Male Complications Of Untreated Chlamydia
Men can also experience complications when chlamydia is left untreated. The epididymis the tube that holds the testicles in place may become inflamed, causing pain. This is known as epididymitis.
The infection can also spread to the prostate gland, causing a fever, painful intercourse, and discomfort in the lower back. Another possible complication is male chlamydial urethritis.
These are just some of the most common complications of untreated chlamydia, which is why its important to get medical attention right away. Most people who get treatment quickly have no long-term medical problems.
How Is Chlamydia Diagnosed And Treated
If you have chlamydia symptoms or had intercourse with someone without protection, you should inform your doctor about testing or take a home chlamydia test.
Chlamydia can be detected at home. You should get a chlamydia test kit and use urine for your test.
However, if you have oral chlamydia symptoms, you may need to see your doctor for throat swab culture. The culture of chlamydia takes about 3 7 days.
If diagnosed with chlamydia, you can easily be treated and cured with azithromycin or doxycycline tablets.
During pregnancy, chlamydia infection can be treated safely with azithromycin.
How Can You Tell If A Man Has Chlamydia
In 2017, more than 577,000 men had chlamydia, that is 33.9% more than all infected in 2013. From 2016 to 2017, the number of infected increased by 10.5% and is only expected to grow every year. Thats exactly what makes this STI infection one of the most common and prevalent infections on the globe.
But, there is one major problem, from 25% to 50% of men have no clue they are infected, so they will unknowingly transmit the infection to their sexual partner. The reason for that is relatively simple: this tiny bacteria we know as chlamydia may not show any recognizable symptoms. This makes it incredibly difficult for both men and women alike to figure out if they have an infection or not.
Here, we will shed some light on this infection and show you how to tell if a man has chlamydia. Lets take a look at all the warning signs of this infection.
Also Check: Natural Remedies To Cure Chlamydia
Possible Treatments For Chlamydia
It is good to stay aware about how to treat Chlamydia. In case of your test is found positive then you have to undergo Chlamydia treatment. Most of the doctors prescribe just a single dose of some antibiotics like azithromycin. But in case if you are allergic to its content then you may have to take other standard antibiotic.Note that if you are infected then let your previous sex partners know about the infection so that they can also undergo tests and treatments at right time. It is also possible to start Chlamydia treatment online because most of the experts are delivering fast and reliable services over internet for complete treatment of this Silent Infection.
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.
Read Also: Signs And Symptoms Of Chlamydia In Men
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 .
What Are The Long Term Complications In Men
Although very rare, chlamydia can affect male fertility. This happens if chlamydia causes the tubes that carry the male sperm to become inflamed.
Although the condition, also known as epididymitis, is treatable with antibiotics it can cause irreversible scarring to the tubes which restricts the flow of sperm. Luckily long term damage like this is rare, but its just another reason to get tested for chlamydia regularly.
Read Also: Can Your Body Fight Chlamydia On Its Own
Don’t Miss: What’s The Side Effects Of Chlamydia
Major Symptoms Of Chlamydia And Related Complications
Medical history says that Chlamydia disease does not report any symptom so people often think about does chlamydia go away forever. Almost 80% females and 50% males stay infected without any related symptom. And in case if the symptoms start appearing, they will be observable only after 2 to 3 weeks of exposure.
Due to this trouble, sufferers are not able to receive right treatment and it leads to several issues that are more dangerous ahead. Studies reveal that almost 40% of the untreated women face pelvic inflammatory disease as the next stage of Chlamydia and this state is highly painful. The untreated female patients can face trouble in pregnancy or in some more critical cases, they can have infertility issues.
In case of males, Chlamydia generally starts from urethra and its symptoms may come or go with time. Some people can feel its symptoms during the first urination of day you can identify them as:
- Painful burning at the time of urination.
- Some people may face scrotal pain.
- It can also appear in form of Reiters Syndrome that is a kind of arthritis and usually cause major damage to eyes and body joints.
- Prostate inflammation issues.
- Infertility is one more dangerous issue when infection gets spread from urethra to testicles.
In case of women as well as men, the major complications due to Chlamydia Bacterium are:
How To Prevent Chlamydia In Men
Using barrier methods, like condoms or dental dams, during all forms of sex can lower your risk of getting chlamydia. Other forms of contraception, like partial barriers , birth control pills, IUDs, etc., do not prevent the spread of STIs like chlamydia. Unprotected sex, unsurprisingly, increases your chances of getting chlamydia and other STIs.
Approximately 1018% of men get reinfected with chlamydiathis means that you have been treated for chlamydia but get chlamydia again in the future. Your healthcare provider may recommend repeat testing three months after treatment to check for reinfection .
Reinfection most often occurs because of continued contact with an untreated sexual partner. The best way to avoid reinfection is to abstain from sexual activity for seven days after starting antibiotic treatment. This will reduce the risk that your sex partner will get chlamydia and then pass it back to you .
Its recommended to notify all of your sexual partners within the past 60 days that they might have chlamydia so that they can get tested and treated. Depending on where you live, public health workers may be available to help you reach out to your sexual partners .
Read Also: Chlamydia Can It Be Cured
Chlamydia Symptoms In Women
Chlamydia is often known as the silent infection. Thats because people with chlamydia may not experience symptoms at all.
If a woman contracts the STI, it may take several weeks before any symptoms appear.
Some of the most common symptoms of chlamydia in women include:
- painful sexual intercourse
In some women, the infection can spread to the fallopian tubes, which may cause a condition called pelvic inflammatory disease . PID is a medical emergency.
The symptoms of PID are:
- abnormal vaginal bleeding between periods
Chlamydia can also infect the rectum. Women may not experience symptoms if they have a chlamydia infection in the rectum. If symptoms of a rectal infection do occur, however, they may include rectal pain, discharge, and bleeding.
Additionally, women can develop a throat infection if they have oral sex with someone with the infection. Though its possible to contract it without knowing it, symptoms of a chlamydia infection in your throat include cough, fever, and sore throat.
The symptoms of STIs in men and women can be different, so its important to talk with a healthcare professional if you experience any of the above symptoms.
Reducing The Risk Of Chlamydia Infection
Chlamydia is a bacterial infection which is spread in genital fluids . Its important to bear this in mind, and to remember that chlamydia can be transmitted via various forms of sexual activity.
As a man you can be vulnerable to chlamydia if you are engaging in the following sexual acts:
- Non-penetrative sexual contact
- Sharing sex toys
To stay protected, talk to your sexual partner about their STI status if you arent certain that they are free from infection refrain from sex or use condoms or dental dams until either of you are tested.
Sex toys should not be shared – they should be washed in between use and protected with a condom if possible.
You May Like: Does Chlamydia Go Away For Guys
Herpes Symptoms In Men
Many men with herpes dont show any symptoms at all, so they dont know they have it. When symptoms do occur, its common for people to mistake them for other things like pimples or ingrown hairs. The first time a person shows genital herpes symptoms is called the initial outbreak, and it can be severe, with subsequent outbreaks being less intense. Often, an initial outbreak occurs 2-12 days after infection, but some people can go months or even years before having an initial outbreak.4
Signs of herpes in men include:
- Tingling, itching, or burning where the blisters will appear
- Small blisters that burst and leave painful, open ulcers before eventually scabbing over
- On or around the mouth, such as on the lips, tongue, or gums
- On other parts of the body
Herpes sores usually heal within a few weeks. Even when an outbreak goes away, the virus stays in your body for life. This means herpes outbreaks come and go. The virus can flare up weeks, months, or even years later and cause sores again.
How Do You Prevent Chlamydia
Using a new male or female condom or dental dam every time you have sex is the best way to protect against chlamydia.
Chlamydia can be passed on by sharing sex toys. Always cover sex toys with a new condom and wash them after use to reduce your risk of getting chlamydia and other STIs.
Its important to regularly test for chlamydia, even if you dont have any symptoms, especially if youve had multiple sexual partners.
The contraceptive pill and other types of contraception wont prevent you getting chlamydia, and neither will PrEP.
Also Check: Can Chlamydia Cause Prostate Cancer
Recommended Reading: How To Get Meds For Chlamydia
Does Discharge In Men Mean They Are Infected
Thepresence of watery, cloudy, or white discharge is the main concern for many menand is often the primary sign of chlamydia. However, if a man has a discharge,it doesnt mean he is infected with chlamydia. There are other infections thatcause the same symptoms as:
- urinarytract infection
Becauseof how misleading discharge can be, its important to get tested to make surethe sign is not caused by anything else other than chlamydia.
How Does Chlamydia Spread
Chlamydia is spread when a person has unprotected sex with an infected person.
Because chlamydial infection often has no symptoms, many people do not realise they have the infection.
Even if you know a person well, you may not be able to tell they have an STI, because people can look healthy and still have chlamydia.
Remember, you can get chlamydia and other STIs from a new sexual partner who has in the past had sex with someone who is infected.
It can also be spread from a long-term partner who has had sex with other people.
Also Check: What Antibiotics Can Cure Chlamydia
Prevention Of Chlamydia In Men
Prevention is key to helping eradicate chlamydia because it often presents no symptoms. Many people have the infection and unknowingly infect their partners.
There are some steps you can take to better protect yourself:
- Always have penetrative sex with a condom.
- Get tested and encourage your partner to get tested for STDs annually.
Signs Your Partner May Have An Std
Sexually transmitted infections and sexually transmitted diseases are more common than you may think. If youre sexually active, you may be at risk, even if you believe youre in a monogamous relationship. Thats why its so important to understand the warning signs that may indicate your partner has an STD, and what you can do about it.
Also Check: What Do You Take To Treat Chlamydia
When Should I Call My Doctor About A Chlamydia Test
A note from Cleveland Clinic
A chlamydia test is essential to limiting the spread of this sexually transmitted infection. Its especially important to get screened for chlamydia regularly if youre at a higher risk of this STI. Untreated, the infection can cause health problems and you can spread it to your partner. While youre waiting for results and during treatment, avoid having sex. Wait until your provider says its safe to have sex again. Be sure to use a condom and practice safe sex to avoid getting an STI.
When Will The Signs And Symptoms Go Away
You should notice an improvement quite quickly after having treatment.
- Discharge or pain when you urinate should improve within a week.
- Bleeding between periods or heavier periods should improve by your next period.
- Pelvic pain and pain in the testicles should start to improve quickly but may take up to two weeks to go away.
If you have pelvic pain or painful sex that doesnt improve, see your doctor or nurse as it may be necessary to have some further treatment or investigate other possible causes of the pain.
Read Also: Can You Feel Chlamydia The Next Day
How Common Is Chlamydia
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , 1,808,703 cases of chlamydia were reported in 2019 .. However, there are many more people with chlamydia who dont know they have it because theyve never had symptoms. Adolescents and young adults are at higher risk of getting chlamydia, since the rates of infection are highest in this age group.
Read Also: How Can You Tell If A Girl Has Chlamydia
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
How can STIs/STDs be prevented?
The only way to avoid a STI or STD is to have no sexual contact with an infected person. Other protections include:
- Using a condom correctly, and always with sex
- Having a sexual relationship with only one, long-term partner who has no infections
- Limiting the number of sexual partners you have
- Using clean needles if you are injecting drugs
Using latex condoms the right way helps to protect you and your partner. Still, condoms donât cover everything. It is possible to get or spread infections even when using a condom.
Talk about STIs before you have sex with a new partner. This way you can make informed choices about risks you want to take with your sex life. The only way to truly prevent STIs/STDs is to avoid having sex.
If you or someone you know has symptoms like unusual discharge, burning during urination, or a sore in the genital area, please talk with a health care provider. You can get treatment and help.
Can STIs/STDs cause other health problems in women?
Some STIs can spread into a womanâs uterus and fallopian tubes. They can cause pelvic inflammatory disease. They can cause infertility and ectopic pregnancy . STIs can be passed from mother to baby. Also, there are some links between STIs and cancer.
What if I am pregnant?
You can get treatment to prevent problems for your baby. If you are pregnant and have STD symptoms, please contact your doctor immediately. STDs during pregnancy should be addressed quickly.
Don’t Miss: How Soon Can You Treat Chlamydia
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
How Accurate Are The Tests
The accuracy of a chlamydia test depends on the kind of test used and the type of sample thats collected. The recommended tests are over 95% accurate in picking up chlamydia. As no test is 100% accurate theres a small chance that the test will give a negative result when you do have chlamydia. This is known as a false negative result. This can sometimes explain why you might get a different result from another test or why you and a partner might get a different test result.
Its possible for the test to be positive if you havent got chlamydia, but this is rare.
You May Like: Will Any Antibiotic Cure Chlamydia