How To Self Treat Chlamydia

Is It Possible To Get Chlamydia From A Toilet Seat

Chlamydia trachomatis, the bacteria that causes chlamydia infection, cannot survive outside the human body. Thus, you cannot get chlamydia from a toilet seat. Chlamydia can also not be transmitted through other means of casual contact, such as hugging, kissing, or by sharing towels, bed linen, swimming pools, or cutlery.

Some people are concerned about what will happen if they come in contact with a fresh droplet of the body fluid containing chlamydia left on a towel, bed linen, or toilet seat. However, merely coming in contact with the droplet just because it touched your skin or buttocks is not sufficient for you to get the infection. The bacteria need to come in contact with a suitable body tissue such as the cervix, urethra, or cornea of the eye to survive.

In Both Males And Females

Complications that may be seen in anyone include:

• Other STIs. Chlamydia and gonorrhea both make you more susceptible to other STIs, including human immunodeficiency virus . Having chlamydia can also increase your risk of developing gonorrhea, and vice versa.
• Reactive arthritis . Also called Reiters syndrome, this condition results from an infection in your urinary tract or intestines. Symptoms of this condition cause pain, swelling, or tightness in your joints and eyes, and a variety of other symptoms.
• Infertility. Damage to reproductive organs or to sperm can make it more challenging or, in some cases, impossible to become pregnant or to impregnate your partner.

When Can I Have Sex Again

If you had doxycycline, you shouldn’t have sex including vaginal, oral or anal sex, even with a condom until both you and your partner have completed treatment.

If you had azithromycin, you should wait 7 days after treatment before having sex .

This will help ensure you don’t pass on the infection or catch it again straight away.

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What Are The Side Effects Of Chlamydia Treatment

While doxycycline is an effective treatment for chlamydia, some people may have side effects when taking this chlamydia treatment.

Some common doxycycline side effects may include:

• headaches
• increased sensitivity to light
• nausea or being sick
• palpitations

• stomach ulcers
• joint or muscle pain

If you have any side effects when taking doxycycline, tell your doctor as soon as possible.

The full list of doxycycline side effects and cautions can be found in the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine package.

When taking doxycycline, you should avoid drinking alcohol as it reduces doxycyclines effectiveness. You should also avoid sunlight as increased sensitivity to light has been reported as a side effect of doxycycline.

You should stop taking doxycycline and seek immediate medical attention if you develop any of the following rare but severe side effects, or symptoms of an allergic reaction:

• Ringing in your ear
• Fever, swollen lymph nodes or skin rash
• Symptoms of an allergic reaction such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest pain, swollen face, lips, mouth, hand or feet

Epidemiology In Rhode Island

The surveillance data on chlamydia and gonorrhea in Rhode Island are available through 2010. Chlamydia is by far the most commonly reported STI in Rhode Island with a total of 3,480 cases reported in 2010 this number is unchanged over the last five years. In contrast, reported cases of gonorrhea have decreased from 508 cases in 2006 to 291 cases in 2010 , with rates unchanged since 2008. Females comprise 42% of gonorrhea cases, compared to 71% of chlamydia cases . However, for both infections, rates are highest in 15 to 24 year olds among both males and females. By race and ethnicity, African-Americans are most disproportionately affected followed by Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites in Rhode Island.

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Can You Test Yourself For Stds At Home

Yes, in fact. Available evidence suggests that home testing kits are accurate and reliable. Moreover, theyre well-accepted and often the preferred method of testing for sexually transmitted infections.

Studies have shown greater testing rates for home-based testing versus the traditional office or clinic approach, suggesting better overall STI screening rates, especially among younger people, in the home approach.

Having said that, when you choose home testing, theres always the chance that youll perform the test incorrectly adding to the chance of a false negative result. Getting tested in a providers office allows for support, counseling and treatment potentially all in one visit.

What Is The Best Medication For Chlamydia

Finding the best medication for chlamydia isnt too much of a struggle as antibiotics tend to be pretty effective. However, different patients will have different needs, allergies, and factors that determine their best medication. The correct antibiotic to treat your chlamydia may vary from the one that works for another patient. Consult a healthcare professional when selecting a medication for your chlamydia, especially if pregnancy is suspected.

Dosage is determined by your doctor based on your medical condition, response to treatment, age, and weight. Other possible side effects exist. This is not a complete list.

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How Does Chlamydia Affect A Pregnant Woman

Chlamydia in pregnant women can be passed on to the baby causing serious complications in the newborn such as ophthalmia neonatorum and pneumonia. Untreated chlamydia in pregnant women is also likely to cause preterm labor . Chlamydia infection is also associated with a high risk of ectopic pregnancy .

Pregnant women should get tested for chlamydia at their first prenatal visit because testing and treatment are the best ways to prevent complications.

How Can You Avoid This Disease

You can use condoms and bilateral sexual methods to avoid this disease but you can use antibiotics like doxycycline and azithromycin for seven days to prevent the infection. Thus, your infection will be monitored for one month and chances to get the reinfection are not strong. But in some cases, reoccurrence may occur, and Eistria LTD has some authentic solutions to live a healthy and happy life.

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Practicing Safe Sex Methods

It is extremely important to practice safe sex methods in order for you to stop the spread or possible contraction of chlamydia. Abstaining from sex is the only 100% sure way to prevent spreading or contracting any sexually transmitted diseases, but there are other methods you can use to keep your chances of contracting or spreading chlamydia quite low. Safe sex methods you should seek to practice are:

Can You Have Chlamydia For 5 Years Without Knowing

If untreated, chlamydia can develop into serious reproductive and other health problems with both short-term and long-term effects. The damage is often silent.

10 percent to 15 percent women with untreated chlamydia will suffer with pelvic inflammatory disease.

Problems among men are rare. Infection can cause epididymitis, a painful condition of the testicles that can lead to infertility if not treated.

Chlamydia infection can cause reactive arthritis, formerly known as Reiters syndrome, although this is rare. Symptoms include arthritis, skin lesions and swelling of the eye and urethra.

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Effects Of Chlamydia Treatment

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.

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Does Chlamydia Treatment Have Side Effects

An antibiotic called Doxycycline is the most common medicine used to treat chlamydia. Like most medicines, it can cause mild side effects. The most common side effects of Doxycycline are nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, loss of appetite, mild diarrhea, skin rash or itching, change in skin color, vaginal itching, or discharge. These side effects should go away after you finish taking the medicine. Talk to your nurse or doctor about any medicines youre already taking and any medical issues you already have before taking Doxycycline.

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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

Why Is It Important To Treat Chlamydia

When left untreated, chlamydia can cause significant complications and severe health conditions, including sterility in both sexes. Women are also at risk ofpelvic inflammatory disease, while men might develop epididymitis, the inflammation of the testicles. In addition to this, those who do not seek out treatment will continue passing the infection to their sexual partners.

It is also important to note that the bodys natural defences cannot fight off the infection on their own, so treatment is necessary in order to give the immune system a chance of clearing chlamydia out of the body.

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How Do People Get Chlamydia

Chlamydia can spread when you have unprotected sexual contact with someone who already has the infection. This means vaginal, oral or anal sex without using a condom.

Transmission occurs because the bacteria that cause chlamydia live and grow in the fluids that are secreted during sexual activity. If you have chlamydia, there is a 30% to 50% chance of your partner catching it every time you have unprotected sex.

Since chlamydia often has no symptoms, you probably wont know whether your partner has it.

Chlamydia cant spread from toilets, swimming pools or usual contact with people. It only spreads through the sharing of genital fluids.

Newborn babies, however, can get chlamydia through their mother during childbirth.

Chlamydia infections can live in the nose, genitals or rectum for more than 2 years.

I Symptoms Of Chlamydia In Males And Females

Chlamydia can just be spread through sexual intercourse with an infected individual. This sexual disease is most common seen in teenagers and young adults, and someone who is sexually active. Also, Chlamydia can be delivered from an infected mother to her newborn baby during childbirth.

Some common symptoms of chlamydia include:

• Excessive vaginal discharge after sex
• Vaginal bleeding after sex
• Nausea, fever and lower abdominal pain
• Itching and burning around the vagina
• A burning sensation while urinating
• Clear or cloudy discharge from the penis
• Tenderness and swelling in the testicles
• Pain in the abdomen
• Swelling of testicles

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Should I Start Chlamydia Treatment Before Getting Sti Test Results

There are certain situations when a doctor may advise you to begin chlamydia treatment even before obtaining your STI test results or even taking a test at the first place. This might happen if the doctor is able to diagnose your condition via strongly indicative symptoms, or if you partner got confirmation regarding the presence of the infection. The exception to this are those cases where there is suspicion that the transmission of chlamydia might have taken place, but there are no noticeable symptoms. In this scenario, the doctor will advise you to wait for the results of the test prior to starting the treatment.

However, even in these cases, the patients should still get tested in order to confirm their diagnosis.

Preventing Chlamydia And Recurrences

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Im Pregnant How Does Chlamydia Affect My Baby

If you are pregnant and have chlamydia, you can pass the infection to your baby during delivery. This could cause an eye infection or pneumonia in your newborn. Having chlamydia may also make it more likely to deliver your baby too early.

If you are pregnant, you should get tested for chlamydia at your first prenatal visit. Testing and treatment are the best ways to prevent health problems.

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

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Chlamydia Symptoms & Treatment

FAST FACTS

• Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection that is normally passed on through sex without a condom or sharing sex toys with someone who has the infection.
• Using male or female condoms and dental dams during sex will help to protect you from getting chlamydia.
• Chlamydia is often symptomless however if left untreated it can lead to long-term health problems.
• Chlamydia is easily treated with antibiotics.
• Chlamydia can be passed on from mother to child during pregnancy, so its important for pregnant women to get tested.

What Happens If Chlamydia Goes Untreated

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.

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