – each of which is worth knowing more about.
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Is There A Cure For Chlamydia And Gonorrhea
Yes. Chlamydia and gonorrhea can both be cured with the right treatment. If these STDs arent treated, they can cause serious health problems, like making it difficult or impossible for a woman to get pregnant.
If you have an STD, its important to get treatment right away. Its also important to tell anyone youve had sex with that you have an STD so they can get treated, too. This can help protect you from getting infected again.
Recommendation On Screening For Chlamydia And Gonorrhea In Primary Care For Individuals Not Known To Be At High Risk
www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.201967-f see related article at www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.210604
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Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are the most commonly reported sexually transmitted bacterial infections in Canada and can cause complications including pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility.
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Opportunistic offering of screening for chlamydia in primary care may reduce pelvic inflammatory disease in females, although the evidence is uncertain.
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Most patients likely prioritize the potential benefits of screening over harms a small proportion of those eligible for screening may experience psychosocial harms of embarrassment, anxiety or stigma.
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The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care recommends screening of sexually active individuals younger than 30 years for chlamydia and gonorrhea annually at primary care visits, as feasible .
Key messages for the public
Screening sexually active individuals for chlamydia and gonorrhea could reduce clinical complications and transmission, but should be done only if benefits from screening exceed harms, and resource use is justifiable.
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