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How Effective Is Chlamydia Medication

How Long Does It Take For Chlamydia To Go Away After Treatment

Chlamydia treatment in 100 seconds

Chlamydia infection usually clears after one week of completing your antibiotic treatment. During treatment, you should avoid drinking alcohol as this can reduce how effective the antibiotic is.

You should also avoid having sex during treatment as you could still pass on the infection to your partner. It is common for partners to pass chlamydia between one another if they continue to have sex without completing their treatment, causing repeated infections.

What Do I Need To Know If I Get Treated For Chlamydia

If youre getting treated for chlamydia:

  • Take all of your medicine the way your nurse or doctor tells you to, even if any symptoms you may be having go away sooner. The infection stays in your body until you finish the antibiotics.
  • Your partner should also get treated for chlamydia so you dont re-infect each other or anyone else.
  • Dont have sex for 7 days. If you only have 1 dose of medication, wait for 7 days after you take it before having sex. If youre taking medicine for 7 days, dont have sex until youve finished all of your pills.
  • Get tested again in 3-4 months to make sure your infection is gone.
  • Dont share your medicine with anyone. Your nurse or doctor may give you a separate dose of antibiotics for your partner. Make sure you both take all of the medicine you get.
  • Even if you finish your treatment and the chlamydia is totally gone, its possible to get a new chlamydia infection again if youre exposed in the future. Chlamydia isnt a one-time-only deal. So use condoms and get tested regularly.

What Are The Different Types Of Chlamydia Medication

Chlamydia is among the most common of sexually transmitted infections, and there are several types of antibiotic medications available to treat it. The two most popular chlamydia medications are doxycycline and azithromycin, antibiotics that are considered the most effective. Ofloxacin and levofloxacin also are usually successful at eliminating the infection, but they are often more expensive than the top two medications. Pregnant patients usually have to use other options when it comes to chlamydia medication, because one of the most popular treatments, doxycycline, is not considered safe during pregnancy. Thus, pregnant women are more likely to be prescribed erythromycin or amoxicillin.

Ofloxacin is another type of chlamydia medicine, and while it is considered as effective as doxycycline and azithromycin, it is usually more expensive. This is the main reason it is not given out frequently by doctors. Like doxycycline, ofloxacin needs to be taken twice a day for a week and cannot be taken by pregnant or breastfeeding women. Levofloxacin is a similar drug that is sometimes substituted for other chlamydia medications, but it is usually just as expensive as ofloxacin.

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Is There An Over Counter Treatment For Chlamydia

No, the CDC recommended treatment for chlamydia requires a prescription, but you do not need to visit the doctors office in person to get a prescription. Technology has made doctor visits online quick and easy. Just complete an online consultation visit and a prescription can be sent to a local pharmacy.

When Will The Signs And Symptoms Go Away

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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.

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How To Clear Chlamydia Without Antibiotics

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. While we are unable to recommend any treatment not recommended by the CDC in the treatment of chlamydia there are some who have utilized alternative treatment to reduce infection but does not cure it. These remedies include garlic, turmeric, or dieting.

What Does A Chlamydia Test Involve

  • If you have a vulva, you may be asked to take a swab around the inside of your vagina yourself.
  • A doctor or nurse may take a swab during an internal examination of your vagina and cervix .
  • You may be asked to provide a urine sample. Before having this test, youre advised not to pass urine for 12 hours.
  • A doctor or nurse may take a swab from the entrance of the urethra .
  • If youve had anal or oral sex, a doctor or nurse may swab your rectum or throat . These swabs arent done routinely on everyone.
  • If you have symptoms of conjunctivitis swabs will be used to collect a sample of discharge from your eye.

A swab looks a bit like a cotton bud but is smaller and rounded. It sometimes has a small plastic loop on the end rather than a cotton tip. Its wiped over the parts of the body that could be infected. This only takes a few seconds and isnt painful, though it may be uncomfortable for a moment.

Cervical screening and routine blood tests dont detect chlamydia.

If youre not sure whether youve been tested for chlamydia, just ask.

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Chlamydia Can Live In Your Gut And Reinfect You After Youre Cured

Doctors have known that chlamydia can reappear, but until now theyve been stumped as to how exactly it happens

Chlamydia is the most commonly reported sexually transmitted diseases in the United States. Thankfully, its also curable. But new research suggests that for some people, curing chlamydia doesnt prevent reinfection, even if theyre not exposed to it again. Apparently the disease can live inside your gut, and reinfect you out of the blue.

Apparently doctors have known that chlamydia can reappear in cured patients for about 80 years, but theyve been stumped as to how exactly it happens. This study points out that, in many animals, chlamydia has been found to live in the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, if gastrointestinal infection occurs in most hosts, the authors write, then it is very likely that gastrointestinal infection occurs in humans as well.

The study in question doesnt actually test this theory on any human beings. Instead it looks at data in animal models about reinfection, and the failure of certain drugs to treat chlamydia when it lives in the gut. From there, they propose that women who are infected with chlamydia could see the same kind of issues: the drugs theyre given might cure the disease genitally, but not gastrointestinally, leaving the bug to live inside waiting for the right time to strike.

Summary Of The Evidence

Chlamydia: Sexually Transmitted Infection Symptoms and Treatment

There is no evidence relating to patient values and preferences but the Guideline Development Group agreed that there is probably no variability in the values people place on the outcomes. Research related to other conditions indicates that adherence may be improved with simpler medication regimens. The GDG therefore agreed that azithromycin may be more acceptable to patients since it is a single dose regimen . There is little to no evidence for equity issues and feasibility. Resistance in other infections that often co-occur with chlamydia may restrict the use of some medicines, such as ofloxacin. For many of these medicines, costs may differ between countries in places with high incidence of chlamydia, the cost differences between azithromycin and doxycycline may be large due to greater numbers of people requiring treatment.

In summary, there was moderate quality evidence for trivial differences in benefits and harms between azithromycin and doxycycline, and although the cost of azithromycin is higher, the single dose may make it more convenient to use than doxycycline. While the differences are also trivial with the other medicines, the evidence is low quality and these are therefore provided as alternatives, with the exception of delayed-release doxycycline, which is currently expensive.

See for list of references of reviewed evidence, and for details of the evidence reviewed, including evidence profiles and evidence-to-decision frameworks .

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How To Treat Chlamydia

If you or a partner have been exposed to Chlamydia it is important to get treated immediately. Most persons with Chlamydia may have no symptoms. To treat Chlamydia, azithromycin and doxycycline are two antibiotics most recommended by the CDC,. Most common side effects of either treatment is nausea, upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

Treatment Adherence And Safety

In the azithromycin group, two participants vomited azithromycin within 1 hour after taking it, and a second dose was administered successfully. In the doxycycline group, 77% of participants received 14 doses because of the logistic challenges inherent in conducting the study in youth correctional facilities, 2% of participants received 11 doses, 3% received 12 doses, 12% received 13 doses, 6% received 15 doses, and 1% received 16 doses. No participants were excluded from the per-protocol population because they received an insufficient number of doxycycline doses. Adverse events were reported by 23% of the participants in the azithromycin group and by 27% of the participants in the doxycycline group the most common adverse events reported in both groups were gastrointestinal symptoms. No severe or serious adverse events occurred, and no participants discontinued participation in the study because of an adverse event.

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Treatment Effect Adjusted For Confounders In The Main Population

In rectal CT, in the univariate logistic regression analyses, the odds for not reaching microbiological cure were 5.8 times higher for those treated with azithromycin than for those treated with doxycycline . Adjusting for potential confounders in the multivariate analyses, the odds ratio increased . In vaginal CT, treatment type showed no association in univariate analyses or in multivariate analyses .

How Is Chlamydia Treated

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The following are the recommended treatment regimens for chlamydia according to the Guidelines for Sexually Transmitted Diseases, released in 2015, but still considered current. Only one regimen should be chosen.

  • Ofloxacin 300 mg orally twice a day for 7 days.

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Why Early Detection Is Necessary

When symptoms reach a stage that patients end up in the emergency room, those with undiagnosed STIs are often misdiagnosed. In fact, studies show that almost two thirds of them are diagnosed with and treated for a UTI. This will not clear up chlamydia, since its a short course of antibiotics that are typically used.

Because its left undiagnosed and untreated, chlamydia often involves serious complications that are life altering. Because it resides in the mucusy parts of the body, chlamydia can affect not just the sexual organs but also the anus, the eyelids, and the throat. One of the most common complications of untreated chlamydia is pelvic inflammatory disease, or PID, which has its own set of concerns, including complications during pregnancy. Other problems include:

  • Pain and inflammation in the sexual organs, as well as in the prostate in men
  • Damage to the tear ducts and the cornea
  • Infertility in both men and women

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Infant Pneumonia Caused By C Trachomatis

Chlamydial pneumonia among infants typically occurs at age 13 months and is a subacute pneumonia. Characteristic signs of chlamydial pneumonia among infants include a repetitive staccato cough with tachypnea and hyperinflation and bilateral diffuse infiltrates on a chest radiograph. In addition, peripheral eosinophilia occurs frequently. Because clinical presentations differ, all infants aged 13 months suspected of having pneumonia, especially those whose mothers have a history of, are at risk for , or suspected of having a chlamydial infection should be tested for C. trachomatis and treated if infected.

Diagnostic Considerations

Specimens for chlamydial testing should be collected from the nasopharynx. Tissue culture is the definitive standard diagnostic test for chlamydial pneumonia. Nonculture tests can be used. DFA is the only nonculture FDA-cleared test for detecting C. trachomatis from nasopharyngeal specimens however, DFA of nasopharyngeal specimens has a lower sensitivity and specificity than culture. NAATs are not cleared by FDA for detecting chlamydia from nasopharyngeal specimens, and clinical laboratories should verify the procedure according to CLIA regulations . Tracheal aspirates and lung biopsy specimens, if collected, should be tested for C. trachomatis.

Treatment

Erythromycin base or ethylsuccinate 50 mg/kg body weight/day orally divided into 4 doses daily for 14 days

Azithromycin suspension 20 mg/kg body weight/day orally, 1 dose daily for 3 days

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How Effective Is Amoxicillin For Chlamydia

Amoxicillin is one of three antibiotics often prescribed to treat chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease, but its effectiveness depends on the individual. Some people discover that they are immune to certain antibiotics or experience negative side effects, and his or her healthcare provider will switch medications. A seven day regimen of amoxicillin for chlamydia is usually prescribed because it works to inhibit the growth of the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. The severity of the disease may also change which antibiotic a physician prescribes because there are various stages of the disease.

Chlamydia can often be difficult to detect because it doesn’t always have symptoms, or the symptoms may be so mild that they go unnoticed. The sufferer may not show any signs of disease until it has advanced, and so a medical professional should be consulted immediately. Women often notice abnormal vaginal discharge and pain during urination, which could be accompanied by a fever. Men usually experience pain during urination and may notice discharge around the tip of the penis.

What Happens If I Take Azithromycin Twice

Chlamydia Infection Symptoms and Treatment (Antibiotic)

If you or your child accidentally take an extra dose of azithromycin, they are unlikely to be harmed. The risk of temporary side effects, such as diarrhea or feeling sick, may increase with it. If you or your child accidentally take more than one extra dose, or if you are concerned, seek medical advice from your pharmacist or doctor.

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Parents Have A Role In Chlamydia Prevention

Parents can do two main things to help their kids avoid getting chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections , says Dombrowski. These two things are:

  • Talk openly. Parents can start by talking with their kids about sex and sexual health early, giving the kids accurate information she says. When having these conversations, dont try to frighten children into practicing abstinence or safe sex. Its pretty common for parents to use STIs to talk about what can happen if you have sex or unprotected sex. But using STIs as a scare tactic is not effective, she says. It just makes the kids feel more frightened, more stigmatized, and terrible if they really do get one.
  • Ensure access to condoms. Parents are often focused on preventing pregnancy, says Dombrowski, which can be achieved with various contraceptives besides condoms. Parents should also think about kids having access to condoms for the prevention of chlamydia and other STIs, she says. Parents can leave condoms lying around where kids will find them, without saying much of anything about the condoms, she suggests.
  • What Happens If Chlamydia Isnt 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.
    • If you have a penis, chlamydia can lead to infection in the testicles. If this isnt treated, theres a possibility it could affect your fertility but more research is needed to understand how likely this is.
    • Rarely, chlamydia can lead to inflammation of the joints. This is known as Sexually Acquired Reactive Arthritis and is sometimes accompanied by inflammation of the urethra and the eye. This is more likely to occur in people with a penis than people with a vulva.

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    What Medication Is Prescribed For Chlamydia

    Chlamydia is a bacterial sexually transmitted infection . While most patients who have been treated for chlamydia are asymptomatic, it is imperative to be treated if you or a partner may have been exposed. The CDC recommended treatment for chlamydia is Azithromycin 1 g by mouth in a single dose or Doxycycline 100 mg by mouth twice a daily for 7 day. These options are equally as effective and chosen based on preference and patience tolerance to antibiotics.

    Treatment For Gonorrhea Is Quick And Easy Too

    Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Treatment

    The CDC currently recommends a shot of the antibiotic Rocephin and an oral dose of the antibiotic azithromycin, given at the same time, to treat gonorrhea.

    Treatment recommendations for gonorrhea have changed over the years as the bacteria that causes gonorrhea, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, has become resistant to a growing number of antibiotics.

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