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Signs You Have Chlamydia Female

Chlamydia Discharge In Women

Sneaky Chlamydia | Do You Have It & Not Know It?

Though it is normal to have light vaginal discharge in healthy women as a part of the natural cleansing process of the vaginal cavity, the discharge becomes changed in color, odor, quantity and consistency when you have Chlamydia infection. The excessive vaginal discharge in women is caused due to the infection of the uterine cervix. It is one of the most common manifestations that are connected with Chlamydia in women. When you have Chlamydia infection, your vaginal discharge becomes thick, discolored and smelly.

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.

What Should I Do If I Have Chlamydia

Chlamydia is easy to treat. But you need to be tested and treated as soon as possible.

If you have chlamydia:

  • See a doctor or nurse as soon as possible. Antibiotics will treat chlamydia, but they will not fix any permanent damage to your reproductive organs.
  • Take all of your medicine. Even if symptoms go away, you need to finish all of the antibiotics.
  • Tell your sex partner so they can be tested and treated. If they are not tested and treated you could get chlamydia again.
  • Avoid sexual contact until you and your partner have been treated and cured. Even after you finish your antibiotics, you can get chlamydia again if you have sex with someone who has chlamydia.
  • See your doctor or nurse again if you have symptoms that dont go away within a few days after finishing the antibiotics.

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How Long Can You Have Chlamydia Without Knowing

Chlamydia is sometimes called a silent infection because the majority of people who have chlamydia regardless of gender never notice symptoms. People who do notice symptoms often dont recognize the signs that they have chlamydia until a few weeks after theyve been infected. Because chlamydia cases are often asymptomatic, its easy to spread chlamydia to someone else without realizing it. And its easy to miss out on receiving the treatment needed to prevent the serious complications that can result from chlamydia.

What Does Chlamydia Do To Your Body

Facts About Chlamydia

Although chlamydia doesnt usually cause any symptoms, it can be serious if you dont get treatment early on.

The bacteria can spread to your fallopian tubes and uterus. If this happens, it might cause pelvic inflammatory disease which results in abdominal and pelvic pain. Even if PID does not cause abdominal and pelvic pain, it can still do permanent damage to your reproductive system. PID can lead to an inability to get pregnant, long-term pelvic pain, and ectopic pregnancy.

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How Do You Get Chlamydia

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

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

To help women protect themselves against this common type of sexually transmitted disease , Flo has prepared a guide that explains the basics of chlamydia.

STDs are infections that are transmitted from one person to another via sexual contact. Today, there are over 20 types of STDs and chlamydia is one of them.

Whether you suspect that you might have it or want to educate yourself, let this guide help you find all the answers you were looking for.

When Can I Have Sex Again

If you were diagnosed with chlamydia, wait to have sex again until you have finished your treatment.

For some antibiotics, such as doxycycline, this means may need to wait 1 week to have sex, or until you have completed your prescribed course of treatment.

If you were prescribed a single dose of medication, like azithromycin, wait 7 days after taking the medication before having sex.

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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.

Page last reviewed: 01 September 2021 Next review due: 01 September 2024

Nucleic Acid Amplification Test

What Is Chlamydia Symptoms and Treatment

The most common test for chlamydia, this is a simple, non-invasive test during which you collect a swab or urine sample yourself . A doctor can assist in taking a swab if you prefer.

The sample is then sent to be tested to see if there is genetic material that indicates the presence of chlamydia bacteria. Results come back quicker than the traditional culture test.

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What Are The Treatments For Chlamydia

Antibiotics will cure the infection. You may get a one-time dose of the antibiotics, or you may need to take medicine every day for 7 days. Antibiotics cannot repair any permanent damage that the disease has caused.

To prevent spreading the disease to your partner, you should not have sex until the infection has cleared up. If you got a one-time dose of antibiotics, you should wait 7 days after taking the medicine to have sex again. If you have to take medicine every day for 7 days, you should not have sex again until you have finished taking all of the doses of your medicine.

It is common to get a repeat infection, so you should get tested again about three months after treatment.

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.

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 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. PID can damage the fallopian tubes and uterus and cause chronic pain, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. Women who have chlamydia also are at much greater risk for becoming infected with HIV. In men, complications from chlamydia are rare.

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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How To Tell Your Partner You Have Chlamydia

The first thing you need to do when your test comes back positive is to tell your partner. Your sexual partner should know about the infection so that they too can be tested and treated. If you dont tell them about your condition, youre risking getting reinfected.

Here are some tips for handling the conversation:

  • Educate yourself about the STD youve contracted so you can thoroughly explain to your partner what exactly you have, the treatment, and how you plan on keeping them safe.
  • Inform your current or most recent sexual partner about a positive STD test by telling them face-to-face, or by calling them. Sending them a message is not the most respectful way.
  • When telling them the news, stay calm and collected. Sit them down and tell them youve been tested. Tell them that the results are positive and discuss the next steps.
  • Make sure you keep your partner from getting infected. Use condoms at all times, take antibiotics, and abstain from intercourse during your treatment.

Im Pregnant How Does Chlamydia Affect My Baby

7 STDâs to Avoid

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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Your Partners Reproductive Issues

Chlamydia shows its signs in about 50% of all male sufferers, which means women should monitor their partners closely. It may feel uneasy to question a long-term partner, but it will surely help you find out crucial information. Unfortunately, these talks are taboo most of the time. Women can also find out about their partners difficulties if they choose to state them. However, no woman should count on this occurrence. They should always ask about these things when suspicious. Ultimately, it is better to feel uncomfortable during a conversation than remain ignorant of a potentially grave threat.

Pain In The Lower Abdomen

Chlamydia can cause pain in the lower abdomen. This pain might feel like a dull ache or even a sharp cramp. The muscles and nerves in your pelvis are connected to your back, so you might also feel pain in your lower back.

As the infection spreads inside your tissues, the inflammation can cause these types of pain. You can take over the counter painkillers to manage this pain while you get treatment for chlamydia.

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What Are The Goals Of Treatment For Chlamydia

Treatment of Chlamydia infections with an antibiotic is recommended to:

  • Resolve symptoms if you have them. About 85% of patients with symptomatic infections of the urethra or cervix will improve within 2 weeks of starting an antibiotic.
  • Prevent complications including infertility, chronic pain, and more severe infections.

How Do You Know When Chlamydia Is Gone

What is chlamydia? | Infectious diseases | NCLEX-RN | Khan Academy

Improvement should occur right after receiving treatment. Some of the changes that you might notice include:

  • Pain while urinating will improve within a week.
  • Discharge will return to normal.
  • There wont be bleeding between periods or heavier periods.
  • Pelvic pain will fade away.
  • Pain during sexual intercourse will decrease.

To prevent yourself from catching it again, get re-tested three months after treatment. This is essential if you engage in sexual intercourse with a partner who hasnt been tested for chlamydia.

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Special Cases: Chlamydia In Infants And Hiv

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.

Download Clue to track sex and your period.

Article was originally published on June 11, 2018.

How Do People Get Chlamydia

Pregnant people can give chlamydia to their baby during childbirth. This can cause ophthalmia neonatorum or pneumonia in some infants.9-12 Rectal or genital infection can persist one year or longer in infants infected at birth.13 However, sexual abuse should be a consideration among young children with vaginal, urethral, or rectal infection beyond the neonatal period.

People treated for chlamydia can get the infection again if they have sex with a person with chlamydia.14

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Causes And Risk Factors

Chlamydia is an STI caused by a specific strain of bacteria known as Chlamydia trachomatis.

Chlamydia is more common in women than in men. In fact, its estimated that the overall rate of infection is for women than men in the United States.

Some of the other risk factors for infection include:

  • not using barrier methods like condoms consistently with new sexual partners
  • having a sexual partner who is having sex with other people
  • having a history of chlamydia or other STIs

What Happens If You Leave Chlamydia Untreated For 3 Years

Chlamydia: Causes, Signs and Treatment of This Common STI â The Amino ...

Chlamydia is an infection and, in many people, may continue to spread throughout the body.

Leaving a chlamydia infection untreated for years increases the risk of developing serious complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease and further infections.

For women, PID can cause:

  • scar tissue that blocks fallopian tubes
  • ectopic pregnancy

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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.

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.

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

  • Pus in your urine .
  • Increased need to pee.
  • Dull pain in the lower part of your abdomen.

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

  • 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:

  • 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.

See your healthcare provider immediately if you notice any of these symptoms.

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Are Instant Tests Reliable

You can certainly find instant tests on the market, but these are not reliable. Being able to see results in minutes is worthless if they arent lab-certified. Many of the home STI testing kits you see on the market are just smoke and mirrors. These services may claim instant results but most of them use subpar testing methods. It is illegal to sell these within the United States.

On the other hand, at-home testing offers trustworthy and accurate results. These tests require that you provide a sample that will then be sent to a lab for, you guessed it, lab-certified results. The only difference from a clinic test is that you can screen for these infections from the comfort of your own home.

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Preventing The Spread Of Infection

What You Need to Know About Chlamydia

It is absolutely necessary to inform the partner if you get a positive test for Chlamydia. The sooner the partner is told the more effective and simple the treatment can be. Make sure your partner gets tested and receives the treatment as well and abstain from the intercourse until the treatment of both you and the partner is finished.

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Can You Get Pregnant If You Have Chlamydia

Sexual health plays an important role in fertility. Many STDs can cause scarring and inflammation, making it more difficult to conceive, even after the infection has been treated.

In the case of chlamydia, the infection can damage your reproductive health, if left untreated. The bacteria can cause PID which can do permanent damage to your reproductive system. PID can lead to inflammation, scarring, and blockage in your reproductive organs. In some cases, it can also cause ectopic pregnancy which can be deadly if the pregnancy isnt removed in time.

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.

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