Sunday, March 17, 2024
HomeFactsHow Long Does It Take For Treatment Of Chlamydia

How Long Does It Take For Treatment Of Chlamydia

How Can I Prevent Getting Chlamydia

How long does it take for chlamydia to go away?

Anyone who is sexually active can catch chlamydia. You’re most at risk if you have a new sexual partner or don’t use a barrier method of contraception, such as a condom, when having sex. You can help to prevent the spread of chlamydia by:

  • using a condom every time you have vaginal or anal sex
  • using a condom to cover the penis during oral sex
  • using a dam to cover the female genitals during oral sex or when rubbing female genitals together
  • not sharing sex toys. If you do share sex toys, wash them or cover them with a new condom between each person who uses them.

How Long Does Azithromycin Take To Cure Chlamydia

confusedgirl1over a year ago

A poster calling themselves “confused girl” was diagnosed with the sexually-transmitted infection Chlamydia and subsequently prescribed the antibiotic Azithromycin. She reported that her symptoms itching and pain while urinating had subsided but not entirely disappeared since she started taking the antibiotic, and she wanted to know how long it would take for her infection to clear up. Interestingly, she didn’t mention whether she had completed her course of antibiotics, nor whether she had been back to see her doctor for a follow-up appointment.

Chlamydia being among the most common sexually-transmitted diseases, this poster wasn’t alone by any stretch of the imagination. It is notable, however, that she reported symptoms, since the infection usually doesn’t have any unless it is left untreated.

SteadyHealth

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.

You May Like: Can You Cure Chlamydia And Gonorrhea

What Can Be Done To Prevent The Spread Of Chlamydia

  • Limit your number of sex partners
  • Use a male or female condom
  • If you think you are infected or have been exposed, avoid any sexual contact and visit a local sexually transmitted disease clinic, a hospital or your doctor. Either bring your sex partners with you when you are treated or notify them immediately so they can obtain examination and treatment.

What Happens If Chlamydia Goes Untreated

How long does a chlamydia test take?

If a person is not treated for chlamydia, complications may occur. Women frequently develop pelvic inflammatory disease . PID can cause infertility , chronic pelvic pain, tubal pregnancies, and the continued spread of the disease. In men, untreated chlamydia can cause urethral infection and complications such as swollen and tender testicles. Chlamydia infection during pregnancy may result in premature rupture of membranes, preterm delivery and possible tubal pregnancy in a small percent of women. In addition, chlamydia can cause conjunctival and pneumonic infection in the newborn. Persons with a chlamydia infection have an increased chance of getting other infections such as gonorrhea or HIV.

You May Like: How Do You Know If You Have Chlamydia Male

Chlamydia Is Caused By Sexually Transmitted Bacteria

The bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis causes chlamydia infection, which usually occurs in the genital tract, so the cervix in women and the penis in men. In both women and men, the bacteria may also infect the rectum and the throat.

“Infections are spread during any kind of sexual activity: vaginal, anal, or oral intercourse,” says Jonathan Schaffir, MD, an ob-gyn at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.

Chlamydia trachomatis can also cause conjunctivitis if the bacteria come into contact with the eyelids or the clear membrane covering the white of the eye.

Because chlamydia infections often cause no symptoms, individuals who have one may not seek medical attention or get treated for it. However, anyone who is infected with chlamydia can pass it to other people, who can, in turn, pass it to others.

How Do I Talk To My Partners

Preventing chlamydia begins with knowing more about your sexual partners and establishing safe sex practices.

You can get chlamydia by engaging in a variety of sexual behaviors with someone who has chlamydia. This includes contact with the genitals or other affected areas as well as penetrative sex.

Before having sex, talk to your partners about:

  • whether theyve been tested recently for STDs
  • their sexual history
  • their other risk factors

Talking to your partner about STDs can be difficult. There are ways to ensure you can have an open and honest conversation about the issue before engaging in sex.

Mens symptoms can include:

  • discharge from the penis
  • changes in the testicles, such as pain or swelling

You may also experience chlamydia away from the genitals.

Symptoms in your rectum can include pain, bleeding, and unusual discharge. You may even get chlamydia in your throat, causing redness or soreness or no symptoms at all. Conjunctivitis may be the sign of chlamydia in your eye.

Recommended Reading: Tested Negative For Chlamydia And Gonorrhea But Still Have Discharge

Can Chlamydia Be Prevented How Long Does It Take To Get Rid Of Chlamydia

The only certain way to avoid chlamydia is to not have vaginal, rectal, or oral sex.

Appropriate use of latex prophylactics significantly minimizes but does not eliminate, the threat of capturing or spreading out chlamydia. If your or your partner dislikes latex, you can utilize polyurethane condoms.

Effects Of Chlamydia Treatment

At Last! Reliable Treatments For Chlamydia

After you have begun your course of chlamydia treatment, you should start to notice an improvement in your symptoms within a few days. Generally, most symptoms should resolve completely within 24 weeks. If any symptoms persist, such as pelvic pain or pain during sex, please return to the clinic as further treatment or investigations may be necessary.

If you are diagnosed with chlamydia you may need to inform anyone you have had sex with within the last six months as they may also be infected. They should be advised to attend a sexual health clinic for a chlamydia test and will usually be offered treatment on the day they attend. This advice is regardless of whether they have any symptoms or not, or whether or not you used a condom.

If you feel unable to inform previous sexual partners one of our Health Advisers will be able to notify them on your behalf without revealing your identity.

You should not have oral, anal or vaginal sex during your course of chlamydia treatment or for seven days after a single dose of chlamydia treatment and also until your current partner completes their treatment and until both you and your partners symptoms have abated. This is to avoid being re-infected and requiring further treatment.

Read Also: What Are The Signs Of Having Chlamydia

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.

How Is Chlamydia Diagnosed

Chlamydia can be diagnosed with either a first-catch urine test or a swab collected from the endocervix or vagina in women, or a first-catch urine test or a swab collected from the urethra in men.

Self-collected vaginal swab testing is available and many women find this screening strategy highly acceptable.

  • Geisler WM, Uniyal A, Lee JY, et al. Azithromycin versus Doxycycline for Urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis Infection. N Engl J Med. 2015 373:2512-2521. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1502599
  • Workowski, K, Bolan G. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2015. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
  • WHO Guidelines for the Treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis. Geneva: World Health Organization 2016. 4, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TREATMENT OF CHLAMYDIAL INFECTIONS. Available from:
  • Chlamydia Treatment and Care. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/treatment.htm
  • Chlamydia Treatment Information Sheet. Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

You May Like: What Antibiotic Treat Chlamydia And Trichomoniasis

When Can I Expect For Chlamydia Signs To Show Up

Chlamydia is a serious issue for both women and men. The majority of the infected experience no signs, which is why 70% of the women infected, and most men have no clue they carry it.

If the signs do show up, it will take 1 to 3 weeks after the patient has been exposed to the infection for the bacteria to manifest and produce symptoms. What most people dont know about is that every bacteria has an incubation period, chlamydia has one as well.

This period can vary for every individual. For example, for some individuals, the incubation period can last for a couple of days, so the first signs of the infection will start to develop just days after they have been exposed to the bacteria.

For others, it can take months for any signs to show, which means the incubation period lasts much longer, and the only way to know if that individual is infected with chlamydia is to get tested. But, on average, it takes 1 to 3 weeks after the person has been infected for any signs to show.

Young Sexually Active Women Are Most Susceptible

design

Women between ages 15 and 24 are most likely to be newly infected with chlamydia, according to the CDC, but anyone who is sexually active male or female can be infected. Men who have oral or anal sex with men are also at risk, notes the CDC. The CDC recommends regular chlamydia screenings for people at an increased risk of contracting it.

You should be screened annually for chlamydia if you are:

  • A sexually active woman under age 25
  • A woman age 25 or older who has multiple sexual partners
  • A woman whose sexual partner may have multiple sexual partners
  • Pregnant and under age 25 or pregnant and age 25 or older with an increased risk
  • A man who has sex with men
  • At an increased risk for other health reasons

I would emphasize that young women should be screened if they engage in any sexual behavior that puts them at risk because often has no symptoms, and early treatment is important to avoid long-term damage and infertility, Dr. Schaffir says.

Screening for chlamydia is painless: It usually involves testing a urine sample or a specimen swabbed from the vagina or penis. Some lab tests for chlamydia can use specimens from the throat or rectum.

Also Check: How Do I Get Chlamydia Medication

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.

How Long Does It Take To Show Signs Of Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most prevalent bacteria on the planet. Based on 2018 statistics, around 2.86 million are infected annually, and more than two-thirds of those infected are young teenagers and adults between the ages of 15 and 24. Every sexually active individual is exposed to chlamydia and can get infected no matter how many or how few partners theyve changed.

Here, we will help you answer some of the most common questions you might have about this infection. We will talk about when you can expect the infection to turn up, how to recognize it, and why you need to get tested.

Don’t Miss: Where Can I Get Chlamydia Pills

Do I Need To Have A Test To Check That The Chlamydia Has Gone

If you take the treatment according to the instructions, you wont usually need a test to check the chlamydia has gone.

If youre aged under 25, you should be offered a repeat test 3 months after finishing the treatment. This is because youre at a higher risk of getting chlamydia again.

Whatever your age, you may need a repeat test or more treatment if:

  • you think youve come into contact with chlamydia again
  • you had sex without a condom with a partner before the treatment for both of you was finished
  • you didnt complete the treatment or didnt take it according to the instructions
  • the signs and symptoms dont go away
  • your test was negative but you develop signs or symptoms of chlamydia
  • youre pregnant.

A repeat test can be done 56 weeks after the first test.

If the chlamydia was in your rectum , you may need another test around 3 weeks after finishing the treatment. Your doctor, nurse or clinic will let you know if you need another test.

You can go back to the doctor, nurse or clinic if you have any questions or need advice on how to protect yourself from infection in the future.

What’s The Treatment For Chlamydia

How to Cure and Treat Chlamydia trachomati

Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics. If you take the treatment according to instructions, its over 95% effective at treating chlamydia.

  • Youll be given a course of antibiotics for 3 or 7 days or sometimes up to two weeks.
  • If theres a high chance you have chlamydia, treatment may be started before the results of the test are back. Youll always be given treatment if a sexual partner is found to have chlamydia.
  • You may also need other treatment if complications have occurred.
  • Tell the doctor or nurse if youre pregnant, or think you might be, or youre breastfeeding. This may affect the type of antibiotic youre given.
  • Complementary therapies cant cure chlamydia.

Also Check: Places To Get Tested For Chlamydia

What Should I Do If I Think I Have Chlamydia

If you think you have chlamydia, you need to see your doctor immediately and have a chlamydia test. You may have another STD with similar symptoms, and your doctor needs to know the exact STI you have so that you can get the best treatment.

Chlamydia tests involve collecting a urine sample or swabbing the affected area. Your doctor will send the specimen to a lab for testing to see if you have chlamydia or another type of STI.

If your test is positive for chlamydia, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic immediately.

How Do I Test For Chlamydia

You can get tested for chlamydia even if you dont have any symptoms.

Getting tested for chlamydia is easy and doesnt hurt. A healthcare professional will ask for a urine sample and/or take a swab from the area that might be infected. This is usually the lower part of the womb or the vagina for women, and the tip of the penis for men. If youve had anal or oral sex, you may have a swab taken from your anus or throat.

In some countries you can get a self-testing kit to do at home.

If you test positive for chlamydia, its important to tell any recent sexual partner/s so they can also get tested, and treated if necessary. If you need advice about how to do this, speak to your healthcare professional. You should also test for other STIs.

Also Check: How Do You Know If You Chlamydia

How To Take Azithromycin

Take Azithromycin as prescribed by your doctor. Take the Azithromycin pills with a glass of water and with meals. Taking the antibiotic with meals prevents upset stomach and vomiting, and the medicine will be easily absorbed by the body. Take it as often as prescribed by your physician. Never take antacids like Maalox, Rolaids, or Tums two hour before or after the taking pills.

Never give out Azithromycin to other people. They may be taking other medicines which have an adverse reaction to the Azithromycin.

Where To Get Tested

Chlamydia Infection

A person can undergo testing for chlamydia at their:

  • doctors office
  • local health department
  • local planned parenthood center

A person can also order a chlamydia test online, take it at home, and then send it off for testing.

If people are at high risk of chlamydia, they may need screening for all types of chlamydia every 36 months.

At risk groups include people who have:

  • multiple or unknown sexual partners
  • sex in combination with illegal drug use
  • sexual partners who use illegal drugs or have multiple partners

Don’t Miss: How Much Is The Pill For Chlamydia

Male Issues Of Without Treatment Chlamydia

Male can likewise experience difficulties when chlamydia is left untreated. The epididymis television that holds the testicles in place might become irritated, creating pain. This is referred to as epididymitis.

The infection can likewise spread to the prostate gland, triggering a high temperature, agonizing sexual intercourse, and also pain in the lower back. An additional feasible complication is male chlamydial urethritis.

These are just a few of the most common issues of unattended chlamydia, which is why it is very important to obtain medical attention immediately. The majority of people that obtain therapy rapidly have no long-lasting clinical issues. How Long Does It Take To Get Rid Of Chlamydia

Link to next post: How Much Azithromycin Is Needed To Cure Chlamydia

Hi there, Im Melissa and welcome to Genier. Im not ashamed to admit that Ive dealt with an STD before and recovered. It was not a pleasant experience but Im glad I got myself tested. If theres one message that you can take away from my site is get tested today! Stay safe.

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular