Friday, April 19, 2024
HomeCureHow Long To Cure Chlamydia

How Long To Cure Chlamydia

How Long After Treatment Can I Have Sex Again

Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of chlamydia | Infectious diseases | NCLEX-RN | Khan Academy

You should avoid being sexually active during treatment for chlamydia because you can still pass the infection to your sex partner during this time, even if you have no symptoms.

How long you should wait to have sex depends on the antibiotic you take.

If your doctor prescribes a single dose of antibiotics, wait until seven days after taking it. If you take a multi-dose antibiotic, wait until youve taken the full course of medication .

Because it is somewhat common to get a repeat infection of chlamydia, its a good idea to be tested for it again about three months after treatment.

Symptoms In The Throat

Chlamydia symptoms can sometimes appear in the throat, although this is uncommon. When it does occur, the time frame is likely to be similar to that of chlamydia infections of the genitals.

In people who experience symptoms, the main one is a persistent sore throat. A doctor may refer to a chlamydia infection in the throat as pharyngeal chlamydia.

Testing for chlamydia in the throat is not a common practice in STI testing, as it does not have approval from the Food and Drug Administration . However, if a person suspects that they have pharyngeal chlamydia, a doctor may take a swab from the throat.

A person can undergo testing for chlamydia at their:

  • 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

7 days .

People should avoid having sex until their treatment is complete. If a person is experiencing symptoms even after the treatment, they should see a doctor.

People who menstruate should notice that their periods return to normal or that bleeding between periods stops by their next period.

Recommended Reading: How To Test For Oral Chlamydia

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 .

Also Check: What Does Chlamydia Look Like On A Woman

Also Check: How Easily Is Chlamydia Transmitted

How Long Does It Take For Chlamydia To Go Away

If you are provided treatment of antibiotics that include azithromycin which you take for 24 hours, you will still have to avoid sexual contacts for about a week after taking the tablets.

This infection can go away with no treatments as well, but it will take a lot longer. If you delay your treatment, you`ll also risk an infection that may cause long-term damages and you might still transmit the infection to another person.

If you follow your treat according to the doctor`s instructions, you most likely won`t need a follow-up test. However, you can still retest after 3 or 4 months after treatment, to reduce the risk of complications of reinfection.

How Is Chlamydia Prevented

Chlamydia Infection

You already know chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection. Therefore, the safest and easiest way to prevent chlamydia is sexual abstinence. Other ways chlamydia can be prevented in men and women are

  • Use condoms for intercourse
  • Get your male or female sexual partners tested for the infection
  • Recheck for chlamydia infection after 5 weeks of treatment
  • Avoid intercourse while on chlamydia treatment
  • Use adult toys with condoms

Now its your turn. Do you have any chlamydia symptoms? Let us know if we can help.

Read Also: What Kind Of Antibiotics For Chlamydia

What Is The Treatment For Chlamydia

Chlamydia can be easily cured with antibiotics. HIV-positive persons with chlamydia should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV-negative.

Persons with chlamydia should abstain from sexual activity for 7 days after single dose antibiotics or until completion of a 7-day course of antibiotics, to prevent spreading the infection to partners. It is important to take all of the medication prescribed to cure chlamydia. Medication for chlamydia should not be shared with anyone. Although medication will stop the infection, it will not repair any permanent damage done by the disease. If a persons symptoms continue for more than a few days after receiving treatment, he or she should return to a health care provider to be reevaluated.

Repeat infection with chlamydia is common. Women whose sex partners have not been appropriately treated are at high risk for re-infection. Having multiple chlamydial infections increases a womans risk of serious reproductive health complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy. Women and men with chlamydia should be retested about three months after treatment of an initial infection, regardless of whether they believe that their sex partners were successfully treated.

Infants infected with chlamydia may develop ophthalmia neonatorum and/or pneumonia. Chlamydial infection in infants can be treated with antibiotics.

What Are Chlamydia Symptoms And Signs

The signs and symptoms of chlamydia infections in women are usually irritation in the genital tract, vaginal discharge, and pain with urination . In men, chlamydia is characterized by pain with urination, urinary frequency, and urethral discharge . Other symptoms may develop, such as rectal irritation , eye infections, and infertility. Women can also develop chronic pelvic pain, salpingitis, and endometritis. Pregnant women infected with chlamydia can have ectopic pregnancies, preterm labor, preterm delivery, and their newborns can get conjunctivitis, otitis media, and pneumonia.

Recommended Reading: How Soon Can You Test For Chlamydia And Gonorrhea

Can You Test Negative For Chlamydia And Still Have It

This is because the bacteria needs enough time to multiply within your body in order for it to reach a detectable level when taking a chlamydia test. For chlamydia this is often 14 days. If you test before that 14 days is over, you may test negative, but you could still pass the bacteria on following your test.

Also Check: How Do You Know If You Got Rid Of Chlamydia

Why Cant I Repeat The Chlamydia Test After Ive Taken My Treatment To Check It Worked

Chlamydia treatment in 100 seconds

You can, but it takes up to 6 weeks for the test to go back to negative after an infection. If you re-test too early a positive result can be a sign of continuing or re-infection, but its most likely to be positive from the initial infection, so its not at all helpful.

If you are under 25 years of age, it is recommended to have a repeat test 3 months after treatment as a significant number of young people get repeat infections which are linked to an increased risk of complications.

Recommended Reading: When To Get Tested For Gonorrhea And Chlamydia

Also Check: Where Can I Buy Chlamydia Medication

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 To Treatment Of Chlamydia

Antibiotics, consisting of azithromycin and doxycycline, are typically recommended to treat chlamydia. Patients need to wait up until the chlamydia has been totally cured before taking part in sexual behavior.

If you start to exhibit symptoms once again after a successful course of treatment, it is most likely that you have been reinfected since treatment usually does not cannot remove the bacteria. Women typically have a high rate of reinfection and need to be tested once again within 3 to 4 months following the conclusion of treatment.

We hope the above info was practical.

Good luck! Have a nice weekend!

Also Check: How To Know For Sure If You Have Chlamydia

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

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.

Does Azithromycin Cure Chlamydia

Chlamydia For Men

Cure rates of 97% were reported in an analysis of 12 randomized clinical trials that investigated the use of azithromycin 1 gram for the treatment of chlamydia. That means for every 100 people with chlamydia who take azithromycin, 97 will be cured and 3 will not be cured.

This relies on the person with chlamydia taking azithromycin exactly as directed and not sharing the medication with anyone. Any sexual partners must be also treated.

Although azithromycin cures chlamydia in most people, it will not repair any permanent damage done to tissues by the disease.

If you have been symptomatic with chlamydia before treatment and your symptoms continue for more than a few days after receiving treatment, then ask to be re-evaluated by your health care provider.

Unfortunately, repeat infection with chlamydia is common. This means that even though azithromycin has cured your current infection with chlamydia, this does not mean you will not get chlamydia again. If your sexual partners have not been appropriately treated, you are at high-risk for reinfection. Having chlamydia multiple times puts women at high risk of fertility problems, ectopic pregnancy, and pelvic inflammatory disease. Infants born to mothers who are infected with chlamydia may develop chlamydial conjunctivitis and/or pneumonia. Chlamydial infection in infants can be treated with antibiotics.

Don’t Miss: How Do You Get Rid Of Chlamydia At Home

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 Soon Do Std Symptoms Appear

How long it takes for an STD to show up in testing is entirely dependent on the STD itself, how long its own incubation period is, and your own bodys immune response. You can test for some STDs, like chlamydia, only a day after potential exposure. Meanwhile, HIV and syphilis can take a month or more before you can accurately test for them. Its all pretty confusing but lucky for you, we created a nifty little chart that breaks down each STDs average incubation period.

You May Like: How Do Doctors Check For Chlamydia

Don’t Miss: Will 1000mg Of Azithromycin Cure Chlamydia

Female Complications Of Unattended Chlamydia

Some females create PID, an infection that can damage the uterus, cervix, and also ovaries. PID is an agonizing illness that often calls for healthcare facility treatment.

Women can likewise end up being sterile if chlamydia is left untreated due to the fact that the fallopian tubes may end up being marked.

Expectant women with the infection can pass the microorganisms to their infants throughout birth, which can create eye infections as well as pneumonia in infants. How Long Does It Take To Cure From Chlamydia

How To Cope With Side Effects

Gonorrhea & Chlamydia Trachomatis â Infectious Diseases | Lecturio

What to do about:

  • headaches make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. Everyday painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, are safe to take with doxycycline.
  • feeling or being sick stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food. It might help to take your doxycycline after a meal or snack but avoid dairy products like milk, cheese and yoghurt. Dairy products can stop your body absorbing your medicine properly. If you are being sick, drink plenty of fluids, such as water or squash, to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having strong-smelling pee. Do not take any medicines to treat vomiting without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.
  • sensitivity to sunlight when you go outside, wear sunglasses and clothes that cover you up. Put sunscreen or sunblock on your skin with a sun protection factor of at least 15 . Also use a sunscreen product for your lips. Do not use sunlamps or tanning beds. If you get sunburn, there are things you can do to treat your symptoms.

Dont Miss: How Easy Is It To Get Rid Of Chlamydia

Read Also: Chlamydia And Gc Urine Test

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 Happens If I Get Chlamydia When Im 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.

Chlamydia is usually passed on through unprotected vaginal, or oral sex.

Chlamydia cant be passed on through kissing, hugging, sharing towels or using the same toilet as someone with the infection.

Read Also: How To Check For Chlamydia

How Did I Get Chlamydia If I Didnt Cheat

A note from Cleveland Clinic

It can be embarrassing to talk about anything sex-related with your healthcare provider, including STI prevention. But your sex life is an important part of your health that your provider needs to know about to care for you. Not getting the treatment you need for chlamydia can pose serious risks to your health. Speak with your provider about getting regularly screened for chlamydia and other STIs to reduce your risks of complications. Practice safer sex to prevent the spread of chlamydia.

How Do You Know If Your Chlamydia Is Gone

How is Chlamydia Treated? Chlamydia Treatment Options

When will the signs and symptoms go away? 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.

Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Chlamydia In The Mouth

Recommended Reading: What Antibiotics Are Used To Cure Chlamydia

Am I At Risk For Chlamydia

Have an honest and open talk with your health care provider. Ask whether you should be tested for chlamydia or other STDs. If you are a sexually active woman younger than 25 years, you should get a test for chlamydia every year. If you are an older woman with risk factors such as new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has an STD, you should get a test for chlamydia every year. Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men as well as pregnant women should also get tested for chlamydia.

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.6

Recommended Reading: When You Get Treated For Chlamydia

Also Check: What Type Of Antibiotics Treat Chlamydia

How Do I Know If I Have Chlamydia

If you suspect you have chlamydia, your doctor may want to test cervical or penile discharge or urine using one of several available methods.

In most cases of chlamydia, the cure rate is 95%. However, because many women don’t know they have the disease until it has caused serious complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease, sexually active women under age 25 and others at higher risk should be tested for chlamydia once a year during their annual pelvic exam even if they dont have symptoms.

Pregnant women should also be tested as part of their routine lab work.

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular