Whats The Treatment For Chlamydia
Chlamydia is usually easy to get rid of. Your nurse or doctor will get you antibiotics to treat the infection. Sometimes you only have to take one dose of medication. Another chlamydia treatment lasts for 7 days. Your doctor will help you figure out which treatment is best for you.
If youre treated for chlamydia, its really important for your sexual partners to get treated also. Otherwise, you can keep passing the infection back and forth, or to other people. Sometimes your doctor will give you medicine for both you and your partner.
New Approach Is Both Prevention And Treatment
Our treatment is the first combination therapy, a two-pronged approach, says the lead researcher, Emmanuel Ho, PhD, an associate professor in the school of pharmacy at the University of Waterloo.
The treatment makes use of nanoparticles to deliver treatment to infected cells. The dual approach prevents the majority of chlamydia bacteria from entering cells in the genital tract and then destroys any bacteria that is able to penetrate a cell wall.
In the laboratory, the gene therapy has successfully killed skin cells infected with chlamydia while at the same time protecting healthy cells. Currently, the only ways to prevent transmission of chlamydia are abstinence and the use of latex condoms. There is no vaccine available.
The first part of the therapy is preventive: It delivers a gene that reduces expression of the chlamydia protein on cells. This means that we will be able to prevent or reduce the chlamydia actually binding to cells that it affects, says Dr. Ho.
The second part is treatment that kicks in if the chlamydia is still able to infect the cells after the gene introduction. Were able to elicit a cellular response where cells form a bubble around the chlamydia and then kill it, says Ho.
Can Chlamydia Go Away On Its Own
It is highly unlikely for chlamydia to go away on its own. Although the symptoms may subside temporarily, the infection may persist in the body in the absence of treatment . It is important to seek diagnosis and timely treatment to get rid of the infection.
If treatment is not sought, chlamydia can lead to the following serious complications:
- Pelvic inflammatory diseases or PID
- Infertility
- Fitz-Hugh-Curtis Syndrome
- Untreated chlamydia in pregnant women can cause serious consequences such as preterm delivery , ophthalmia neonatorum , and pneumonia in the newborn.
- Reactive arthritis may develop in men and women following chlamydia infection.
- Men have less symptoms linked to chlamydia compared with women. Chlamydia infection can sometimes lead to epididymitis , causing pain and fever. Rarely, chlamydia can cause infertility in men.
You May Like: Can You Pass Chlamydia Through Saliva
Treatment For Chlamydia Without Seeing A Doctor
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
HealthTap doctors are based in the U.S., board certified, and available by text or video.
Nonantibiotic Treatment For Chlamydia Shows Promise
In an effort to get ahead of growing antibiotic resistance, researchers test gene therapy for the common STD.
Shutterstock
Chlamydia, an extremely common sexually transmitted infection affecting an estimated 131 million people worldwide, is currently easily treated by antibiotics in most cases.
But according to the World Health Organization, growing antibiotic resistance is making the treatment of a number of bacterial sexually transmitted diseases more challenging.
The problem is most pronounced for gonorrhea, strains of which do not respond to any available antibiotics. But antibiotic resistance also exists for chlamydia and syphilis, making prevention and prompt treatment of these diseases critical.
But what if there were a therapy for STDs that didnt involve antibiotics?
Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario are working on developing just that.
As described in the February 4 issue of the journal Scientific Reports, the research team has developed a gene therapy for preventing and treating chlamydia. The hope is that once this therapy is perfected, it can be adapted for use in treating other sexually transmitted bacterial infections such as gonorrhea and syphilis.
Also Check: How Do I Get Chlamydia Medication
What’s The Treatment For Chlamydia
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.
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.
Don’t Miss: Chlamydia Make You Pee A Lot
Strategy For Std Surge: Treat Patients’ Partners Without A Doctor Visit
Anna Gorman
If patients return to Dr. Crystal Bowe soon after taking medication for a sexually transmitted infection, she usually knows the reason: Their partners have re-infected them.
“While you tell people not to have sex until both folks are treated, they just don’t wait,” she said. “So they are passing the infection back and forth.”
That’s when Bowe, who practices on both sides of the North and South Carolina border, does something doctors are often reluctant to do: She prescribes the partners antibiotics without meeting them.
Federal health officials have recommended this practice, known as expedited partner therapy, for chlamydia and gonorrhea since 2006. It allows doctors to prescribe medication to their patients’ partners without examining them. The idea is to prevent the kind of reinfections described by Bowe and stop the transmission of STDs to others.
However, many physicians aren’t taking the federal government’s advice because of entrenched ethical and legal concerns.
“Health care providers have a long tradition of being hesitant to prescribe to people they haven’t seen,” said Edward Hook, professor at the University of Alabama’s medical school in Birmingham. “There is a certain skepticism.”
“STDs are everywhere,” said Dr. Cornelius Jamison, a lecturer at the University of Michigan Medical School. “We have to figure out how to … prevent the spread of these infections. And it’s necessary to be able to treat multiple people at once.”
What Happens If An Std Goes Untreated
Infections such as gonorrhea and chlamydia that are left untreated or treated inappropriately can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, ectopic pregnancy, chronic pain, heart disease and arthritis. During pregnancy, STI transmission to the fetus can cause stillbirth, pneumonia or blindness to name but a few potential problems.
Michael Cackovic is a maternal fetal medicine physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and director of the Heart Disease in Pregnancy Program. He’s also an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Ohio State College of Medicine.
You May Like: What Test Is Done For Chlamydia
Chlamydia Is A Sexually Transmitted Infection/disease That Affects Both Men And Women
Can you cure chlamydia without going to the doctor? chlamydia is easy to treat and cure. But there are various natural supplements available which can cure the immune system which is the main cause of having chlamydia. Sterility if the infection spreads from the urethra to the testicles. You seem to suggest that the chlamydia is gone, however, is trichomonas or persistent ngu still contagious like see the doctor or clinic where you were treated for chlamydia and let them work it out. To treat the first signs of impetigo without going to the doctor you can use an over the counter antibiotic cream. Why is it important to treat chlamydia? The next treatment in this list of tips on how to treat chlamydia in the throat and mouth is going to see your doctor if you see the symptoms of chlamydia appear after the. Or if you are on the go, you. Chlamydia is a very common sexually transmitted infection caused by chlamydia trachomatis bacteria, and you can. A prescription for an antibiotic is if you do think you may have it, head to your doctor sooner rather than later to get tested for chlamydia, and make sure you’re keeping up with. How can i treat my partner for chlamydia without him knowing? While symptoms are rare in women, they can include
Learn the symptoms in men and women, how doctors diagnose it, and the most common options for treatment at webmd.
Why Do Partners Need Treatment For Chlamydia
People who have Chlamydia, especially women, usually have no symptoms, so may have an infection without even knowing. If they dont get medication to treat it they can pass it back to you or onto other people, which isnt good for anyone, right? Sometimes Chlamydia can cause serious health problems, including infertility. So its really important people get the chance to be treated if you think they might have it.
You May Like: Can Chlamydia Feel Like A Uti
Put Sex On Hold During And After Chlamydia Treatment
If you were given a single dose of antibiotics to treat your chlamydia, you should not have any kind of sex for a full seven days after the day you took the medicine. If youre taking antibiotics for a week, wait another seven days after the last day of your treatment. Be sure to take all of the medicine that is prescribed for you.
Not having sex for seven days after treatment is important so you dont spread the infection to your partner or partners.
Medication stops the infection and can keep you from spreading the disease, but it wont cure any permanent damage that the infection caused before you started treatment. In women, such damage can include blocking the fallopian tubes, causing infertility.
If you still have symptoms for more than a few days after you stop taking your medicine, go back to see your doctor or other healthcare provider so they can check you again.
How Do You Know If Chlamydia Is Gone After Treatment
Your chlamydia symptoms should improve within a week of completing your course of antibiotics.
You do not need an immediate follow-up test to check if your chlamydia treatment has worked, as dead chlamydia bacteria may be detected 3 to 5 weeks after treatment, which would give a false positive result. But, if you have a rectal infection, you should have a test after treatment is completed.
If you are under 25 and have tested positive for chlamydia, it is recommended you take a repeat test 3 months after completing your treatment, to check you have not caught chlamydia again.
Don’t Miss: Medication For Chlamydia Side Effects
Can Stds Be Treated Naturally At Home
Antibiotics were developed to fight infections caused by bacteria in humans and animals by either killing the bacteria or making it difficult for the bacteria to grow and multiply. Antibiotics are our best defense to fighting sexually transmitted infections.
There is no proven alternative therapy to treating an STI. Treatment is testing and antibiotics.
The most effective complementary treatments of STIs that is, those that that go along with standard medical treatment involve prevention and patient counseling. Monogamy, use of condoms, avoiding risky sexual activities and medication compliance are some strategies. Others employ vitamins such as A and C, zinc and carotenoids that increase immunity as an aid to prevention.
However, while these are healthy preventive tactics, Ill say it again: Antibiotics are necessary to treat the infection and possible complications.
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.
Recommended Reading: Can Bv Cause Positive Chlamydia Test
How Chlamydia’s Passed On
Chlamydia is usually passed from one person to another through sexual contact.
You can get the infection if you come into contact with the semen or vaginal fluids of someone who has chlamydia.
Chlamydia is most commonly spread through:
- vaginal or anal sex without a condom
- sharing sex toys that arent washed or covered with a new condom each time theyre used.
It can be spread by giving or receiving oral sex with someone who has chlamydia. The risk can be lowered by using a condom or a dam to cover the genitals.
If infected semen or vaginal fluid comes into contact with the eye it can cause conjunctivitis (infection or irritation of the eye.
If youre pregnant its possible to pass chlamydia to the baby .
Its not clear if chlamydia can be spread by transferring infected semen or vaginal fluid to another persons genitals on the fingers or through rubbing vulvas together.
You cant get chlamydia from kissing, hugging, sharing baths or towels, swimming pools, toilet seats or from sharing cups, plates or cutlery.
What Antibiotics Do You Get For Chlamydia
Chlamydia is one of the most common STDs. It can be treated easily if caught early. Some of the most recommended antibiotics used to treat chlamydia are azithromycin and doxycycline. Azithromycin is typically given as 2 tablets one time while doxycycline is given as 2 capsules a day for 7 days. These antibiotics are most effective if both partners have received treatment and have taken their prescription as directed.
You May Like: Can I Go To Urgent Care For Chlamydia
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:
- Use condoms every time you have vaginal or anal sex.
- If you have oral sex , use a condom to cover the penis, or a dam to cover the vulva or anus.
- Avoid sharing sex toys. If you do share them, wash them or cover them with a new condom before anyone else uses them.
Will An Std Go Away On Its Own
No, dont expect an STI to go away on its own. Ignoring symptoms, noncompliance or denial can put both you and your partner at considerable health risk and lead to long-term problems. Even if you dont have symptoms, theres still a risk of complications and passing the infection to your sexual partners.
You May Like: Is Trichomoniasis And Chlamydia The Same Thing
Can You Drink Alcohol While Taking Azithromycin For Chlamydia
Yes, you may drink a small amount of alcohol while you are taking azithromycin but there is a chance large amounts of alcohol may increase the gastrointestinal side effects of azithromycin, such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, or flatulence. Too much alcohol with azithromycin may also give you a headache.
Because azithromycin is usually taken as a one-off dose, drinking alcohol is unlikely to stop azithromycin from curing chlamydia.
What Treats 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, there are two antibiotics most recommended by the CDC, azithromycin, and doxycycline. While both medications are equally effective, azithromycin is administered in a single dose while doxycycline is offered as a 7-day treatment. Most common side effects of either treatment is nausea, upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Additionally, some may have an adverse effect such as rash or hives with doxycycline.
Read Also: What It Feels Like To Have Chlamydia
How To Place An Order
in order for you to place an order, please click below and fill in the online consultation you will then be given a choice of products before clinically assessed by one of our GMC registered doctors.
Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the UK and it’s really easy to catch through unprotected sex or genital contact. Luckily it’s also quick and easy to treat with a single dose of the chlamydia treatment.
-
A confidential online consultation no need to see a GP face-to-face
-
A range of reliable treatments to suit you
-
Your prescription delivered in plain, discreet packaging
Often arrives the day after your order is approved and dispensed, but is not guaranteed . Please Note: Royal Mail are currently experiencing delays and Standard Delivery orders may take up to 5 working days
The Royal Mail’s next day pre 1pm service .
Key facts about chlamydia treatment
We know that getting help for an STI can be embarrassing but if you have chlamydia it’s really important to use a chlamydia treatment as soon as possible. If it’s left untreated it can lead to more serious conditions and even infertility. It’s also important for your partner to get treated to avoid re-infection. We offer discreet chlamydia treatments in the form of tablets that can you can buy online and choose from a range of delivery options.
What causes chlamydia?
Chlamydia symptoms:
Chlamydia symptoms in women:
What is the treatment for chlamydia?
These include: