What Is A Chlamydia Carrier
Whenever we talk about a carrier in medical terms, we are effectively talking about someone who can infect others with an infectious condition. Anyone with chlamydia is carrying the Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria in their body. This bacteria is easily passed on through unprotected sex whether the person has physical symptoms or not.
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.
Telling A New Partner About An Std
If you have an active STD, it’s 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. We’re more likely to trust and respect people who are honest enough to talk about tough topics like STDs.
It’s 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 don’t have to share every detail of your past relationships, but showing that you’re open to talking and answering questions can help your partner feel more comfortable.
It’s best to be honest. It’s 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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When And How To Test Again
Gersh recommends that people get tested once a year, or after every new partner whichever comes first!
Its also good practice to get site-specific STI tests before engaging in sex acts that incorporate a new part of the body.
For example, if you and your partner have never had anal sex and now want to, its a good move to get anal STI tested first.
To get tested, find an STI clinic that tests for all the STIs youre interested in getting tested for.
If you dont know which STIs you want to get tested for and are looking for a doctor to breakdown what STIs youre most at risk for given what sex acts are part of your sex life, its best to go to a clinic that *doesnt* specify one or two or three STIs in their online marketing.
Some clinics, for example, only test for HIV or only test for gonorrhea and chlamydia.
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“I got herpes when I was in college before I had intercourse with anyone. I had an outbreak of red blisters that were more itchy than painful, so I went to urgent care. The nurse explained to me that it’s still possible to get herpes from oral sex.
“It’s actually been years since I’ve had an outbreak. But I still always disclose to my partners that I have herpes. I’ve been doing this for almost seven years and use a similar script for everyone. I remember rehearsing it over and over before I made my first disclosure. I even tape-recorded my voice to listen to myself because I wanted to come across as calm and confident, which was advice I read somewhere.
“Before I’m in a situation that could lead to sex, I ask the guy about when he was last tested and if he’s had any STDs or has ever had any. I’ve actually only had one guy ever tell me that he once had gonorrhea, knowing how prevalent STDs are, a lot of people probably weren’t being honest. Then I tell the guy that I have herpes and that it’s been several years since I had an outbreak, and I say that I’m open to talk about it. I also insist on wearing condoms, even though I’m on birth control. I think people would be surprised to know that it’s only been a deal breaker twice.” Erin, 27
This are the fascinating ways sex toys have evolved over time.
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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.
How Is Chlamydia Treated
If detected early, chlamydia can be treated with a single dose of antibiotic.
If complications from chlamydia infection are present such as pelvic inflammatory disease in women a longer course of antibiotics will be required.
Do not have sex for 7 days after you and your current partner have completed treatment. This includes all kinds of sex with or without a condom.
You can get reinfected with chlamydia if you have sex within the 7 days.
After you have completed treatment, have another test for chlamydia in 3 months time to make sure you have not been re-infected.
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What Do The Results Mean
If your result was positive, it means you have a trichomoniasis infection. Your provider will prescribe medicine that will treat and cure the infection. Your sexual partner should also be tested and treated.
If your test was negative but you still have symptoms, your provider may order another trichomoniasis test and/or other STD tests to help make a diagnosis.
If you are diagnosed with the infection, be sure to take the medicine as prescribed. Without treatment, the infection can last for months or even years. The medicine can cause side effects such as abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. It’s also very important to not drink alcohol while on this medicine. Doing so can cause more severe side effects.
If you are pregnant and have a trichomoniasis infection, you may be at higher risk for premature delivery and other pregnancy problems. But you should talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits of medicines that treat trichomoniasis.
Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.
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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When A Disease Is Rare
You can think about it like this. Imagine you have a population where a disease is very rare. It affects only one in every thousand people. If a test is very good at finding the disease, it will always find that person.
However, if it’s not perfect at detecting people who don’t have the disease, then several people will test positive who don’t have it. Since there’s only one truly infected person, there are more false positives than true positives.
Are You Guaranteed To Get Chlamydia If Your Partner Has It
If your partner has chlamydia, you are at risk of contracting the bacteria by having unprotected sex with them. The best way to reduce the risk is to use condoms for oral, anal, and vaginal sex.
If you and your partner are in a monogamous relationship, consider getting STD testing for couples and seek treatment, if necessary. If both partners are clean, the risk of contracting chlamydia is nonexistent so long as the relationship is mutually exclusive.
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Postive For Chlamydia But My Partner Tested Negative
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What Are The Symptoms Of Chlamydia
Most men and women with chlamydia have no signs or symptoms, which makes it very easy to spread. Some people have the infection for many months or years without knowing it.
Women who get symptoms may have:
- vaginal discharge
- bleeding between periods or after sex
- burning or pain when urinating
- abdominal or pelvic pain
- pain during sex
Men who get symptoms may have some clear discharge from the penis or pain during urination.
In rare cases, people with chlamydia have sore joints or inflammation of the eye .
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What Happens During A Trichomoniasis Test
If you are a woman, your health care provider will do a visual exam of your genitals to look for patchy red spots. Those can be a sign of trichomoniasis. Your provider will also take a sample of discharge and/or cells from your vagina using a small brush or swab. The sample will be placed on a special slide. A laboratory professional will examine the slide under a microscope and look for parasites.
If you’re a man, your health care provider will do a visual exam of your penis and may use a swab to take a sample from your urethra. You will also probably get a urine test.
Both men and women may get a urine test. During a urine test, you will be instructed to provide a clean catch sample: The clean catch method generally includes the following steps:
What Are The Effects Of Chlamydia
I think theres this idea of what you don’t know can’t hurt youwhich isn’t true, when it comes to chlamydia what you don’t know can totally hurt you, says Alyx, who got chlamydia during a holiday hookup in her twenties.
“Most of my friends have had chlamydia at some point. Its incredibly common and its pretty easy to treat, if you treat it quickly.
For Alyx, getting tested was a no-brainer, but it wasnt without its awkward moments. I did have to figure out how to say ‘I have chlamydia’ in German Alyx says.
But having the test and popping the antibiotics to treat chlamydia is an important step to curb its potentially-damaging effects.
For women, chlamydia can result in pelvic inflammatory disease – which can lead to abdominal or pelvic pain, and in some cases, infertility. For guys, chlamydia doesnt tend to be as serious – but it can still cause epididymitis .
Alyx isnt surprised that men are less likely to get tested for chlamydia than women. She reckons its a confidence thing.
If you think youre teflon, then you think your dick is teflon too.”
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But This Is Really All Just Confetti
Even if we establish that you contracted chlamydia through his sexual infidelity, we have a bigger issue with lack of proper safety precautions. While it is true that BC pills protect against unwanted pregnancy, it does nothing for unwanted STI transmission as you have discovered here. Furthermore, condoms do not protect against other skin-to-skin STIs like herpes or syphilis.
It is very important to keep in mind that there are multitudes of risk to be aware of. And while your chlamydia might do away with a single dose of azithromycin, the emotional harm that comes with contracting an STI has more profound implications. For one, it is apparent that your soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend also had very different risk thresholds as it pertains to COVID transmission. After all, we are all currently in the middle of a serious global pandemic. Even outside of the pandemic circumstances, most folks have put dating on hold until the overall risk levels becomes more manageable. And each risk you take is a successive undertaking that you need to be conscientious of for not just yourself but for all people you come in contact with.
Please be mindful of the risks you are taking for not just this relationship but for all other relationships you might have in the future.
Good luck!
Getting A Chlamydia Test
Because you can have and transmit the infection without symptoms, a test is necessary to detect the presence of the bacteria and begin treatment. Even if you had sex once, you could still contract chlamydia.
Men should have a chlamydia screening if they experience any symptoms that could be an infection. They should also see a doctor if their partner tests positive for chlamydia regardless of their sexual orientation.
For women, testing should occur at least once a year if youre under 25 and sexually active. Younger people are more likely to contract an STD because they tend to have more unprotected sex or multiple partners. Women should also undergo an annual screening if theyre over 25 and have a new partner.
Another reason for women to have a chlamydia test is pregnancy. A mother can pass chlamydia to their baby during birth, resulting in medical issues for the newborn.
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How To Tell Your Partners You Have Chlamydia
You did the right thing. You peed in a plastic cup and got the results: chlamydia.
Its not a big deal – its the most common sexually transmitted infection you can pick up. 80 per cent of people who have chlamydia dont have any symptoms. The doctor will give you one dose of antibiotics and boom, youre cured.
But then, the doctor says you need to contact your former sexual partners and let them know. That you might have exposed them to an STI. That if they dont get tested and treated it could have serious consequences . How are you going start that conversation?
False Positive Vs False Negative Tests
A false positive result is when a test says that a person has a disease when they do not. Conversely, a false negative result is when a test says a person does not have a disease when they actually are infected.
Because STD tests aren’t perfect, people who design them often have to choose whether it’s better to have more false positive or more false negative tests. Which is better depends on the severity of the disease, and healthcare provider’s ability to treat it.
For example, imagine a non-contagious disease where treatment delay doesn’t have any long-term consequences but the treatment itself is grueling. In this case, false positives are far worse than false negatives.
The disease isn’t going to cause big problems if a case is missed. However, the treatment might be expensive or make people feel very sick. Therefore, it’s better to under-treat than over-treat.
On the other hand, if early treatment is important for good outcomes, the decision is different. False negatives will cause more significant problems. Healthcare providers don’t want to miss an opportunity to treat a condition early. That’s true even if they accidentally treat some people who don’t have the disease.
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Can Someone Get Chlamydia Without Having Sex
Because chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease, you cannot get an infection without participating in a sexual act. The only exception is if your mother passes the infection to you during birth.
Though you cannot catch chlamydia without sexual activity, you dont have to have penetrative sex to get an infection. Chlamydia can pass from person to person from sharing unclean sex toys with an infected person or allowing your genitals to come into contact with their sexual fluids.