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Is Chlamydia Treatment The Same For Male And Female

Does My Partner Need To Be Treated

What is Chlamydia? | What Are The Symptoms Of Chlamydia in Men And Women

Yes. Also, any other sexual partners within the previous six months should also be tested for infection.

If your sexual partner is infected and not treated then chlamydia can be passed back to you again after you are treated.

There may be certain occasions when you may not want to contact partners from previous relationships. In these cases staff at the clinic can contact previous partners for you without disclosing your details. This is because it is important that anyone who is at risk of infection with chlamydia be both identified and treated.

How Often Should I Get Checked For Chlamydia

Sexual health check-ups are recommended for anyone who is sexually active. Frequency of testing also depends on your STI risk:

  • An annual sexual health check-up is highly recommended if you are sexually active especially if you are under 25.
  • Get checked more often during the year if you frequently change sexual partners.
  • Remember, you are at greater risk if you have sex without a condom with 1 or multiple sexual partners.

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.

Read Also: How Do You Get Chlamydia Female

Who Should Be Tested For Chlamydia

Any sexually active person can be infected with chlamydia. Anyone with genital symptoms such as discharge, burning during urination, unusual sores, or rash should refrain from having sex until they are able to see a health care provider about their symptoms.

Also, anyone with an oral, anal, or vaginal sex partner who has been recently diagnosed with an STD should see a health care provider for evaluation.

Because chlamydia is usually asymptomatic, screening is necessary to identify most infections. Screening programs have been demonstrated to reduce rates of adverse sequelae in women.31,41 CDC recommends yearly chlamydia screening of all sexually active women younger than 25, as well as older women with risk factors such as new or multiple partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted infection.40 Rectal chlamydia testing can be considered for females based on sexual behaviors and exposure. 40 Pregnant women under 25 or older pregnant women at increased risk for chlamydia should be screened during their first prenatal visit and again during their third trimester.40 Women diagnosed with chlamydial infection should be retested approximately 3 months after treatment.40 Any woman who is sexually active should discuss her risk factors with a health care provider who can then determine if more frequent screening is necessary.

How Chlamydia Tests Are Carried

chlamydia

The experts will ask you for urine sample and in order to generate best results it is essential to refrain passing urine for at least two hours before taking the test sample. In case you were engaged in anal sex and are now experiences few symptoms of Chlamydia then it is important to visit GP and follow procedures for swab of your throat or rectrum.

These samples will be processed in laboratories and you will get final results within few days. But in case if you cannot wait so long then it is good to order a home Chlamydia testing kit and get it delivered within 48 hours.

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Female Complications Of Untreated Chlamydia

Some women develop PID, an infection that can damage the uterus, cervix, and ovaries. PID is a painful disease that often requires hospital treatment.

Women can also become infertile if chlamydia is left untreated because the fallopian tubes may become scarred.

Pregnant women with the infection can pass the bacteria to their babies during birth, which can cause eye infections and pneumonia in newborns.

The 2 Stds Their Nature & Symptoms

When evaluating chlamydia vs gonorrhea and making a judgement on which on is worse or more of serious health risk if untreated, it helps to know the symptoms first. Chlamydia and gonorrhea do have some infection type and common symptom similarities between them both are bacterial infections and affect the mucous membranes of the genital area. Where exactly these infections take root is different though.

Chlamydia can found in the urethra or rectum of both men and women, and in the vagina or cervix of women. Gonorrhea is also found in the urethra or rectum of both genders, but can also infect the anus, mouth, or throat of both as well and also the fallopian tubes of women. Chlamydia can also affect the throat of eyelid linings of both men and women.

Both chlamydia and gonorrhea are transmitted to new victims when they have vaginal, oral, or anal sex with a person who is already infected with the disease. It is carried between individuals in semen or vaginal fluids. Perhaps one of the most important assertions to make for people when discussing chlamydia vs gonorrhea is that a person who has contracted and then overcome either disease is NOT immune to it thereafter it is possible to contract chlamydia or gonorrhea again.

In addition, it is also possible to have chlamydia as well as gonorrhea at the same time.

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What Is Reinfection With Chlamydia How Can It Be Prevented

Reinfection refers to a situation in which somebody has been treated for chlamydia, but then gets chlamydia again in the future. It is recommended that patients return for testing after three months to see if they have been reinfected. In patients who have persistent symptoms or who were treated with an inferior antibiotic , repeat testing should be done after three weeks to ensure the bacteria is no longer present.

Reinfection usually occurs because of continued contact with an untreated sexual partner. Reinfection is not uncommon in fact, 1530% of sexually active women become reinfected with chlamydia. One way to avoid reinfection is to avoid sexual activity within seven days after starting antibiotic treatment. This will both help prevent the further spread of chlamydia and will reduce the risk that somebody will get chlamydia who could pass it back to you again .

Another way to avoid reinfection is to make sure all of your sexual partners within 60 days are made aware that they might have chlamydia. This should prompt them to be tested and treated as well. In some areas of the country, public health workers may assist in notifying sexual partners .

How To Know If I Have Chlamydia

Chlamydia: Sexually Transmitted Infection Symptoms and Treatment

Although most people who are infected with chlamydia may not have symptoms, there are things that are found to be common signs for the disease that usually appear after several weeks of having sex with and infected person.

The symptoms in men may differ from the symptoms in women. However, for both men and women, chlamydia primarily affects the reproductive system. Women who are suffering from this type of disease may notice vaginal discharge, and pain when urinating. On the other hand, the symptoms in men include abnormal discharge from the penis, pain when urinating and swelling and pain in one or both testicles. In addition, men and women can also get chlamydia from having anal sex with and infected partner. This can cause rectal pain, bleeding, and abnormal discharge.

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How Do I Know If I Have Chlamydia

Most people who have chlamydia have no symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may not appear until several weeks after you have sex with an infected partner. Even when chlamydia causes no symptoms, it can damage your reproductive system.

Women with symptoms may notice

  • An abnormal vaginal discharge
  • A burning sensation when urinating.

Symptoms in men can include

  • A discharge from their penis
  • A burning sensation when urinating
  • Pain and swelling in one or both testicles .

Men and women can also get infected with chlamydia in their rectum. This happens either by having receptive anal sex, or by spread from another infected site . While these infections often cause no symptoms, they can cause

  • Rectal pain
  • Discharge
  • Bleeding.

You should be examined by your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms or if your partner has an STD or symptoms of an STD. STD symptoms can include an unusual sore, a smelly discharge, burning when urinating, or bleeding between periods.

Chlamydia Can Lead To Infertility

A lot of us don’t realize that some sexually transmitted diseases can cause no symptoms, meaning you could have an STD and not know it. And some STDs can silently lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, or chronic pelvic pain.

Chlamydia is one of those diseases. CDC estimates that more than 2.8 million people are infected each year.

Chlamydia is most common in sexually active young adults. More than half of all infections involve people ages 18 to 24. You can get chlamydia during oral, vaginal, or anal sexual contact with an infected partner. The disease can cause penile discharge in men and infertility in women. It can also cause serious health problems in newborn babies of infected mothers.

Many women, and some men, are infected with chlamydia but don’t know it. Even without symptoms, the disease can cause complications, particularly infertility. The longer the infection is untreated, the more damage that can be done.

If symptoms do show up, they usually occur within weeks of exposure. Men and women may face painful urination, an abnormal discharge from the urethra, or both. Women also may have abdominal pain, bleeding, and an abnormal discharge from the vagina. Symptoms usually appear within one to three weeks after being infected and may be very mild.

In pregnant women, chlamydia can cause premature delivery, the CDC says. A child born to an infected woman can develop an infection in their eyes and respiratory tracts.

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Your Chlamydia Was Poorly Treated Or Left Untreated

Its possible to have chlamydia infection with no symptoms of the disease. In some women and men, it could take weeks for chlamydia signs to appear. If you just started having symptoms, purchase chlamydia kit to know if its chlamydia or not.

Poorly treated chlamydia, either due to wrong antibiotics or not completing your doctors prescribed medications, may cause chlamydia to persist with resistance.

If you have chlamydia symptoms months after treatment, it is advisable to let your doctor know ASAP.

How Do People Get Chlamydia

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Chlamydia is transmitted through sexual contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus of an infected partner. Ejaculation does not have to occur for chlamydia to be transmitted or acquired. Chlamydia can also be spread perinatally from an untreated mother to her baby during childbirth, resulting in ophthalmia neonatorum or pneumonia in some exposed infants. In published prospective studies, chlamydial conjunctivitis has been identified in 18-44% and chlamydial pneumonia in 3-16% of infants born to women with untreated chlamydial cervical infection at the time of delivery.9-12 While rectal or genital chlamydial infection has been shown to persist one year or longer in infants infected at birth,13 the possibility of sexual abuse should be considered in prepubertal children beyond the neonatal period with vaginal, urethral, or rectal chlamydial infection.

People who have had chlamydia and have been treated may get infected again if they have sexual contact with a person infected with chlamydia.14

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How Is Chlamydia Treated In Pregnant Women

Doxycycline, levofloxacin, and ofloxacin are all contraindicated in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Because of this, the recommended treatment is a one-time dose of azithromycin. If azithromycin is not well-tolerated, alternative treatments include amoxicillin or one of several formulations of erythromycin .

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.

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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.

Does Chlamydia Treatment Have Side Effects

Chlamydia: Morphology, Types, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Treatment

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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How Is It Contracted

Chlamydia is transmitted primarily through sexual activity. The following are the most common ways:

  • unprotected intercourse with an infected partner
  • oral sex, although a less common cause of infection as bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis targets the genital area rather than the throat. Although it is possible theoretically, the cases of infestation from mouth-to-penis and penis-to-mouth contact are rare
  • vagina, cervix, anus, penis or mouth contacting infected secretions or fluids which means that contraction can occur even if the penis or tongue does not enter the vagina or anus
  • bacteria can travel from the vaginal area to the anus or rectum of women while wiping with toilet paper
  • sharing sex toys
  • from mother to the newborn during vaginal childbirth through the infected birth channel
  • infection can be transferred on fingers from the genitals to other parts of the body

Chlamydia is not contracted through simple kissing, handshaking, any casual contacts, sharing baths, towels and cups as well as from toilet seats.

Chlamydia trachomatis, an obligate intracellular human pathogen, is one of four bacterial species in the genus Chlamydia. 3D illustration

How Is Chlamydia Diagnosed

You should see your doctor if you experience any of the above symptoms. During your clinic visits, some test will be carried out.

Urine sample are not reliable in women. Cervix swab and urethral swabs are used for testing. Some chlamydia tests include

  • Polymerase chain reaction
  • Culture of specimen. This test has a can detect the infection but it is expensive.
  • Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests .

In addition, you should inform your partner to get tested and treated. Reinfection can occur if you have sexual intercourse with an infected partner again. Also, contact tracing should be done. This is to inform people youve had unprotected intercourse with to get tested as well.

Read Also: Can You Still Get Chlamydia If You Wear A Condom

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.

Screening For Genitourinary Chlamydia Trachomatis Infection

7 Best Home Remedies to Treat Chlamydia Naturally

Currently, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends routine screening in all sexually active women 24 years and younger, and in women 25 years and older who are at increased risk because of having multiple partners or a new sex partner 52). Because of the high risk of intrauterine and postnatal complications if left untreated, all pregnant women at increased risk should be routinely screened for chlamydia during the first prenatal visit 53). Additionally, any pregnant woman undergoing termination of pregnancy should be tested for chlamydia infection 54).

There is insufficient evidence to recommend screening in men, although a small number of studies suggest that screening high-risk groups may be useful and cost-effective 55). Per the CDC, the screening of sexually active young men should be considered in clinical settings with a high prevalence of chlamydia , and in certain groups . In men who have sex with men, some experts recommend screening for rectal infections 56). The CDC includes chlamydia screening with a urine test among the list of annual tests for all men who have had insertive intercourse within the previous 12 months 57). Testing for Chlamydia trachomatis pharyngeal infection is not recommended in men who have had receptive oral intercourse.

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