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How Would I Know If I Have Chlamydia

What Are The Symptoms Of Chlamydia

I Have Chlamydia (And Im Not Ashamed To Talk About It)

It may be difficult to actually know if you have contracted chlamydia because most people do not have any symptoms at all. The suspicion may only be raised if there has been a known contact with chlamydia or from testing after unprotected sex. It is important that you get tested if you suspect you have chlamydia because there are treatments available and if left untreated it can have serious short-term and long-term effects.

In the short term after infection, some people may experience unusual vaginal or rectal discharge, which is described as yellow or milky white. This is because the chlamydia bacteria infects the cells in the vagina and rectum, stimulating mucous secretion. These secretions combine with dead infected cells to produce discharge.

A white discharge may also be caused by vaginal thrush, however, but this is usually curd-like, often odourless, or smells like bread or yeast. It is also often associated with vaginal itching or redness.

A green, rather than yellow discharge, along with a foul smelling odour, may be due to other sexually transmitted diseases such as trichomoniasis.2 A grey-white watery vaginal discharge that has a strong fishy smell may be due to bacterial vaginosis, which is caused by a disruption of the balance of normal vaginal bacteria.3 So, the difference in colour and smell of the vaginal discharge may differentiate between whether it is likely to be caused by chlamydia or not.

Chlamydia Is Common But Many People Dont Realize They Have It

About 1.7 million chlamydia infections were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2017, but the real number is likely higher because chlamydia is considered an underreported infection.

“The number of reported cases is substantially lower than the true estimated incidence,” says Bradley Stoner, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and former president of the American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association.

The National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System relies on state and local public health departments to collect and report data on chlamydia to the CDC. Those public health departments depend on individual physicians, hospitals, and laboratories to report cases of chlamydia to them. Accurate statistics require all parties to routinely comply with disease-reporting mandates.

Frequently Asked Questionsexpand All

  • What is a sexually transmitted infection ?

    A sexually transmitted infection is an infection spread by sexual contact. There are many STIs. This FAQ focuses on chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. These STIs can cause long-term health problems and problems during pregnancy. Having an STI also increases the risk of getting human immunodeficiency virus if you are exposed to it.

  • What is chlamydia?

    Chlamydia is the most commonly reported STI in the United States. Chlamydia is caused by a type of bacteria, which can be passed from person to person during vaginal sex, oral sex, or anal sex. Infections can occur in the mouth, reproductive organs, urethra, and rectum. In women, the most common place for infection is the cervix .

  • What are the risk factors for chlamydia?

    The following factors increase the risk of getting chlamydia:

  • Having a new sex partner

  • Having more than one sex partner

  • Having a sex partner who has more than one sex partner

  • Having sex with someone who has an STI

  • Having an STI now or in the past

  • Not using condoms consistently when not in a mutually monogamous relationship

  • Exchanging sex for money or drugs

  • What are the symptoms of chlamydia?

    Chlamydia usually does not cause symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they may show up between a few days and several weeks after infection. They may be very mild and can be mistaken for a urinary tract or vaginal infection. The most common symptoms in women include

  • yellow discharge from the vagina or urethra

  • yellow vaginal discharge

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    Know Your Sexual Health Status

    If you have recently changed sexual partners, or have multiple sex partners, getting regularly tested for STIs will tell you if you have an infection. Some people can have an STI and not have any symptoms. Finding and treating an STI reduces the chances of passing infections on to your partner.

    The more partners you have, the higher your chances of getting exposed to STIs.

    Chlamydia Symptoms & Treatment

    How can chlamydia go away  Health News

    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.

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    Who Does Chlamydia Affect

    Anyone whos sexually active can get chlamydia. The bacteria that causes chlamydia gets transmitted through vaginal fluid and semen, which means that people of all genders who have sex can become infected with chlamydia and infect their partners, too. If youre pregnant and have chlamydia, you can pass it on to your newborn.

    Chlamydia Is A Serious Infection

    Chlamydia is Americas most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection. Every year, an estimated 2.86 million infections occur. Since its so common, you may assume that its no big deal. However, chlamydia can be a very serious infection.

    Chlamydia is very common, but that doesnt mean it cant have a serious impact on your health. The infection can cause a number of long-term complications. In up to 15 percent of women with untreated chlamydia, the infection spreads to the uterus and uterine tubes, leading to symptomatic pelvic inflammatory disease. In addition, some women experience subclinical inflammation of the upper genital tract. This can cause permanent damage to the affected tissues.

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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.

    When Will The Signs And Symptoms Go Away

    HOW I GOT CHLAMYDIA

    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.

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    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:

    • Infertility.
    • 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 .

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    How Chlamydia Is Treated

    Chlamydia can usually be treated easily with antibiotics.

    You may be given a course of doxycycline to take for a week or azithromycin to take once a day for 3 days.

    If you have doxycycline, you should not have sex until you and your current sexual partner have finished treatment.

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

    It’s important that your current sexual partner and any other recent sexual partners you have had are also tested and treated to help stop the spread of the infection.

    Under-25s who have chlamydia should be offered another test 3 to 6 months after being treated.

    This is because young adults who test positive for chlamydia are at increased risk of catching it again.

    Sexual health or genitourinary medicine clinics can help you contact your sexual partners.

    Either you or the clinic can speak to them, or they can be sent a note advising them to get tested.

    The note will not have your name on it, so your confidentiality will be protected.

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    What Other Problems Can Chlamydia Cause

    In women, an untreated infection can spread to your uterus and fallopian tubes, causing pelvic inflammatory disease . PID can cause permanent damage to your reproductive system. This can lead to long-term pelvic pain, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. Women who have had chlamydia infections more than once are at higher risk of serious reproductive health complications.

    Men often don’t have health problems from chlamydia. Sometimes it can infect the epididymis . This can cause pain, fever, and, rarely, infertility.

    Both men and women can develop reactive arthritis because of a chlamydia infection. Reactive arthritis is a type of arthritis that happens as a “reaction” to an infection in the body.

    Babies born to infected mothers can get eye infections and pneumonia from chlamydia. It may also make it more likely for your baby to be born too early.

    Untreated chlamydia may also increase your chances of getting or giving HIV/AIDS.

    Telling Your Partner You Have An Std

    How to recognize and treat Chlamydia trachomatis

    Megan and Josh have been friends since middle school, and somehow they always knew theyd end up as a couple. But although they shared all kinds of personal secrets over the years, Megan dreaded telling Josh about her STD. After she summoned the nerve to talk about it, she was surprised when Josh said he had the same STD and was wondering how he would tell her.

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    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.

    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.

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    How To Help Partners Get Treatment

    If you are not sure whether your sexual partner will seek treatment, ask your doctor for extra chlamydia medication . You can give it to them so they can be treated as soon as possible.

    This is known as patient delivered partner therapy for chlamydia. Talk to your doctor to see if PDPT is right for you and your sexual partner.

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    Special Cases: Chlamydia In Infants And Hiv

    Do I Have Chlamydia? Symptoms of Chlamydia

    Newborn infants are also at risk for chlamydial infections if their mother has an untreated infection at the time of delivery. Newborn infants can contract chlamydia trachomatis as they travel through the birth canal and develop eye infections or pneumonia . For this reason, chlamydia testing should be routine during pregnancy.

    Having an STI, like chlamydia, can also increase your chances of contracting HIV if you are exposed it to it, or spreading HIV if you are already infected . If you think you have chlamydia, or any STI, it is important for you to seek help immediately from your healthcare provider or an STI clinic. Many clinics provide free or low-cost STI testing. This will all help keep you, your sexual partners, and your community healthy.

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    Will My Birth Control Work If I Am Taking Antibiotics

    There is very little evidence to show that antibiotics make hormonal forms of birth control not work very well. Examples of hormonal birth control include the pill, the patch, the ring or the shot. If you are being treated with antibiotics, it is important to keep using your birth control as you normally would. If you have concerns, use condoms until your next period comes after completing the antibiotics, or speak to your health care provider for more information.

    Ways To Prevent Chlamydia Infection

    In case if you are infected with Chlamydia then it is important to take preventive steps to stop spreading it further to other sex partners. Always prefer to follow these tips for prevention:

  • It is essential to use condoms during sexual intercourse even if you are indulged in oral, anal or vaginal sex.
  • Never forget to cover all shared sex toys with condoms immediately after having sex with partner.
  • Both new partners are advised to undergo STI tests before getting engaged in unprotected sex.
  • It is not good to have multiple sex partners.
  • Any genital chlamydia symptoms in men like burning sensation at the time of urination or discharge can cause unusual rashes or sore. It is the right symptom to stop sexual contact and visit your doctor immediately. In case your doctor immediately identifies presence of Chlamydia in your body then it is good to start treatment from the same day.

    Let your past partners know about this disease and ask them to have test fast at a trusted medical clinic. As Chlamydia symptoms are rarely noticeable so it is important to stay aware and protected with proper Chlamydia cure.

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    Can Chlamydia Be Cured

    Yes, chlamydia can be cured with the right treatment. It is important that you take all of the medication your doctor prescribes to cure your infection. When taken properly it will stop the infection and could decrease your chances of having complications later on. You should not share medication for chlamydia with anyone.

    Repeat infection with chlamydia is common. You should be tested again about three months after you are treated, even if your sex partner was treated.

    Can Gonorrhea Be Cured

    Chlamydia Infection in Men and Women Secrets

    Yes, gonorrhea can be cured with the right treatment. It is important that you take all of the medication your doctor prescribes to cure your infection. Medication for gonorrhea should not be shared with anyone. Although medication will stop the infection, it will not undo any permanent damage caused by the disease.

    It is becoming harder to treat some gonorrhea, as drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea are increasing. If your symptoms continue for more than a few days after receiving treatment, you should return to a health care provider to be checked again.

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    Signs And Symptoms Of Chlamydia

    Chlamydia is known as one of the silent diseases which can produce no symptoms for a long period of time. Approximately 7095 percent of women and 50 percent of men with chlamydia do not observe chlamydia symptoms at all. The symptoms can also be mild and almost unnoticeable.

    Another reason why symptoms are not the best way to determine the infection is that it is often confused with gonorrhea as the symptoms are very much alike. Asymptomatic nature of chlamydia makes it difficult to estimate how long a person remains infectious and this period is commonly believed to last until full recovery.

    Chlamydia symptoms show up between 1 and 3 weeks after the contraction.

    How Long Can You Have Chlamydia Without Knowing Years Or Months

    How long can you have chlamydia without knowing is a common question after an unprotected sexual contact.

    What is chlamydia infection?

    Chlamydia infection, caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, is a common sexually transmitted infection that affects both men and women. In the united stated, more than 1.4 million new cases of chlamydia are detected yearly.

    Chlamydia can affect the eyes , the joints, the vagina, anus and the penis. It may sometimes cause infertility if left untreated in men and women.

    In women, chlamydia infection can ascend up the genital tracts resulting to pelvic inflammatory disease with symptoms like fever, abdomen pain and difficulty conceiving.

    Chlamydia trachomatis infection is transmitted through

    • Unprotected anal intercourse
  • Heavy period
  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • If youve had intercourse with these symptoms, then its likely you have chlamydia. You should inform your doctor ASAP or get a chlamydia test kit to detect chlamydia.

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