Tips To Prevent Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease and can spread just like any other STD: through sexual contact. To prevent that from happening, here are some tips for sexually active people to help stay away from chlamydia.
- Unprotected intercourse is the main cause of chlamydia, so make sure to use a latex condom to prevent your chances of getting the infection.
- People under the age of 25 and those with multiple sexual partners get affected with chlamydia the most, so limiting the number of sexual partners helps.
- According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, getting chlamydia screening regularly if you are sexually active helps ensure that you dont get the infection.
- Douching should be avoided since it reduces the healthy bacteria in the vagina that can reduce your chance of getting chlamydia.
- If you feel that you are infected, avoid having sex until you are tested for chlamydia if your body is vulnerable, the chances of getting an infection increase.
Chlamydia is very common, and anyone can get the infection. More than 1. 7 million people in the US had this infection in 2017, according to research. But, chlamydia is also easily treatable. So, if you experience any symptoms of chlamydia, its best to get screened for chlamydia.
What Is Oral Chlamydia
Oral chlamydia is a chlamydia infection that is found in the mouth or throat. It can potentially occur after having oral sex with an infected partner. Most cases of chlamydia, including those that occur in the throat, do not have any symptoms. Although genital chlamydia infections are far more common, its important to seek treatment if you get oral chlamydia and take steps to prevent chlamydia infections in the throat.
The Costs Of Infertility
Treating chlamydia is easy, but for those who do not get treated or get treated too late, living with the damage caused by the infection can be hard.
Rabin has treated many women who never knew they had had chlamydia until they couldnt get pregnant due to blocked fallopian tubes. These women often wind up trying in vitro fertilization , which does not always succeed.
There are all kinds of costs involved for these women, say Rabin. There are emotional costs and physical costs. There are also financial costs with IVF. Its much better to not let the tubes get damaged, she says, and get pregnant the old-fashioned way.
Don’t Miss: How Long Can You Have Chlamydia Untreated
More About Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
For women, one of the most serious complications from untreated chlamydia is pelvic inflammatory disease .
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 1020% of women with untreated chlamydia and gonorrhea infections may develop PID. And 1 in 8 women with a history of PID experience difficulties getting pregnant. PID can also cause ectopic pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain.
Like chlamydia, it is possible for a woman to have PID and not have any symptoms, or have symptoms too mild to notice, for an unknown period of time. If symptoms do occur, they could include:
- Dull pain or tenderness in the lower abdomen
- Burning or pain when you urinate
- Nausea and vomiting
- Increased or changed vaginal discharge
- Pain during sex
How Is Oral Chlamydia Related To Other Chlamydias
Chlamydia is the name of a group of bacteria the type of chlamydia that affects genitals and the throat is called chlamydia trachomatis. This is only a subset of chlamydia bacteria and there other types.
Other types of chlamydias there are some alternative forms of chlamydia to the strain responsible for oral infections, including:
- Lymphogranuloma venereum this can also cause genital infections but is very rare in the UK
- Chlamydia psittaci which cause a flu-like illness
- Chlamydia pneumoniae which causes pneumonia in adults
Do tests vary between different types of chlamydia? yes. The tests for chlamydia will be different even for the same strain of chlamydia depending on where the infection is:
- Throat swab for mouth chlamydia
- Vulvovaginal swab for genital chlamydia in women
- A urine test for genital chlamydia in men
Other different strains or types of chlamydia also require different tests as they affect other parts of the body such as the lungs or eyes.
Does treatment vary between types of chlamydia? generally not very much. Because different types of chlamydia are still all bacterial infections, they are usually treated with broad spectrum antibiotics like doxycycline.
Recommended Reading: Can I Have Chlamydia Without Discharge
Treatment For Gonorrhea Is Quick And Easy Too
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.
RELATED: For First Time, Standard Antibiotic Regimen Fails to Cure a Case of Gonorrhea
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.
Recommended Reading: Can You Pass Chlamydia Through Saliva
Chlamydia By The Numbers
Check out these statistics to learn even more about chlamydia:
- Chlamydia is the most frequently reported bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the U.S., with about 2.86 million infections occurring each year.
- It is most common among younger people who are sexually active. Nearly two-thirds of new chlamydia infections occur in people ages 15-24.
- Women have higher rates of chlamydia than men. Approximately 1 in 20 sexually active women ages 14-24 has a chlamydia infection.
- When looking at cases of chlamydia by race, reported cases are highest among Black, American Indian, and Pacific Islander men and women.
- The rate of chlamydia infections in the U.S. increased 19.4% from 2014-2018.
Oral chlamydia may not be as common as genital chlamydia, but its still cause for concern. Be sure to use protection when having oral sex and get routine screenings to stay on top of your STI status.
Chlamydia In Mouth And Throat
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection that is usually symptomless, meaning that people can have it without realising. Thats why its important that you get regulated tested for STIs, especially if you have started a new relationship. You can catch chlamydia through having unprotected anal, oral and vaginal sex.
Don’t Miss: Women’s Symptoms Of Gonorrhea And Chlamydia
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.
What Are The Treatments For Chlamydia
If you are diagnosed with chlamydia, your doctor will prescribe oral antibiotics. A single dose of azithromycin or taking doxycycline twice daily for 7 to 14 days are the most common treatments and are the same for those with or without HIV.
With treatment, the infection should clear up in about a week. Do not have sex for at least 7 days until you have taken all of your medication, and do not stop taking the antibiotics even if you feel better.
Your doctor will also recommend that your partner be treated as well to prevent reinfection and further spread of the disease.
Women with serious infections, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, may require a longer course of antibiotics or hospitalization for intravenous antibiotics. Some severe pelvic infections may require surgery in addition to antibiotic therapy.
Make sure you get retested after three months to be certain the infection is gone. Do this even if your partner has been treated and appears to be infection free.
Read Also: What Are Some Treatments For Chlamydia
What Are The Symptoms Of Chlamydia In The Throat
Many people who contract oral chlamydia have no symptoms. Some people may experience only a sore throat and think they have the flu or a cold. Other possible symptoms of a pharyngeal infection with chlamydia bacteria include mouth pain, oral sores , or pain in the throat when swallowing. In rare cases, chlamydia bumps on the tongue have also been seen. If you are experiencing white spots on the back of the throat, it is highly suggested to get it checked out by a doctor.
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.
Also Check: What Happens To Untreated Chlamydia
Testing And Treating Sexual Partners
If you test positive for chlamydia, it’s important that your current sexual partner and any other recent sexual partners you’ve had are also tested and treated.
A specialist sexual health adviser can help you contact your recent sexual partners, or the clinic can contact them for you if you prefer.
Either you or someone from the clinic can speak to them, or the clinic can send them a note to let them know they may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted infection .
The note will suggest that they go for a check-up. It will not have your name on it, so your confidentiality will be protected.
Page last reviewed: 01 September 2021 Next review due: 01 September 2024
Preventing Chlamydia And Recurrences
Recommended Reading: What Are The Signs Of Having Chlamydia
How Is Chlamydia Treated
Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics. The same antibiotics a doctor prescribes to treat chlamydia in the groin may also be prescribed to treat chlamydia in the throat.
Avoid oral sex or intercourse for at least 7 days if youre taking a one-time antibiotic dose. If you take a longer course, you should wait until youve taken all your medication before having sex again.
If youve been treated for chlamydia before, you can get it again. Treatments also can stop complications you may have already experienced due to chlamydia.
After treatment, its a good idea to always have protected sex to avoid contracting a new infection.
CDC , having chlamydia in the throat might increase the risk for getting HIV.
Having chlamydia in the throat can make you more vulnerable to other infections. Your body is so busy fighting off the chlamydia bacteria, it doesnt fend off other infections as effectively. This can cause problems such as mouth infections, tooth loss, gum disease, and dental pain.
Risks of untreated chlamydia infections
- increased risks for ectopic pregnancy
- increased risks for preterm delivery in pregnant women
- inflammation of the upper genital tract
- pelvic inflammatory disease, a condition that affects fertility pelvic pain
- perihepatitis, an inflammation in the capsule that surrounds the liver
- reactive arthritis, a form of inflammatory arthritis
How To Prevent Chlamydia
Below are some ways to prevent chlamydia
- Use condoms every time you have sex
- Discuss testing for sexually transmitted infections with your doctor or nurse
- Ask if you are due for your annual chlamydia screening
- See your doctor or nurse if you have any symptoms of chlamydia or another infection
- Do not have sex if you or your sexual partner has abnormal discharge, burning with urination, or a genital rash or sore
You May Like: How Soon Can You Get Symptoms Of Chlamydia
Can You Get Chlamydia From Oral Sex
Chlamydia trachomatisthe bacteria that causes a chlamydia infectionspreads through contact with another persons mucus membranes .
Unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex can transmit chlamydia.
Chlamydia from oral sex is called a pharyngeal chlamydia infection. In this instance, most commonly, chlamydia bacteria are transmitted from the penis to the mouth and throat.
But chlamydia can also spread through oral contact with another persons anus or vagina.
Someone with chlamydia in the throat could also transmit the infection to another persons genitals by giving oral sex, but chlamydia doesnt spread through kissing.
People also dont get chlamydia from contact with toilet seats, sharing clothes or towels, or hugging.
How Can You Protect Yourself From Getting Chlamydia
The only method that is 100% effective in preventing STDs is abstinence, but if youre sexually active, the best way to avoid chlamydia is to be mutually monogamous with someone who has testednegative for chlamydia. Condoms give good protection against chlamydia during vaginal sex and during oral sex on a male. Its important for both partners to get tested because its easy to get re-infected if one partner still has it. If you test positive for chlamydia, get tested again three months later to make sure you dont have it again. If youre sexually active and under 25, you should get tested for chlamydia every year better safe than sorry.
For protection against chlamydia during oral sex on a female, you can use a dental dam as a barrier between the mouth and vulva. A dental dam is a thin square of latex that is placed over a womans vulva before her partner performs oral sex on her and acts as a barrier between the vulva and the mouth. They are sold in some stores, but you can make your own dental dam using a latex glove or a male condom. For protection against Chlamydia during any type of anal sex , you can use a female condom.
Don’t Miss: Pills To Take For Chlamydia
How Do You Get Tested
There are several different reliable tests for chlamydia. Newer tests, called NAATs , are very accurate and easy to take. Your healthcare provider can explain what testing options are available . If you dont have a regular healthcare provider, you can search here for a clinic near you.
People infected with chlamydia are often also infected with gonorrhea, so patients with chlamydia are often treated for gonorrhea at the same time, since the cost of treatment is generally less than the cost of testing.
If you live in Alaska, Maryland, or Washington, D.C., you can have a free at-home chlamydia test. Visit iwantthekit.org for more information.
How To Treat Oral Chlamydia
Oral chlamydia is treated in the same way as other chlamydia infections: with antibiotics. The CDC recommends:
- Doxycycline two times a day for seven days
Alternative treatments include:
- Azithromycin in a single dose
- Levofloxacin once a day for seven days
A single dose of azithromycin may be the simplest way to treat chlamydia. However, people have developed resistance to this antibiotic, whereas doxycycline has a nearly 100% cure rate.
After being diagnosed with a chlamydia infection, all sexual partners need to be told and treated as well. You should also refrain from having any sex for seven days after completing treatment.
Chlamydia is easily treated and cured, but you can get chlamydia again. If you are sexually active, it is essential to test for sexually transmitted infections regularly.
You May Like: If You Have Chlamydia Does It Go Away
What Is Extragenital Chlamydia Testing
Contrary to popular belief, chlamydia does not always just infect your genitals. In fact, it can also affect your mouth, throat and rectal region. Today, lets take a closer look at the oral version of this sexually transmitted infection . Believe it or not, oral chlamydia is trickier to test for than you may expect.
What Are The Symptoms Of Oral Chlamydia
Chlamydia is an asymptomatic infection, so you could have the STI without knowing about it. However the cellular lining in the throat and mouth can become infected and the most common sign is a painful and severe sore throat. People who notice this sign often dismiss it as a common cold or other viral infections and do not make the connection between the unprotected oral sex that they participated in and this symptom. Along with a sore throat you could notice a low fever, coughing and swollen lymph nodes. Its important to get regularly tested for STIs when you have had unprotected sex, especially if this is with a new partner.
Read Also: How Long For Chlamydia Symptoms To Show Up