Signs Of Chlamydia In Men

Chlamydia Cdc Fact Sheet

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease that can be easily cured. If left untreated, chlamydia can make it difficult for a woman to get pregnant.

Basic Fact Sheet | Detailed Version

Basic fact sheets are presented in plain language for individuals with general questions about sexually transmitted diseases. The content here can be syndicated .

Reducing The Risk Of Chlamydia Infection

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection which is spread in genital fluids . Its important to bear this in mind, and to remember that chlamydia can be transmitted via various forms of sexual activity.

As a man you can be vulnerable to chlamydia if you are engaging in the following sexual acts:

• Vaginal sex
• Non-penetrative sexual contact
• Sharing sex toys

If infected semen or vaginal fluid comes into contact with your genitals, rectum or eyes you are at risk of contracting chlamydia and potentially developing symptoms described above.

To stay protected, talk to your sexual partner about their STI status if you arent certain that they are free from infection refrain from sex or use condoms or dental dams until either of you are tested.

Condoms should be used for anal sex, vaginal sex and male oral sex . Dental dams should be used for female oral sex.

Sex toys should not be shared – they should be washed in between use and protected with a condom if possible.

Chlamydia In The Rectum Throat Or Eyes

Chlamydia can also infect:

• the rectum if you have unprotected anal sex this can cause discomfort and discharge from your rectum
• the throat if you have unprotected oral sex this is uncommon and usually causes no symptoms
• the eyes if they come into contact with infected semen or vaginal fluid this can cause eye redness, pain and discharge

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How Long Does It Take For A Male To Show Signs Of Chlamydia

If you do experience symptoms, they typically appear after 1-3 weeks after exposure. The NHS note that for some people, they might not notice any signs for a few months after the initial infection.

Its important to remember that signs and symptoms of chlamydia are not always obvious and even if you do experience an asymptomatic infection, it can still be spread to your partners and can cause potential health problems in the long-term this is why regularly checking in on your sexual health is so important!

See also:What Happens When you Leave an STD Unchecked?

Getting Tested And Treated For Chlamydia

If you have had unprotected sex and you think you may have been exposed to chlamydia or another STI you should get tested. If youre diagnosed you should let your partner know and get treated before you have sex again.

You can do this for free at your GP surgery, a sexual health clinic or a GUM clinic. You can also order home test kits from LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor.You should get tested if you are experiencing the kinds of symptoms described above, or if your sexual partner has been diagnosed with chlamydia. If you are under 25 and sexually active its recommended that you get tested at least once a year, and every time you change sexual partners whether or not you have symptoms.

Click here to visit our sexual health tests for men page and order test kits for chlamydia and other STIs.

References

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Complications Of Chlamydia In Men

People rarely develop consequences from a chlamydia infection if they receive therapy. Chlamydia in males, on the other hand, can cause or raise the risk of:

• The inflammation of the prostate gland is known as prostatitis.
• Scarring of the urethra is a condition in which the urethra is scarred.
• Infertility.
• Epididymitis is an infection of the testicles tube.

Chlamydia infections can potentially induce reactive arthritis, according to the American College of Rheumatology. The pain in a persons heels, toes, fingers, lower back, or joints is a symptom of reactive arthritis.

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.

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Home Remedies For Chlamydia

Chlamydia is caused by a bacterial infection. The only true cure for this type of infection is antibiotics.

But some alternative treatments may help ease symptoms. Its important to remember that untreated chlamydia can lead to long-term complications, including fertility problems and chronic inflammation.

Home remedies for chlamydia that may be effective include:

• Goldenseal.This medicinal plant may limit symptoms during an infection by reducing inflammation.
• Echinacea. This plant has been widely used to boost the immune system in order to help people overcome infections of many types, from the common cold to skin wounds. It may help reduce symptoms of chlamydia.

Although compounds in these plants might help to ease inflammation and infection in general, there arent any quality studies that show theyre effective specifically for chlamydia symptoms.

How Chlamydia Tests Are Carried

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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Painin The Stomach Or Pelvic Area

When chlamydia is left untreated, there is a 30% chance, and the infection will spread towards the pelvicorgans and cause pelvic inflammatory disease. This disease is often associatedwith sharp, dull, or cramping pelvic pain. The pain will usually start from thepelvic area and travel to the abdomen.

The image below is a clear representation of pelvic inflammation. In this particular example, chlamydia has infected the entire uterus and fallopian tubes.

The second picture is a typical example of a normal versus an inflamed fallopian tube. The left side of the image shows a healthy fallopian tube, while on the right side, inflammation has affected the area and caused the tube to double in size.

Feeling Burning Sensation At The Time Of Urinating:

This is the most common among all symptoms of chlamydia for men. Many people describe this symptom as sizzling sensation. Sometimes people dont even recognize this symptom and assumed that this feeling or symptoms is very normal. Very often infected people feel buildup of pressure before urination.

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When To Seek Medical Advice

If you have any symptoms of chlamydia, visit your GP, community contraceptive service or local genitourinary medicine clinic as soon as possible.

Find a sexual health clinic.

You should also get tested if you don’t have any symptoms but are concerned you could have a sexually transmitted infection .

If you’re a woman, sexually active and under 25 in England, it’s recommended that you have a chlamydia test once a year, and when you have sex with new or casual partners.

If you’re a man, sexually active and under 25 in England, it’s recommended that you have a chlamydia test once a year if you are not using condoms with new or casual partners.

Read more about chlamydia diagnosis.

How Is Chlamydia Tested

Your doctor may recommend that you undergo a series of tests to determine whether you have a Chlamydia infection. The most successful method is to take a sample from infected regions such as the cervix, urethra, and eye with a cotton swab. In most cases, Chlamydia infection occurs in the cervix, throat, or rectum of women, while it occurs in the urethra, throat, or rectum of men.

The sample is delivered to a laboratory for analysis. The presence of Chlamydia trachomatis can also be determined using a urine sample. The samples can also be collected at home using special home kits, which are available at select labs around the country.

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How Do You Get Chlamydia

Chlamydia is usually passed on through unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex.

Chlamydia can be passed on through genital contact. This means you can get chlamydia from someone who has the infection if your genitals touch, even if you dont have sex or ejaculate .

You can also get chlamydia if you come into contact with infected semen or vaginal fluid, or get them in your eye.

Chlamydia cant be passed on through kissing, hugging, sharing towels or using the same toilet as someone with the infection.

Chlamydia Symptoms In Women:

• testicular pain and/or swelling
• swollen skin around the anus

Depending on the localization of the infection, women, men and children may experience inflamed rectum, urethra or eyelids. The symptoms of mouth and throat infections are rare although a person can suffer a sore throat. Eyes infected with chlamydia can be itchy, swelled, cause painful sensations or produce discharge similar to conjunctivitis. Infection in the rectum results in bleeding, chlamydia discharge and pain.

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How Common Is It

Oral chlamydia is not as common as genital chlamydia. Research shows that approximately 10% of people who visited a sexually transmitted disease clinic had genital chlamydia, but only 1.5% also had an infection in the throat.

Genital gonorrhea is not as common as genital chlamydia, but oral gonorrhea is more common than oral chlamydia.

How Is Chlamydia Infection Treated

If you were diagnosed with the infection then you will need treatment. The good news is that chlamydia can be treated and cured. The drugs used are doxycycline, azithromycin, amoxicilin. In pregnant women with the infection, amoxicillin and azithromycin are safe.

Doxycycline is given twice daily for a week. However, it has some side effects which include vomiting, nausea, mild passage of watery stool and skin rash. If you experience any problems while taking your medications, you should inform your doctor.

In addition, you should complete your medications and take them. Also, where possible, your doctor will prescribe drugs for your partner. It is important to talk to him or her on need for treatment.

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How Is Chlamydia Spread

You can get chlamydia by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has chlamydia.

If your sex partner is male you can still get chlamydia even if he does not ejaculate .

If youve had chlamydia and were treated in the past, you can still get infected again. This can happen if you have unprotected sex with someone who has chlamydia.

What Happens If A Man Doesnt Treat His Chlamydia

If chlamydia is left untreated, it can become a more severe infection. Its also possible for it to have long term effects, including on fertility.

Chlamydia can affect the whole of the male reproductive system, causing inflammation in the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles, as well as the testicles themselves and the prostate gland. If this inflammation isnt treated, it may lead to scarring, which can have an effect on fertility.

There have also been some studies that suggest the infection itself can affect sperm being produced properly, but the evidence around this isnt conclusive at the moment.

Chlamydia can also cause a condition called reactive arthritis. This is when there is inflammation that affects the eyes, joints, and the urethra . The knees, feet, toes, hips, and ankles are also commonly affected. Its unclear exactly why this happens, but it may be related to the body overreacting to the infection. The symptoms can take months to recover, and you should treat this with anti-inflammatory medicines.

Treating chlamydia is also very important because it can easily be passed on to other partners, even if you dont have symptoms.

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Can Men Catch Chlamydia Through Oral Sex

Whether performing oral sex on a man or a woman, chlamydia can be transmitted through oral sex. In these instances chlamydia will usually cause an infection of the throat. This may cause symptoms including a sore throat, fever or a cold. Its also possible that someone can be infected within the throat without noticing any symptoms at all.

Although less common, you can also catch chlamydia if you receive oral sex from an infected individual. The symptoms in these instances would be exactly the same as if you caught it through vaginal sex.

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Chlamydia In Men Symptoms Treatment And Prevention

A sickness carried from one person to another through sexual contact is referred to as a sexually transmitted disease . By having unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has an STD, a person can catch the disease. A sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease is another name for an STD. That isnt to say that sex is the sole method STDs are spread. Infections can also be spread through sharing needles and breastfeeding, depending on the STD. Learn about the symptoms of chlamydia in men, as well as how it is transmitted, treated, and what problems can occur in this article.

It is possible for pregnant women to transmit STDs to their unborn children or to the fetus during pregnancy. STDs can create difficulties in babies. They can be life-threatening in some circumstances. Theyre extremely prevalent, and many people with them have no symptoms. STDs can cause major health concerns if left untreated. However, being tested isnt a big deal, and most STDs are simple to treat.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Chlamydia

If you do notice symptoms, youll likely experience them differently based on your reproductive anatomy. Many of the symptoms that cisgender women experience can also affect transgender men and nonbinary individuals with vaginas. Many of the symptoms that cisgender men notice can affect transgender women and nonbinary individuals with penises, too.

Signs of chlamydia if you have a vagina

Chlamydia bacteria often cause symptoms that are similar to cervicitis or a urinary tract infection . You may notice:

• White, yellow or gray discharge from your vagina that may be smelly.
• Pus in your urine .
• Increased need to pee.
• Itching or burning in and around your vagina.
• Dull pain in the lower part of your abdomen.

Signs of chlamydia if you have a penis

Chlamydia bacteria most often infect your urethra, causing symptoms that are similar to nongonococcal urethritis. You may notice:

• Mucus-like or clear, watery discharge from your penis.
• Pain or a burning sensation when you pee .

Signs of chlamydia that all genders may notice

Chlamydia can affect parts of your body other than your reproductive organs, such as your:

• Anus. You may notice pain, discomfort, bleeding or a mucus-like discharge from your bottom.
• Throat. You may have a sore throat, but you usually wont notice symptoms if the bacterias in your throat.
• Eyes. You may notice symptoms of conjunctivitis if C. trachomatis bacteria gets in your eye. Symptoms include redness, pain and discharge.

Can Chlamydia Be Prevented

The only sure way to prevent chlamydia is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading chlamydia. If your or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Untreated Chlamydia In Men And Women: How It Can Affect Your Health

If a chlamydial infection isnât detected and treated promptly, it can harm your healthâeven if you didnât experience symptoms when the infection first began.

Untreated chlamydia in men can lead to:

• Nongonococcal urethritis , or an infection of the urethra that can cause symptoms like painful or frequent urination, abnormal genital discharge, and more
• Epididymitis, or an infection of the epididymis , which can result in testicular pain and swelling
• Proctitis, or inflammation of the rectum

Untreated chlamydia in women may lead to:

• Pelvic inflammatory disease , which can cause chronic pelvic pain and infertility
• Ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside of the uterus, often in a fallopian tube
• Preterm birth in pregnant womenâas well as eye infection, blindness, or pneumonia in babies born through vaginal delivery

What It Looks Like

Symptoms of oral chlamydia look very similar to tonsillitis or strep throat. The throat will be red, and the tonsils will be swollen. White spots might appear on the back of the throat. In addition, a person might feel swollen lymph nodes on the sides of the neck.

The most accurate way to know whether you have oral chlamydia is through swab testing. Testing for chlamydia outside of the genital area is not a routine part of STD screening, which means that throat infections can go undiagnosed and untreated.

Untreated chlamydia of the throat could be a reason for the ongoing spread of the disease.

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