How Does It Feel When You Have Chlamydia

Here Is What You Need To Know About Chlamydia And Gonorrhea

January 20, 2022 by Elodie Takamiya

Chlamydia is the most reported sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Its relative, gonorrhea, is the second most common STI. Both are caused by bacteria and can have disastrous, long-term consequences on a womans health. This is especially the case if she doesnt receive treatment immediately. In this article, you will find useful information that will help you to be proactive with your health. Without further ado, here is what you need to know about chlamydia and gonorrhea.

What Are Typical Symptoms Of Chlamydia

These are genitourinary symptoms. Men can experience pain, discomfort, or swelling of the testicles, a burning sensation when passing urine, or a genitourinary discharge. Half of infected men have no symptoms. Symptoms for women are a vaginal discharge, bleeding after sexual intercourse, or between periods, a burning sensation when passing urine, and pelvis or lower abdominal pain. Three quarters of infected women have no symptoms.

Signs And Symptoms Of Chlamydia

Chlamydia is known as one of the silent diseases which can produce no symptoms for a long period of time. Approximately 7095 percent of women and 50 percent of men with chlamydia do not observe chlamydia symptoms at all. The symptoms can also be mild and almost unnoticeable.

Another reason why symptoms are not the best way to determine the infection is that it is often confused with gonorrhea as the symptoms are very much alike. Asymptomatic nature of chlamydia makes it difficult to estimate how long a person remains infectious and this period is commonly believed to last until full recovery.

Chlamydia symptoms show up between 1 and 3 weeks after the contraction.

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Discharge With A Strong Odor

Most people associate a strong-smelling discharge as one of the more common symptoms of chlamydia. But what does chlamydia smell like? In some cases, it does not have any particular strong smell.

The discharge caused by chlamydia is usually yellowish or even brownish in color and can have a very strong or even a foul smell in some women. Its different from the smell of bacterial vaginosis which has a fishy odor. But either way, if you notice a strong odor and an abnormal discharge, you should definitely go to your doctor.

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What Happens If Chlamydia Isn’t Treated

Only some people who have chlamydia will have complications. If chlamydia is treated early, its unlikely to cause any long-term problems. But, without proper treatment, the infection can spread to other parts of the body. The more times you have chlamydia the more likely you are to get complications.

• If you have a vulva, chlamydia can spread to other reproductive organs causing pelvic inflammatory disease . This can lead to long-term pelvic pain, blocked fallopian tubes, infertility and ectopic pregnancy .
• In people with a vulva, chlamydia can also cause pain and inflammation around the liver, though this is rare. This usually gets better with the correct antibiotic treatment.

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My Symptoms Haven’t Cleared

There are several possible explanations. The symptoms could have a cause other than chlamydia. You can have more than one sexually transmitted infection at the same time, so you will need to be tested for other infections. There are also non-STI causes such as a lower urinary tract infection or, in women, endometriosis. You may have been re-infected with chlamydia if you had unprotected sex with an infected or partially treated partner. Rarely, the infection is resistant to a particular antibiotic treatment and therefore does not clear. Your GP or local GUM clinic would be able to help work out what is happening.

You may need a repeat chlamydia test .

What Are The Risks Of Chlamydia Or Gonorrhea During Pregnancy

Getting chlamydia or gonorrhea while pregnant can lead to:

• Miscarriage: some studies have found a link between chlamydia infection and miscarriage, which is a spontaneous loss of pregnancy before the baby is viable outside of the womb. Researchers believe it could be due to inflammation of the placenta caused by bacteria, as well as the rupture of membranes.

• Stillbirth: bacterial infections, including chlamydia and gonorrhea, might cause stillbirth , even though more research is needed to confirm this risk.
• Preterm delivery: which is when a baby is born before the 37th week of pregnancy. This can be problematic as the earlier a baby is delivered the higher the risk of health complications.

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What Is The Treatment

If you or your partner do not finish the treatment, miss pills or have unprotected sex before you have finished all of the medication, there is a chance that the infection will stay in your body may pass back to you or your partner and cause health problems later. If this happens, talk with your health care provider who will help you to decide if you or your partners need more treatment.

Because re-infection is common, a follow-up test is recommended 6 months after treatment. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a follow-up test 3 to 4 weeks after completing treatment.

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Can You Have Chlamydia For 5 Years Without Knowing

If untreated, chlamydia can develop into serious reproductive and other health problems with both short-term and long-term effects. The damage is often silent.

10 percent to 15 percent women with untreated chlamydia will suffer with pelvic inflammatory disease.

Problems among men are rare. Infection can cause epididymitis, a painful condition of the testicles that can lead to infertility if not treated.

Chlamydia infection can cause reactive arthritis, formerly known as Reiters syndrome, although this is rare. Symptoms include arthritis, skin lesions and swelling of the eye and urethra.

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What Does It Mean When Your Vigina Starts To Itch And Swell

Overgrowth of yeast the most common culprit being Candida can cause swelling, burning, and itchiness of the entire vaginal area, including the labia. This overgrowth can be due to antibiotic use, pregnancy, diabetes, or oral contraceptive use. Some women may also experience a cottage-cheese-like discharge.

How Do You Test For Chlamydia

Nucleic Acid Amplification The three NAA tests described below work by finding the DNA of chlamydia bacteria. Because NAA tests search for the bacterias genetic material, it is very unlikely that a false-positive test result will occur. The incubation period for chlamydia is 1-5 days, so wait at least five days after potential chlamydia exposure before getting tested to ensure the most accurate results possible.

Urine samples

• Testing via urine samples needs to consist of first-catch urine . Patients should not include more than the first-catch in the collection cup to avoid diluting the sample.
• Patients should not urinate for at least one hour prior to providing a sample.
• Female patients should not cleanse the labial area prior to providing the specimen.

Swab cultures

Why shouldnt you get tested for chlamydia via a blood test?

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay Antibodies, IgM

• IgM antibodies are found mainly in the blood and lymph fluid they are the first antibody to be made by the body to fight a new infection.
• This blood samples results should not be used as a diagnostic procedure without confirmation of the diagnosis by another medically established diagnostic product or procedure.

Enzyme immunoassay Antibodies, IgG

• IgG antibodies are the most abundant type of antibody they are found in all body fluids and protect against bacterial and viral infections.

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So How Does Someone Get Chlamydia Or Gonorrhea

The bacteria that cause chlamydia or gonorrhea can spread very easily through any type of sexual contact The tricky thing is that a lot of people dont know they have an STI, at least in the first few weeks. a hidden epidemic). In the meantime, an infected person can unintentionally get someone else sick. Condoms may help reduce that risk, but they are not 100% effective, even when used correctly. The only way to protect oneself against these STIs is to either abstain from any sexual activity or to be in a long-term, trusted, and monogamous relationship such as marriage.

Urinary Tract Infection : : Tested Negative

For the past few weeks Ive been dealing with what I thought was a possible UTI. I havent had pain, but feel the need to urinate after just going to the the restroom. However, I keep testing negative for nitrates, LEU and protein on a dipstick. I also tested negative in the doctors office and was prescribed ABs that didnt seem to do much. Is it possible to test negative so many times and still have an infection? Or could this be something else?

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How Long Will It Take For Chlamydia To Show Up In Women

Symptoms of chlamydia in individuals with vulvaswill need around 1 to 3 weeks to show up, but sometimes it can take upto a couple of months. The reason for that is the bacteria. Bacteria is aliving organism, which means it will have an incubation period that willpredetermine its effect before the infection becomes a real problem.

The incubation period will vary depending ondifferent factors like:

• Howlong does it take for the chlamydia to reproduce
• Areyou exposed to a lot of bacteria
• Isyour immune system well-equipped to protect itself against the bacteria

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Chlamydia Symptoms In Women:

• testicular pain and/or swelling

Depending on the localization of the infection, women, men and children may experience inflamed rectum, urethra or eyelids. The symptoms of mouth and throat infections are rare although a person can suffer a sore throat. Eyes infected with chlamydia can be itchy, swelled, cause painful sensations or produce discharge similar to conjunctivitis. Infection in the rectum results in bleeding, chlamydia discharge and pain.

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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

When It Isnt A Yeast Infection: Stds & Other Health Issues

Yeast infections can resemble other vaginal health issues. If you are treating your symptoms and arent experiencing any relief for weeks, then you likely need a doctor to prescribe stronger medication or you need to get tested or examined for other vaginal health issues. Here are some other things you could be experiencing:

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What Should Someone Do If They Suspect They May Have Chlamydia Or Gonorrhea

The first step is to get tested. Lifeline offers no-cost testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea in a friendly environment, free of judgment. The urine test is not painful, and results come in just a couple of days. We will inform you of the next steps if your test comes back positive. Lifeline is not a substitute for medical care. We advise that anyone who has been confirmed for an STI schedule a follow-up with their doctor. Its also recommended to avoid any sexual activity during treatment, as well as to inform any sexual partners so that they can get tested as well. To learn more about what to expect during an STI testing appointment at Lifeline, please visit our service page.

Does Chlamydia Cause Cervical Cancer

No, chlamydia doesn’t cause cervical cancer.

It’s possible to get a sexually transmitted infection by having sex with someone who has an STI, even if they have no symptoms.

The following measures will help protect you from most STIs including chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV.

If you have an STI, they’ll also help prevent you from passing it on to someone:

• Avoid sharing sex toys. If you do share them, wash them or cover them with a new condom before anyone else uses them.

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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.

How Is It Contracted

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

• unprotected intercourse with an infected partner
• 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

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Preventing The Spread Of Infection

It is absolutely necessary to inform the partner if you get a positive test for Chlamydia. The sooner the partner is told the more effective and simple the treatment can be. Make sure your partner gets tested and receives the treatment as well and abstain from the intercourse until the treatment of both you and the partner is finished.

How To Prevent Oral Chlamydia

Abstinence is the only way to completely prevent chlamydia infection. However, barrier devices such as a condom or dental dam can significantly reduce the risk of giving or receiving a sexually transmitted infection like chlamydia.

Another way to reduce the risk of infection is to maintain a monogamous sexual relationship with a partner who is not infected with chlamydia.

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Chlamydia Is Only Contagious From Person To Person

You can only get chlamydia by having intimate sexual contact with an infected person, not from casual contact, touching another persons clothing, or consuming contaminated food or water.

The chlamydia organism lives only in human cells and cannot be transmitted by external contact, such as towels or toilet seats, Schaffir says.

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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 .

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Female Chlamydia Symptoms To Watch For

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection that can affect both males and females.

Up to 95 percent of females with chlamydia dont experience any symptoms, according to the This is problematic because chlamydia can cause damage to your reproductive system if left untreated.

But chlamydia can occasionally cause symptoms. Heres a look at the common ones you might notice.

Just remember, you could still have chlamydia without these symptoms. If theres a chance you may have been exposed to the bacteria, your safest bet is to get tested as soon as possible.

Chlamydia can cause unusual vaginal discharge. It might be:

Chlamydia can also affect your rectum. This can result from having unprotected or a vaginal chlamydia infection spreading to your rectum.

You might also notice mucus-like discharge coming from your rectum.

Chlamydia sometimes causes inflammation that leads to bleeding between your periods. This bleeding may range from light to moderately heavy.

Chlamydia can also lead to bleeding after any type of sexual activity involving penetration.

What Are The Potential Complications

If treated in time, chlamydia causes no lasting concerns. Untreated chlamydia can lead to complications as the infection spreads to other areas of the body.

Untreated chlamydia may cause sexually-acquired reactive arthritis, which includes skin, eye and joint problems. It is also associated with a higher chance of getting HIV.

In women, complications may include difficulty getting pregnant, ectopic or tubal pregnancy or pelvic inflammatory disease . See HealthLinkBC File #08c Pelvic Inflammatory Disease for more information.

In men, complications may include an infection in the testicles, which can lead to infertility.

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What Can Happen If Chlamydia Is Not Treated

In women

Chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease . PID is a serious infection of the reproductive organs. PID can cause:

• Tubal pregnancies, which can lead to death of the mother and unborn child.
• Inflammation surrounding the liver.

A mother also can pass the infection to her child during birth. Infection in newborns can lead to:

• Eye infections .

What Does Chlamydia Feel Like Symptoms In Women And Men

• Oyewale Oyelami

Our sexual health is vital to our overall health, so we must all be informed about the various types of STIs and their symptoms. This way, we can seek treatment if necessary and prevent the spread of infection. This blog article will discuss chlamydia, one of the most common STIs. What are its symptoms? How is it transmitted? What does chlamydia feel like? We will answer these questions and more.

Everyone experiences chlamydia differently, so some of these symptoms may not apply to everyone. However, if you are experiencing these symptoms, please see a doctor immediately.

Need help with Chlamydia?

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