Chlamydia Is Really Common
Chlamydia is a SUPER common bacterial infection that you can get from sexual contact with another person. Close to 3 million Americans get it every year, most commonly among 14-24-year-olds.
Chlamydia is spread through vaginal, anal, and oral sex. The infection is carried in semen , pre-cum, and vaginal fluids. Chlamydia can infect the penis, vagina, cervix, anus, urethra, eyes, and throat. Most people with chlamydia dont have any symptoms and feel totally fine, so they might not even know theyre infected.
Chlamydia can be easily cleared up with antibiotics. But if you dont treat chlamydia, it may lead to major health problems in the future. Thats why STD testing is so important the sooner you know you have chlamydia, the faster you can cure it. You can prevent chlamydia by using condoms every time you have sex.
General Tips And Considerations
No matter what the deal is with the person youre telling, these tips can make things a little easier.
Know all the things
Theyre probably going to have questions or concerns, so gather as much info as you can before the talk.
Do your research about the STI so you can be fully confident when telling them how it can be transmitted, and about symptoms and treatment.
Have resources ready
Emotions may be running high, so your partner might not hear or process everything you share. Have tools ready thatll answer their questions. This way they can process things on their own time.
These should include a link to a credible organization like the or the American Sexual Health Association , and a link to any resource you found particularly helpful when learning about your STI.
Pick the right place and time
The right place to disclose your status is wherever you feel safest and most comfortable. It should be someplace private enough that you can talk without worrying about other people interrupting.
As for timing, this isnt a conversation you should have when youre drunk not on booze, love, or sex. That means clothes on and totally sober.
Be prepared that they might get upset
People make a lot of assumptions about the hows and whys of STIs. Blame it on less-than-stellar sex ed programs and stigmas that just refuse to die though were working on it.
STIs dont mean a persons dirty, and they dont always mean that someone cheated.
Try to stay calm
Symptoms Of Throat Chlamydia
Where symptoms do appear in cases of throat chlamydia. People may experience:
- A sore or swollen throat
- Mouth pain
- Sores around the lips and mouth
- Mouth sores that do not heal
It is common for people living with chlamydia in the throat to believe that they are living with a common cold or flu virus.
It is possible to have oral and genital chlamydia infection at the same time, therefore it is important to look out for the symptoms of both.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Chlamydia
Like most STDs, chlamydia often does not show any symptoms. As a result, many people with chlamydia do not know it. The only way to know is to get tested.
If symptoms do appear, they may include pain or burning while peeing and/or during sex, lower belly pain, swollen or tender testicles, or abnormal discharge from the vagina, penis or anus.
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.
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How Is Chlamydia Diagnosed
There are two ways that a doctor or nurse tests for chlamydia:
- A urine test. This is the most common. You urinate into a cup. Your urine is then tested for chlamydia.
- A swab test. Your doctor uses a cotton swab to take a fluid sample from an infected place . The fluid is then tested for chlamydia.
A is not used to detect chlamydia.
What Are The Effects Of Chlamydia
I think theres this idea of what you don’t know can’t hurt youwhich isn’t true, when it comes to chlamydia what you don’t know can totally hurt you, says Alyx, who got chlamydia during a holiday hookup in her twenties.
“Most of my friends have had chlamydia at some point. Its incredibly common and its pretty easy to treat, if you treat it quickly.
For Alyx, getting tested was a no-brainer, but it wasnt without its awkward moments. I did have to figure out how to say ‘I have chlamydia’ in German Alyx says.
But having the test and popping the antibiotics to treat chlamydia is an important step to curb its potentially-damaging effects.
For women, chlamydia can result in pelvic inflammatory disease – which can lead to abdominal or pelvic pain, and in some cases, infertility. For guys, chlamydia doesnt tend to be as serious – but it can still cause epididymitis .
Alyx isnt surprised that men are less likely to get tested for chlamydia than women. She reckons its a confidence thing.
If you think youre teflon, then you think your dick is teflon too.”
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With A Current Partner
Even if youve already had sex, you need to talk about testing. This applies whether you had sex without a barrier in the heat of the moment or if youve been together a while and are considering ditching barrier protection altogether.
Here are some ways to bring it up:
- I know we already had sex without a barrier, but if were going to keep doing it, we really should get tested.
- If were going to stop using dental dams/condoms, we need to get tested. Just to be safe.
- Im having my routine STI screening soon. Why dont we both get tested together?
- I have/had so its a good idea for you to get tested, too, even if weve been careful.
When To Seek Medical Advice
If you have any symptoms of chlamydia, visit your GP, community contraceptive service or local genitourinary medicine clinic as soon as possible.
You should also get tested if you don’t have any symptoms but are concerned you could have a sexually transmitted infection .
If you’re a woman, sexually active and under 25 in England, it’s recommended that you have a chlamydia test once a year, and when you have sex with new or casual partners.
If you’re a man, sexually active and under 25 in England, it’s recommended that you have a chlamydia test once a year if you are not using condoms with new or casual partners.
Read more about chlamydia diagnosis.
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Telling Your Partner You Have An Std
Megan and Josh have been friends since middle school, and somehow they always knew theyd end up as a couple. But although they shared all kinds of personal secrets over the years, Megan dreaded telling Josh about her STD. After she summoned the nerve to talk about it, she was surprised when Josh said he had the same STD and was wondering how he would tell her.
A Word From Same Day Std Testing
There is no good way to break bad news. As such, its important to be honest and forthright when you tell your partner you have chlamydia. Be willing to offer support and answer any questions your partner may have. Also, never adopt an accusatory tone when talking to a partner about STD transmission. Most people who have an STD dont even realize it, and accidents happen even when people are careful! Its worth remembering chlamydia is curable as long as you get tested for it first.
If you or your partner is worried about chlamydia you can contact one of our team members at this number . Well address all of your concerns and set you up with an appointment at one of our top-of-the-line facilities. With Same Day, youll experience high quality service, complete privacy during the testing process, and youll get all the tests you need done today. To find a location near you, .
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Can A Couple Get Chlamydia Without Cheating
Apart from being infected at birth you can not catch chlamydia without performing some form of sexual act. However, you dont have to have penetrative sex to get infected, it is enough if your genitals come in contact with an infected persons sexual fluids .
What About Previous Partners
Telling your current partner may be an easy decision. But what about previous sexual partners? How far back should you go? Anyone you have had sexual contact with in the past few months should be informed, Your doctor or nurse will advise you. Whilst many people want to tell their current partner personally, they may be less keen to contact previous partners, especially if they parted on less than friendly terms.
Fortunately, local genitourinary medicine clinics are prepared to contact people for you. You just need to give them the contact details and let them do the rest. They will keep your name confidential and will not contact anyone without your permission. You can search for your nearest clinic through the Family Planning Association ‘Find A Clinic’ service.
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Essential Facts About Chlamydia
Chlamydia often causes no symptoms in the short term, but it can have serious health consequences if it goes untreated.
If youre sexually active, you should know about chlamydia, a common sexually transmitted bacterial infection. These 10 facts will bring you up to speed on whos at risk, why regular screening is so important, and how to avoid getting chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections .
Young People Not Getting Tested
Telling your partner that youve got chlamydia is one thing. But you need to know youve contracted it in the first place.
Thats where it gets tricky.
Professor Jane Hocking heads up the sexual health unit at the University of Melbourne. Hockings new research reveals that around 1 in 5 young people aged 16-29 didnt get tested for chlamydia – even after their GP suggested they do so.
For men, 23 per cent didnt provide a specimen, compared with 18 per cent in women, Jane Hocking told Hack. The younger you are, the less likely you’ll take the test. “Among the 16-19 year-olds, it was just over 21 per cent were less likely to leave a specimen, compared with about 18 per cent among the 25-29 year-olds.”
Theres already low numbers for sexual health screenings in Australians aged 15-29.
Less than 10 per cent of this age group are screened each year in general practice, the studys authors write in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Doctor Melissa Kang, Senior Lecturer at the Sydney Medical School in Westmead, says talking about sexual health doesnt always come easily. And that can be especially true for young people who have only just started to become sexually active.
All sexually transmitted infections carry some kind of stigma…it can kind of mess with people’s sense of who they are, how they feel about themselves.
“The awkwardness, the feeling self conscious factor is probably never going to go away, Dr Kang told Hack.
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Why Bother To Tell
Most people with an STI will not know they have an infection. Informing them will give them the opportunity to access the treatment they need.
Many STIs have long-term complications. Telling your partner will give them the opportunity to make informed decisions about their own health. They may well want to get tested themself, obtain treatment and take precautions not to pass the infection to others.
There may also be implications for your own health and life choices. Getting your current partner treated will lessen your risk of getting re-infected. Also, if untreated, some STIs can affect fertility and lower your chances of starting a family.
A contact tracing service will contact your current partner for you, but many people prefer to tell the partner themselves, particularly if they hope to continue the relationship.
Can Chlamydia Be Cured Naturally
Chlamydia can only be cured with antibiotic treatment. Home remedies for chlamydia cant cure the infection, though some may offer minor relief of symptoms as you complete the entire course of antibiotics. Prompt treatment can help you avoid serious complications.
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Does Oral Chlamydia Go Away
Chlamydia, whether it is oral or genital does not go away on its own.
It is possible for the symptoms of chlamydia to go away for a short period of time, but that does not mean you no longer have chlamydia. The infection may persist in the body in the absence of treatment .
A short course of antibiotics are required to treat chlamydia, and a follow up test is required to ensure the risk of re-infection.
What Can Happen If Chlamydia Is Not Treated
Untreated chlamydia can cause serious health problems in women, including:
- , an infection of a woman’s reproductive organs. PID can lead to chronic pelvic pain, pregnancy problems, and infertility . Untreated chlamydia is a common cause of PID. It affects about 10% to 15% of women with untreated chlamydia.
- Increased risk of getting HIV from sexual activity
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How To Tell Someone About Your Sti
Whether youâre telling a new partner before you have sex, or a past partner that they need to get tested, there is no silver bullet to broaching this conversation. What is most comfortable varies from person to person, but there are some options to consider which could help you decide how you would like to approach it.
A recent study published by the US National Library of Medicine found that most people chose to give the news in person, followed by calling them. Less than a quarter chose to email or text their past or current partners about their STI. The study found that telling someone in person was the way to go, as it demonstrated care, respect and courage. Less common were email and SMS, as people thought that they might not be taken seriously or shown to others.
The takeaway? Basically, the more honest and open you can be about telling someone, the better. But every relationship is different, and you do you. As long the conversation takes place in some shape or form, thatâs what matters.
If you really, really canât face the talk youâll be happy to know that there are escape routes. letthemknow.org.au sends an anonymous text message telling your past partner to get tested. Alternatively, you can ask your GP to contact people for you.
Itâs worth thinking about how you would like to find out – would you rather someone tell you in person, or get an anonymous text?
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What If You’re Too Scared
If, for whatever reason, you’re reluctant to tell them yourself, many clinics have a sexual health advisor who can do it for you. There is an option for the clinic to do it anonymously without mentioning your name.
‘If that’s what you want to do, the clinic will generally contact that person by phone or by text saying, “We have information to say that you’ve been in contact with someone and you need to make an appointment to come and get a check-up”,’ says Casey.
If you’re reluctant to tell them yourself, many clinics have a sexual health advisor who can do it for you.
The clinic won’t give information about the infection, they just simply let the person know they need to come in and get checked out. Some clinics are signed up to a text or email-based partner notification whereby an anonymous text or email can be sent to that person.
‘You can log into a website and provide details of partners, then messages are sent anonymously by email or text,’ says Casey.
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Don’t Beat Yourself Up
Make your partner aware that you are telling them because you care for them and realise what might happen if they were left in ignorance. Be proud of the fact that you have taken the decision to tell them and found the courage to carry it through. You are more likely to retain their respect if you are honest from the start than if they found out later . Imagine what you would feel like if the situation were reversed. How would you want them to act and what would you want them to say?
How Can I Reduce My Risk Of Getting Chlamydia
The only way to avoid STDs is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
If you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances of getting chlamydia:
- Be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and has negative STD test results
- Use latex condoms the right way every time you have sex.
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How To Tell Someone You May Have Given Them An Sti
Telling someone they may have an STI isn’t easy. Photo: 123RF
Life is full of awkward conversations. You worry, your stomach churns and what you think is the perfect script is eventually thrown out of the window.
But it doesnt matter if its a case of breaking up with someone or quitting a job, it has to be done. Telling someone you may have given them a sexually transmitted infection, or STI, definitely falls into the awkward category.
Two people who have been in this situation shared their recent stories with us:
SORRY I HAVE TO DO THIS – JACKS STORY
I have honestly never felt more worried than when the doctor told me I had herpes.
She was telling me about treatments and meds and all I could do was try to work out who I had gotten it from and who I had given it to.
I went back to work and straight away made a list of the people I had had any kind of sex with since I broke up with my girlfriend about a year before. I had four names and I no longer spoke to all but one.
I was fucking terrified.
I added the other three on Facebook and they all accepted, thank God. I know it would have been best to call each one, but I could only direct message them.
I even Googled examples of people who have had to do it.
The messages I sent went something like this:
I swear to God, waiting for their replies was the longest wait of my life. It was late at night and I literally turned my phone off so I wouldn’t hear the reply notification.
Safe to say, I didn’t sleep much that night.