Do You Get Discharge With Chlamydia

Complications Of Oral Chlamydia

Chlamydia of the throat does not lead to complications in that area. The biggest concern with oral chlamydia is that people without symptoms are more likely to continue having sex and spreading the infection to other people.

Long-standing chlamydia infection most commonly leads to pelvic inflammatory disease , an infection and inflammation of the uterus and fallopian tubes. People with PID often have difficulties getting pregnant or are at risk of ectopic pregnancy.

Chlamydia infection can also cause an inflammatory reaction throughout the body that causes joint pain or conjunctivitis, an inflammation or infection in the eye.

Who Is At Risk For Chlamydia

Any sexually active person can be infected with chlamydia. It is a very common STD, especially among young people.3 It is estimated that 1 in 20 sexually active young women aged 14-24 years has chlamydia.5

Sexually active young people are at high risk of acquiring chlamydia for a combination of behavioral, biological, and cultural reasons. Some young people dont use condoms consistently.15 Some adolescents may move from one monogamous relationship to the next more rapidly than the likely infectivity period of chlamydia, thus increasing risk of transmission.16 Teenage girls and young women may have cervical ectopy .17 Cervical ectopy may increase susceptibility to chlamydial infection. The higher prevalence of chlamydia among young people also may reflect multiple barriers to accessing STD prevention services, such as lack of transportation, cost, and perceived stigma.16-20

Men who have sex with men are also at risk for chlamydial infection since chlamydia can be transmitted by oral or anal sex. Among MSM screened for rectal chlamydial infection, positivity has ranged from 3.0% to 10.5%.6.7 Among MSM screened for pharyngeal chlamydial infection, positivity has ranged from 0.5% to 2.3%.7.8

Why Is It Important To Treat Chlamydia

If left untreated chlamydia is unlikely to go away. It can be passed onto sexual partners and can cause serious harm. Women can get cervicitis or pelvic inflammatory disease. This can result in permanent damage to the fallopian tubes, which may lead to infertility or ectopic pregnancy. Chlamydia also can cause a reactive arthritis. Men can suffer with urethritis , this can spread to the contents of the scrotal sac – epididymis and testicles. This causes pain, and in severe cases infertility. Men can also get a reactive arthritis.

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How Can Doctors Tell If I Have Chlamydia

• Doctors suspect chlamydia based on your symptoms

• To tell for sure, theyll do tests on your urine or on a sample from your penis, vagina, throat, or rectum

Your doctor may put a small cotton swab in your penis, throat, or rectum to get a sample of fluid to test. If you’re a woman, your doctor will look in your vagina using a plastic speculum and swab the discharge from your cervix .

If you’re pregnant or are at higher risk of having chlamydia, your doctor may do a urine test for chlamydia when you don’t have any symptoms. Women are at higher risk if they:

• Are having sex and are under age 25

• Have ever had an STI

• Do risky sexual activities

• Have a partner who does risky sexual activities

Men are at higher risk if they:

• Have had sex with a man in the past year

Doctors may also test your blood or urine for other STIs because many people have more than one STI.

Signs And Symptoms Of Chlamydia In Women

Chlamydia infects the cervix . Women often have no obvious signs of illness, especially soon after being infected. When symptoms do occur, common signs include a burning pain with urination, pain with intercourse, or an abnormal, smelly vaginal discharge.

Chlamydia can also cause rectal pain, discharge, or bleeding.

Its possible for infected body fluids to enter a sex partners eye, causing the clear membrane protecting the outer layer of the eye to become inflamed. Chlamydia can infect the throat after unprotected oral sex, but its less common and usually doesnt cause symptoms.

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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.

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 dont 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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Follow Up With Your Doctor As Directed:

Write down your questions so you remember to ask them during your visits.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

What Does The Test Measure

Gonorrhea testing detects evidence of infection with the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. There are several types of gonorrhea tests:

• Gonorrhea nucleic acid amplification testing: NAAT testing detects the genetic material of the gonorrhea bacteria and is considered the optimal test for gonorrhea infection. This type of test can be performed on a urine sample or a swab taken from a site of potential infection.

• Gram stain: Gram stains look for certain types of cells that are characteristic of a gonorrhea infection under a microscope. This test is performed on urethral swabs and is used primarily in men who are experiencing urinary symptoms.

• Gonococcal culture: Gonococcal cultures attempt to grow the gonorrhea bacteria from swabs taken from sites of potential infection. Cultures are the only tests that detect the infections susceptibility to antibiotics. Doctors may order a gonococcal culture if they suspect that a patient has an antibiotic-resistant strain of gonorrhea.

• Rapid gonorrhea tests: While rapid testing for gonorrhea isnt common, several tests are being developed to allow health care professionals to give same-day gonorrhea testing results.

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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.

Other Complications Of Untreated Chlamydia In All People

• Conjunctivitis, spread by touching the infected area and then touching the hand to the eye
• Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the rectum , if the chlamydia is from anal sex
• Varied symptoms, such as joint and eye inflammation, caused by bacterial infection
• Lymphogranuloma venereum, or LGV. This is caused by a type of chlamydia that is usually rare in the United States, but it is becoming more common in men who have sex with men. It causes open sores in the genital area, headache, fever, fatigue, and swelling of the lymph nodes in the groin. It also causes proctitis in people who get chlamydia through anal sex.

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How Do You Know If You Have Chlamydia

The only way to know if you have chlamydia is by amedical exam. Most women with chlamydia do nothave any signs of infection. See your health careprovider to be tested for chlamydia each year if you:

• Are age 25 or younger and are sexually active
• Are older than 25 with new or multiple sex partners
• Do not practice safe sex
• Are having sex with someone who might be havingsex with others
• Are pregnant

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How Can I Tell My Partner Will They Think I’ve Cheated On Them

You may feel embarrassed, scared or angry. However it is important and respectful to let your partner know as soon as possible so they can get tested and treated. Remember that chlamydia often has no symptoms, so a diagnosis doesn’t necessarily mean the infection was caught recently. You may not be sure when you were exposed. Many people are surprised how supportive their partner is, and how they appreciate being confided in.

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Can Chlamydia Be Prevented

The only sure way to prevent chlamydia is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading chlamydia. If your or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

In Men Untreated Chlamydia Can Lead To:

• Epididymitis painful inflammation of the inner structures of the testicles, which may cause reduced fertility or sterility. A rare complication of Epididymitisis reactive arthritis, which causes pain in the inflamed joints that can be disabling
• Prostatitis
• Occasionally, Reiters syndrome
• Urethritis inflammation of the urethra with a yellow discharge appearing at the tip of the penis. Untreated urethritis results in narrowing of the urethra which leads to painful urinating and can cause kidney problems

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Key Question 2 How Effective Are Different Screening Strategies In Identifying Persons With Gonorrhea And Chlamydia

Summary

No studies compared the effectiveness of different screening strategies for gonorrhea or chlamydia in asymptomatic persons or the effectiveness of sampling from various anatomical sites, cotesting for concurrent STIs, or using different screening intervals. Several studies of screening in high-risk groups have been published, but they did not meet inclusion criteria because they enrolled both symptomatic and asymptomatic persons, lacked comparison groups, or did not report relevant outcomes. An observational study in the Netherlands evaluated a risk prediction tool to identify persons with chlamydia in high-risk populations. However, the tool was not an accurate predictor, and its applicability to practice in the United States is unclear. Prior reviews did not directly address the effectiveness of different screening strategies, but rather summarized risk factors associated with gonococcal and chlamydial infections., An observational study comparing nine sets of selective screening criteria for chlamydial infection among women attending family planning and STI clinics in the United States indicated that age alone had similar or better sensitivity and specificity as more extensive criteria. In this study, nearly 80 percent of cases were identified when testing 50 percent of the population and using an age cutoff of 22 years or younger.

Evidence

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Is Chlamydia Curable

Chlamydia is easily cured with antibiotics. The sooner you get tested and treated, the quicker it goes away. But women and men often dont realize theyre infected because they dont notice or dont have any symptoms of chlamydia.

The longer chlamydia is left untreated, the greater the risk for serious complications. Women can develop pelvic inflammatory disease, a complication that causes scarring of the fallopian tubes. It can lead to fertility problems and chronic pelvic pain.

Chlamydia infection during pregnancy can complicate pregnancy, sometimes leading to tubal pregnancy and preterm delivery. Chlamydia cannot kill you, but in some cases, tubal pregnancies, called ectopic pregnancies, can be fatal. Chlamydia infection can also be passed to the newborn during delivery.

Men whose chlamydia infection goes untreated can develop sore, swollen testicles.

People can have chlamydia more than once, and that can boost the risk for complications. If you have untreated chlamydia, you can pass it on to others without knowing it.

To protect yourself and your sex partners, use condoms and consider limiting the number of people you have sex with. If you test positive for chlamydia, tell your current and former partners from the past 60 days so that they can get tested and treated, too.

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How Is It Contracted

Chlamydia is transmitted primarily through sexual activity. The following are the most common ways:

• unprotected intercourse with an infected partner
• oral sex, although a less common cause of infection as bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis targets the genital area rather than the throat. Although it is possible theoretically, the cases of infestation from mouth-to-penis and penis-to-mouth contact are rare
• vagina, cervix, anus, penis or mouth contacting infected secretions or fluids which means that contraction can occur even if the penis or tongue does not enter the vagina or anus
• bacteria can travel from the vaginal area to the anus or rectum of women while wiping with toilet paper
• sharing sex toys
• from mother to the newborn during vaginal childbirth through the infected birth channel
• infection can be transferred on fingers from the genitals to other parts of the body

Chlamydia is not contracted through simple kissing, handshaking, any casual contacts, sharing baths, towels and cups as well as from toilet seats.

Chlamydia trachomatis, an obligate intracellular human pathogen, is one of four bacterial species in the genus Chlamydia. 3D illustration

Will My Birth Control Work If I Am Taking Antibiotics

There is very little evidence to show that antibiotics make hormonal forms of birth control not work very well. Examples of hormonal birth control include the pill, the patch, the ring or the shot. If you are being treated with antibiotics, it is important to keep using your birth control as you normally would. If you have concerns, use condoms until your next period comes after completing the antibiotics, or speak to your health care provider for more information.

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Chlamydia Discharge In Men And Women

Chlamydia discharge in men and women is due to chlamydia trachomatis infection.

Are you having an unusual vaginal discharge after unprotected intercourse? Do you have watery or cloudy discharge from your urethra? Do you feel pain or burning sensation while urinating?

Chlamydia infection, which affects millions of people worldwide can affect the vagina, mouth, joints and eyes of both men and women. Women may also transmit chlamydia infection to their babies during child birth.

Chlamydia symptoms and signs are absent in more than 50 percent of infected men and women. Therefore, if youve had intercourse without protection, you may have chlamydia without knowing.

Different Stds And Their Effect On Discharge

• Chlamydia and GonorrheaNot only are chlamydia and gonorrhea two of the most common STDs in America, but they are also the two most common STDs that could change the color of your vaginal discharge. Discharges associated with gonorrhea and chlamydia are typically filled with mucus and pus, therefore, giving discharges a yellow, to mildly green, color. There might also be accompanying putrid smells that are unusual to regular discharge.
• Trich Trichomoniasis symptoms also include differently colored discharges and itchiness around the pelvic regions. Those with trich symptoms will typically see their discharge become a yellow color. They might also experience burning sensations during urination and sex.

When it comes to vaginal discharges, a good rule of thumb should have you raising alarms if your vaginal discharges are anything but normal. Normal typically entails a milky, white, or clear discharge without any sour or irregular smells. One of the keys to a healthy vagina is healthy bacteria, so if there is an introduction of any other bacterias, the climate of your body will be disrupted and you should be able to tell by observing your body and recognizing its normal functions.

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Other Types Of Discharge

As discussed in the section above, the genitals are not the only places on the body that can be affected by the Chlamydia infection. You may also experience discharge from other areas that have become infected and this can be a sign that you need to get tested for Chlamydia.

It is possible to pass on the Chlamydia infection through anal sex, with the bacteria being deposited in the rectum. This is a good place for the bacteria to colonise, being warm, moist and very conducive to bacterial reproduction. If you think you might have an infection here, you may notice discharge from the anus. This is likely to be milky as well, like discharge from the penis or vagina, or may manifest itself as mucous on or in your stools . If you notice this as well as any pain when going to the toilet, a swab of your anus and rectum will help to diagnose the infection and get you started on treatment.

There can also be discharge with a Chlamydial eye infection. In addition to blistering and reddening of the eye and area inside the lower and upper lids, the infection can cause a yellowish discharge from the eye. This isnt uncommon of many eye infections, but if it doesnt clear up with the usual treatments such as anti-bacterial and antibiotic eye drops, a swab can be taken from the eye and tested in the laboratory to check whether it is Chlamydia rather than one of the other common eye infections.