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:
- 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 .
How To Talk About It With A Partner
Its best to have this conversation before sex has happened, or is right about to happen, says Duran.
Why? Because it gives everyone involved time to get tested and get their results back, and time to process any information they may have just learned about a partners STI status.
That said, an STI conversation at some point is better than no STI conversation at all.
Its best to talk to a partner about STI status while also talking about your own status, he says.
If youre just asking your partner a ton of questions about their status without bringing up your own, it can feel accusatory. Fair point.
Here are some ways you might bring it up:
- Hey, I know that weve been having sex without barriers, but until we both get STI tested to learn about our current STI status, Id like to start using barriers. Are you open to getting tested?
- Before we meet up later, I want to be transparent about the fact that I havent been tested since my last partner. Do you know your current STI status?
- I just wanted to let you know that I made an appointment for next week to get my annual STI exam. Id love to ask you to get tested, too. Is that something youd be open to?
Duran adds that if you havent yet had sex with someone but youre planning to, another option is to ask them what their preferred dental dam brand or condom is.
Factors Impacting Sti Transmission
Several factors impact the likelihood of contracting an STI, including:
- The type of infection
- How many STIs your partner has
- How much of the infection or virus is in your bodily secretions or blood
- How long you spend having sex
- Whether you have any broken skin or open sores
- Whether you use lubricants and what type you use
- Your gender and your partners gender
- Your overall health and immune system
- What type of sex you engage in
- Whether or not you use a condom
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Antibiotics Are A Highly Effective Cure For Chlamydia Infection
Antibiotics prescribed for chlamydia include:
A single oral dose of Zithromax is the most common treatment. Other drugs may be given in varying doses for a period of up to a week. Most cases of chlamydia clear up within a week after you start on antibiotics.
If you think you have been exposed to chlamydia, Stoner says, see your healthcare provider to receive antibiotic medication to prevent the onset of infection.
The partners of individuals diagnosed with chlamydia will need treatment, too, and in some states they can get it without a doctor visit through a practice called expedited partner therapy, in which the first person treated delivers the treatment to their partner or partners.
How Does Chlamydia Spread
Chlamydia is spread when a person has unprotected sex with an infected person.
Because chlamydial infection often has no symptoms, many people do not realise they have the infection.
Even if you know a person well, you may not be able to tell they have an STI, because people can look healthy and still have chlamydia.
Remember, you can get chlamydia and other STIs from a new sexual partner who has in the past had sex with someone who is infected.
It can also be spread from a long-term partner who has had sex with other people.
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How Long Can You Have Chlamydia Without Knowing
If youve had intercourse with an infected man or woman, chlamydia symptoms may appear between 1 3 weeks after contact.
However, you may still be asymptomatic after a chlamydia infection. This is because chlamydia can be silent or dormant for months and years without showing symptoms.
In men, about 50 70 percent will show symptoms of chlamydia while only 30 50 percent of women will be symptomatic. Absent symptoms of chlamydia do not mean absent infection. You should take chlamydia test to confirm if you have the infection or not.
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Is It Possible To Not Get An Std From Someone Who Has One
Depending on the STD, it is certainly within the realm of possibility that you wont be immediately infected. But put frankly, the human immune system rarely offers guarantees. So, while it is quite possible that you wont get infected, you should certainly not take that for granted. After all, there can be severe consequences for ignoring a potential infection.
Testing regularly is the only way to stay safe, but thats where we typically fall short. Many adults in the U.S. have never been tested for any STIs other than HIV. This prevents those who are infected from receiving much-needed treatment and makes it more likely that theyll spread the infection to someone else.
The CDC estimates that there are over 20 million new infections each year. Sexually transmitted infections have become a fact of life. Fortunately, the vast majority of these infections are treatable and even curable but you have to detect it to treat it.
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Why People Need To Tell Their Partners
So what do you do if your test comes back positive? After being treated yourself, its important to tell your sex partners. Why? Their health is at risk, so they need to know whats going on. Its natural to feel worried, embarrassed, and even scared. But to protect your partner, its a conversation you need to have.
Need more reasons?
- STDs can cause serious health problems, especially if theyre not found and treated.
- Some STDs can lower the chances of having babies in the future if not treated early on.
- Telling a past or current partner gives that person the chance to get checked out and, if needed, treated.
- Telling a future partner lets that person to make an informed decision about his or her own health.
- If youre treated for an STD but your partner isnt, you can get re-infected.
- Not telling a partner about an STD after a confirmed diagnosis may be a criminal offense in some states.
Can Someone Be Born With Chlamydia
Like some other sexually transmitted diseases, it is possible to pass chlamydia to a newborn during birth, even if the mother is unaware of her condition. In most cases, the disease will present itself as conjunctivitis or pneumonia.
To treat the infection, doctors may prescribe antibiotics and eye drops for conjunctivitis to ease discomfort. Symptoms usually diminish a few days after treatment begins.
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What Happens If I Dont Get Treated
The initial damage that chlamydia causes often goes unnoticed. However, chlamydia can lead to serious health problems.
If you are a woman, untreated chlamydia can spread to your uterus and fallopian tubes . This can cause pelvic inflammatory disease . PID often has no symptoms, however some women may have abdominal and pelvic pain. Even if it doesnt cause symptoms initially, PID can cause permanent damage to your reproductive system. PID can lead to long-term pelvic pain, inability to get pregnant, and potentially deadly ectopic pregnancy .
Men rarely have health problems linked to chlamydia. Infection sometimes spreads to the tube that carries sperm from the testicles, causing pain and fever. Rarely, chlamydia can prevent a man from being able to have children.
Can You Get Chlamydia More Than Once
Its possible to have chlamydia multiple times. The bacteria will not create antibodies to protect your body from further infection. You can get re-infected by continuing sexual relations with a partner who is untested and untreated.
Its best to always use condoms with partners who may have chlamydia.
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What Can Happen If Chlamydia Isnt Treated
Untreated chlamydia can put your health at risk. Make an appointment with your provider immediately if you notice any symptoms of chlamydia, and get regular STI screenings to avoid complications later.
Complications of chlamydia for people with vaginas
Untreated chlamydia can cause:
- Pelvic inflammatory disease . PID is a serious condition that requires hospitalization. It can occur when an untreated STI, like chlamydia, damages your reproductive organs. PID can lead to infertility and chronic pelvic pain. It can also cause an ectopic pregnancy, which is life-threatening for the fetus and potentially deadly for the mother or gestational parent, too.
- Pregnancy complications. An untreated infection can lead to pre-term delivery. Also, if youre pregnant and have chlamydia, you can pass the infection on to your newborn. Babies born with chlamydia may have pneumonia or conjunctivitis that could lead to blindness if not treated.
Complications of chlamydia for people with penises
Untreated chlamydia can cause:
- Epididymitis. Infection can spread to the testicles and the tube that carries sperm to your testicles , causing symptoms like pain, swelling and tenderness in your testicles.
- Reduced fertility. Chlamydia can harm your sperm, negatively impacting your ability to conceive.
Complications of chlamydia that can affect all genders
Untreated chlamydia can:
Im Pregnant How Does Chlamydia Affect My Baby
If you are pregnant and have chlamydia, you can give the infection to your baby during delivery. This can cause an eye infection or pneumonia in your baby. Having chlamydia may also make it more likely to deliver your baby early.
If you are pregnant, you should receive testing for chlamydia at your first prenatal visit. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting the correct examination, testing, and treatment. Testing and treatment are the best ways to prevent health problems.
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Why Did My Partner Test Negative For Chlamydia
This is because the bacteria needs enough time to multiply within your body in order for it to reach a detectable level when taking a chlamydia test. For chlamydia this is often 14 days. If you test before that 14 days is over, you may test negative, but you could still pass the bacteria on following your test.
You Can Catch Chlamydia If Youve Only Had Sex Once
You may have heard that its not possible to get chlamydia from a single sex act. If youve had sex with someone who has the infection, you could get it, too. One encounter is all it takes to pass on the bacteria, so get tested.
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.
If youve had unprotected sex and are worried that you might have chlamydia, get tested. The test is easy and painless. Your doctor could take a sample of your cells with a cotton swab or ask you to pee in a cup. The sample is tested for chlamydia bacteria. If your doctor says you have chlamydia, dont worry. Its treatable.
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Symptoms Can Differ For Men And Women
By and large, most cases of chlamydia are asymptomatic they are picked up by screening, which is why it’s so important to have good screening programs in place, notes Dr. Stoner. Men or women who have chlamydia symptoms may experience painful urination.
Women may also have these symptoms:
- Smelly discharge from the cervix
- Pain during sex
And men may have these symptoms:
Symptoms And Viral Load
Sexually transmitted infections arent transmitted during every sexual encounter you have, even if your partner is infected. For example, if your partner has HIV but is receiving treatment, the amount of the infection in their bodily fluids, called the viral load, could be extremely low. Therefore, the odds of them passing it to you are low. You could contract an STI from a sexual partner during your first time having sex with that person, or it may not be transmitted to you until the hundredth time.
Many people who have STIs do not show any symptoms. Therefore, your sexual partner may not know he or she has one. The only way to be sure is to get tested regularly. Your health care provider can perform STI testing to determine whether you have contracted any of the most common infections, which include chlamydia, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, HPV, HIV, syphilis, and herpes. Companies like Nurx also offer convenient at-home STI testing for certain infections.
Safe sexual practices can reduce your risk of contracting an STI. Using condoms is smart, especially if you have multiple partners.
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Am I At Risk For Chlamydia
If you are sexually active, have an honest and open talk with your healthcare provider. Ask them if you should get tested for chlamydia or other STDs. Gay or bisexual men and pregnant people should also get tested for chlamydia. If you are a sexually active woman, you should get tested for chlamydia every year if you are:
- Younger than 25 years old.
- 25 years and older with risk factors, such as new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted infection.
Chlamydia Is Only Contagious From Person To Person
You can only get chlamydia by having intimate sexual contact with an infected person, not from casual contact, touching another persons clothing, or consuming contaminated food or water.
The chlamydia organism lives only in human cells and cannot be transmitted by external contact, such as towels or toilet seats, Schaffir says.
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How Long Can You Have Chlamydia Before It Causes Damage
Symptoms usually appear within one to three weeks after being infected and may be very mild. If not treated, chlamydia can lead to damage to the reproductive system. In women, chlamydial infection can spread to the uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease , according to the CDC.
Tips For Safe Kissing
Follow these tips to practice safe kissing and prevent transmission of other conditions:
- Avoid kissing someone if either of you has open sores.
- Avoid kissing someone if either of you has cuts in or around the mouth.
- Avoid kissing someone when youre sick or if theyre sick.
- Dont bite during kissing.
- Find other parts of the body to kiss instead of the lips, such as the cheek or hand.
Kissing doesnt have to be off-limits to prevent the transmission of disease. If you temporarily avoid kissing or change the way you kiss during a bout of illness, you could lower your chances for getting the condition.
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Telling A New Partner About An Std
If you have an active STD, its normal to be nervous about telling someone new. Everyone raises the subject differently.
Here are some ideas for handling the conversation:
Imagine that your roles are reversed. What would you expect your partner to do and say if he or she were in your shoes? Be proud of your intentions. Your willingness to have this hard conversation shows that you care about the other person and your relationship. Were more likely to trust and respect people who are honest enough to talk about tough topics like STDs.
Its best to be direct. You could start by saying, Before we have sex, I want us to talk about STDs and protection because I have an STD. Say what type of STD you have and how you got it. You dont have to share every detail of your past relationships, but showing that youre open to talking and answering questions can help your partner feel more comfortable.
Its best to be honest. Its better for your partner to find out because you said something before getting an infection.
Let the conversation proceed naturally. Listen rather than doing all the talking. Prepare for your partner to be surprised. Each person reacts differently to the news. Some might get panic. Some might be full of questions. Others might just need to time to think.
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Chlamydia Signs And Symptoms
Many people with chlamydia have few or no symptoms. In fact, 75% of women and 50% of men do not experience symptoms. If symptoms do show up, itâs 1-3 weeks after infection.
In men, the following symptoms can indicate a chlamydia infection:* Pain and/or swelling in your testes* Pain or burning whenever you pee* Increased amount of clear or cloudy discharge from the penis* Itching in or around your urethra
In women, the following chlamydia symptoms may appear:* Pain or burning when you pee* A change in color, odor, or consistency of your discharge from your normal* Pain or discomfort during sex or after sex* Bleeding after sex or outside of your normal menstrual cycle* Lower abdominal pain or discomfort
The most common and serious complications occur in women. Chlamydia in women can lead to serious consequences like pelvic inflammatory disease , ectopic pregnancy, tubal factor infertility, and chronic pelvic pain.
Symptoms of chlamydia in the throat are caused by having oral sex with someone with the infection. Chlamydia in the throat is considered a mouth infection and may look a lot like pharyngitis.and swallowing can be painful.
Throat symptoms donât show up very often, but if they do, youâll notice them a week or several months after the initial infection.
If you think you contracted the virus through oral sex, let your provider know so they can do a throat swab and test for the infection that way.
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