How Long Can I Have Chlamydia Before It Causes Damage
Symptoms usually appear within one to three weeks after being infected and may be very mild. If not treated, chlamydia can lead to damage to the reproductive system. In women, chlamydial infection can spread to the uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease , according to the CDC.
How Long Can Chlamydia Stay In Your System
Chlamydia typically goes away within 1 to 2 weeks. You should avoid sex during this time to prevent transmitting the disease. Your doctor may prescribe a one-dose medication or a medication youll take daily for about a week. If they prescribe a one-dose pill, you should wait 7 days before having sex again.
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Anita Ravi, MD, MPH, MSHP, a practicing family physician in New York City, urges physicians to make STI screenings a routine part of patient care so as to help catch and treat chlamydia, which can have long term health repercussions if not treated. âYou could have chlamydia for years and not know it,â Ravi says.
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How Chlamydia Diagnosis Process Is Carried On In Men
Early treatment of Chlamydia is essential to have a healthy life ahead. In case if you had unprotected sex with your recent partner then you must get tested for STIs as soon as possible. This test can be carried out at any local GUM clinic or GP. With improved facilities of digital world, patients can also order Chlamydia test kits to their home from online sources.
Nucleic Acid Amplification Test
The most common test for chlamydia, this is a simple, non-invasive test during which you collect a swab or urine sample yourself . A doctor can assist in taking a swab if you prefer.
The sample is then sent to be tested to see if there is genetic material that indicates the presence of chlamydia bacteria. Results come back quicker than the traditional culture test.
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What Are The Treatments For Chlamydia
Antibiotics will cure the infection. You may get a one-time dose of the antibiotics, or you may need to take medicine every day for 7 days. Antibiotics cannot repair any permanent damage that the disease has caused.
To prevent spreading the disease to your partner, you should not have sex until the infection has cleared up. If you got a one-time dose of antibiotics, you should wait 7 days after taking the medicine to have sex again. If you have to take medicine every day for 7 days, you should not have sex again until you have finished taking all of the doses of your medicine.
It is common to get a repeat infection, so you should get tested again about three months after treatment.
How To Test For Chlamydia: Dna Probe
The DNA probe test or nucleic acid hybridization test might also be used and although it is not as accurate as the NAAT, it is still a reliable type of test. There are also quick tests such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or direct fluorescent antibody test which is used to detect Chlamydia antigens, substances that are released by the immune system to fight against Chlamydia infections.
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What Can Happen If Women Dont Seek Treatment For Chlamydia
Untreated chlamydia can result in more severe health concerns if not treated in a timely manner. For women, the most common complication of untreated chlamydia is pelvic inflammatory disease, which can eventually damage the fallopian tubes, making it more difficult to conceive. Other possible complications include:
- A higher risk of an ectopic pregnancy.
- A higher chance of premature birth.
- The risk of passing the infection to a newborn if pregnant.
Getting Tested And Treated For Chlamydia
If you have had unprotected sex and you think you may have been exposed to chlamydia or another STI you should get tested. If you’re diagnosed you should let your partner know and get treated before you have sex again.
You can do this for free at your GP surgery, a sexual health clinic or a GUM clinic. You can also order home test kits from LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor.You should get tested if you are experiencing the kinds of symptoms described above, or if your sexual partner has been diagnosed with chlamydia. If you are under 25 and sexually active its recommended that you get tested at least once a year, and every time you change sexual partners whether or not you have symptoms.
Click here to visit our sexual health tests for men page and order test kits for chlamydia and other STIs.
References
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A note from Cleveland Clinic
It can be embarrassing to talk about anything sex-related with your healthcare provider, including STI prevention. But your sex life is an important part of your health that your provider needs to know about to care for you. Not getting the treatment you need for chlamydia can pose serious risks to your health. Speak with your provider about getting regularly screened for chlamydia and other STIs to reduce your risks of complications. Practice safer sex to prevent the spread of chlamydia.
Signs And Symptoms Of Chlamydia In Men
The first thing to be aware of is that chlamydia does not always cause symptoms. It is estimated that 50% of all men who become infected with chlamydia suffer no symptoms at least to begin with. If chlamydia is left untreated it can lead to serious complications such as the infection spreading to the testicles and surrounding tissues resulting in pain and possible reduced fertility.
When chlamydia does cause symptoms, they can be very similar to other STIs such as gonorrhoea. Male symptoms of chlamydia include:
- Pain when urinating
- Itching or burning in the urethra
- Pain and swelling in the testicles
Chlamydia can also infect the throat, eyes and rectum. This means that men can also experience:
- Redness, pain and discharge in the eye
- Discharge from and pain in the rectum
If you notice these kinds of symptoms in yourself, you should get tested as soon as possible. If you notice these kinds of symptoms in a male sexual partner its best to refrain from any sexual activity until they have been tested and received treatment.
In female sexual partners, look out for pain when urinating, abdominal pain, pain during sex and bleeding after sex as these can indicate chlamydia infection.
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Possible Symptoms In Boys And Men
A chlamydia infection is more noticeable in boys and men who have sex with female partners. These males often have infections in the urethra, the tube through which urine leaves the body. They will usually have pain or some discharge or irritation when they urinate, so theyre more likely to go get treatment, says Dr. Dombrowski.
But for boys having sex with other boys, infection in the rectum is most common and that almost never causes symptoms, she says.
More frequent chlamydia symptoms in boy and men include the followings:
- Pain or swelling of the testicles
- Inflammation of the rectum
- A burning or painful feeling when you urinate, because of inflammation of the urethra
- Inflammation of the eyelid
- Infections in your mouth and throat that cause soreness and redness, though most oral infections cause no symptoms
Who Should Be Tested For Chlamydia
You should go to your health provider for a test if you have symptoms of chlamydia, or if you have a partner who has a sexually transmitted disease. Pregnant women should get a test when they go to their first prenatal visit.
People at higher risk should get checked for chlamydia every year:
- Sexually active women 25 and younger
- Older women who have new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted disease
- Men who have sex with men
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Treating Chlamydia In Men
If you are exhibiting symptoms or you have a sexual partner who has already tested positive, you will likely be given treatment for chlamydia even before your test results come back .
Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics, often a single dose of azithromycin . If there is a concern for a possible co-infection with gonorrhea, youll also get a single injection of an antibiotic called ceftriaxone . This is typically the case when treatment is presumptive .
An alternative first-line treatment regimen is a 7-day course of doxycycline . This replaces the single dose of azithromycin. If you have additional issues, like epididymitis or LGV, you may need a longer treatment course .
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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Home Remedies For Chlamydia Symptoms
You may still experience painful or uncomfortable symptoms while youre taking chlamydia antibiotics.
Here are some home remedies for reducing your pain and other symptoms while youre waiting for the antibiotics to work:
- pain medications, such as ibuprofen to reduce pain
- cold pack to help limit swelling and inflammation
- goldenseal to reduce inflammation and potentially make symptoms less severe
- echinacea to bolster your immune system against the infection and reduce your symptoms
- turmeric containing an ingredient called curcumin to reduce inflammation and make symptoms less severe
No studies support the effectiveness of these supplements specifically for chlamydia, so take them with caution.
And theres no substitute for antibiotics when treating chlamydia. Only try these remedies if youre already taking antibiotics or if you plan to go to the doctor.
Does Chlamydia Have A Smell
In some cases, chlamydia can cause unusual vaginal discharge, which could have a strong or pungent smell.
However, this could also be a sign of several other STIs, including bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniasis. It could also be caused by many other factors, including sweat, changes in pH, or shifts in hormone levels.
Consider talking with a healthcare professional to address any concerns regarding abnormal discharge or odor, especially if its accompanied by other symptoms like pain, bleeding, itching, or burning.
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How Do Healthcare Providers Diagnose Chlamydia
Typically, the diagnosis for suspected chlamydia involves a discussion of the symptoms and your health history, as well as your possible risk for recent exposure. The healthcare provider will then swab a mans urethra or swab around a womans cervix. The swab will be sent to a laboratory to determine if there is infection and bacteria present and the specific strain is there is one. The healthcare provider may also perform a urine test to check for the presence of bacteria, as well.
You can also test yourself in the privacy of your own home with a Nurx STI test kit. Simply request your test from Nurx, which includes a fee to cover the test kit, shipping, and your medical consultation. Once you receive your testing kit, simply collect the samples and return them in the prepaid packaging. One of our experienced healthcare providers will contact you within 7 business days of receiving your sample to discuss the results and answer any questions you may have.
Can You Recognise Chlamydia From Pictures
Can you tell you if have chlamydia by comparing your visible symptoms with pictures?
No. You cannot tell if you have chlamydia just from the appearance. While you might notice some irritation of the genital area, swelling or discharge, these symptoms can also be caused by other infections. The only way to know that an infection is caused by chlamydia is to have a test.
Could a doctor tell you have chlamydia by looking at visible symptoms?
No. The only way to find out if you have chlamydia is to get tested. After a physical examination your GP may suspect you have chlamydia, but they wont be able to confirm a diagnosis without proper testing.
Could the visible symptoms of chlamydia be mistaken for something else?
Yes, but in many cases chlamydia is symptomless. Symptoms may not occur until 1-3 weeks after you have been infected. The symptoms can also be random and infrequent which can lead individuals to overlook that an infection may be causing the symptoms. It could be that your visible symptoms are a result of a different infection.
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What Should I Do If Symptoms Of Chlamydia Appear
If you experience symptoms of Chlamydia after sexual activity, you should see your doctor or visit a sexual health clinic as soon as you can to get tested. For guys who have sex guys, you should get tested for HIV and STIs once every three months.
Not sure where to get tested? There are sexual health clinics across Sydney and regional NSW that all offer confidential STI testing and treatment. HIV and STI tests at clinics across the state are free, though if you get tested with a general practitioner this may vary depending on your access to Medicare, and whether or not your doctor offers a bulk billing service. You can find your closest sexual health testing site using our where to get tested tool.
What To Do If I Have Symptoms Of Oral Chlamydia
Thechances of developing oral Chlamydia are low, but not impossible. If youexperience symptoms listed above, its strongly recommended to see the doctor or do thetest to determine whether you really have Chlamydia or not. Remember, youcannot know for sure until you get tested. The last thing you should do isignore the symptoms and hope they would go away on their own.
Many women and men are reluctant to see the doctor due to the social stigma attached to STDs and diagnostic tests. As a result, the diagnosis is not confirmed, and in cases they have Chlamydia, it is difficult to treat it in a timely manner.
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Remember,you can treat Chlamydia successfully, thanks to antibiotics. But to make ithappen, you need to get tested. The good news is that you can get tested in thecomfort of your home. Its easy, you just order Chlamydia test online, andthats it. No trips to the clinics or hospitals, scheduling appointments,sitting in waiting rooms, or feeling uncomfortable due to the lack of privacy.With test kits, your privacy is preserved, and in a few simple steps, you canlearn whether you have oral Chlamydia or not. This gives you the opportunity toget a much-needed treatment, but also to evaluate your sex habits, the choiceof partners, and start taking protection more seriously.
References:
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How Chlamydia Is Diagnosed
There are a number of different, reliable tests for chlamydia. In addition to tests that a healthcare provider would use in a medical office or clinic, there are now some good test kits you can use at home. The tests rely on several different methods.
Some older tests involve obtaining some of the chlamydia bacteria and growing them in a culture. Today, healthcare providers prefer newer DNA tests, often called NAATs .
Some tests that work for both men and women use a urine sample. Others use secretions from the genitals or other infected areas of the body, such as the rectum. While the CDC recommends testing of genital secretions, screening a urine sample is less invasive and more practical for many primary-care physician offices.
Women under age 25 ought to be tested every year for chlamydia whether or not they have any symptoms. In women, tests often involve the insertion of a cotton swab into the to obtain secretions.
Vaginal swab is the preferred method, says Dombrowski. You dont have to have a whole pelvic exam.
If you are pregnant, you should be screened for chlamydia during your first prenatal visit. If you are pregnant and younger than 25, or if you are pregnant and have a new sex partner or multiple partners, you should also be screened again in your third trimester. Its important to catch and treat chlamydia in a pregnant woman to prevent transmission to the baby. In newborns, the illness can cause serious harm or death.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Chlamydia
Chlamydia is often referred to as the âsilent STDâ because of the lack of symptoms. When symptoms are present, they usually appear one to three weeks following exposure to the chlamydia-causing bacteria. Symptoms vary depending on if you are a woman or a man.
Symptoms in Women:
- Abdominal discomfort a general feeling that something is off. The discomfort is not usually described as pain.
- Vaginal bleeding usually involves periodic bleeding or spotting. This can start and stop, may be very light or moderate.
- Vaginal discharge a vaginal discharge. May or may not smell and may be light, heavy and can come and go.
- Painful urination does not have to be a terrible pain and may just be a mild discomfort
Painful intercourse, vaginal bleeding, irritation of the rectum can all be signs when the infection has progressed to the reproductive organs.
Symptoms in Men:
- Painful urination may not be a great deal of pain and may be more of an uncomfortable sensation
- Swelling or pain in scrotum this is a rare symptom that most men will not experience
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