Signs You May Have Chlamydia

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 Discharge In Women

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.

Know The Signs Protect Yourself

Many STDs have no symptoms. See your doctor, however, if you have any of the following signs, which could be caused by an STD:

• Problems in the anal or genital area, such as a sore, a rash, warts, unusual discharge, swelling, redness, or pain

• Painful urination

• Vaginal bleeding when it is not time for your period

• Pelvic pain

• A sore in the mouth

• A sore in the rectum

• Persistent, unexplained flulike symptoms or swollen lymph glands

The only sure way to protect yourself from STDs is not to have sex. If you do have sex, here is how you can lower your risk:

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Signs You Might Have Chlamydia

• 01 May 2019

In Australia, there are approximately 260,000 Australians currently living with Chlamydia . And with condom use with sexual partners on the decline, many more are at risk of the sexually transmitted disease dubbed the ‘silent infection’. Unfortunately, around 50 percent of men and 80 percent of women are diagnosed without symptoms, leaving them at risk of permanent damage.

With many cases of the sexually transmitted infection resulting in no symptoms, untreated chlamydia can put men at risk of pain and swelling in one or both testicles or more seriously, infertility.

Unlike some sexually transmitted infections, Chlamydia doesn’t discriminate. Men can catch chlamydia from having vaginal sex, anal sex and also through oral sex – basically, all means of sexual contact.

While condoms are not 100 per cent effective and don’t guarantee keeping away sexually transmitted infections, using protection greatly lowers your risk.

These are the most common symptoms of a chlamydia infection to look out for. However given that it’s common for symptoms not to show, its important to get regular screenings, practice safe sex and maintain good sexual health.

• discharge coming from penis
• discomfort during urination
• swollen and sore testicles.

If you are under the age of 25 and sexually active, it’s important that you have routine chlamydia check-ups. If it’s detected early enough, the good news is chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics.

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.

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Who Can Get Chlamydia

Although anyone sexually active can get Chlamydia, it is found most commonly in young women. Women who are left untreated can spread the infection to their baby through pregnancy, labor, or nursing, as stated on mayoclinic.org.

Those infected will not always show signs and symptoms. Because of this we strongly encourage anyone who is/has been sexually active to seek out STI-Testing.

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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What Should I Do If Symptoms Of Chlamydia Appear

If you experience symptoms of Chlamydia after sexual activity, you should see your doctor or visit a sexual health clinic as soon as you can to get tested. For guys who have sex guys, you should get tested for HIV and STIs once every three months.

Not sure where to get tested? There are sexual health clinics across Sydney and regional NSW that all offer confidential STI testing and treatment. HIV and STI tests at clinics across the state are free, though if you get tested with a general practitioner this may vary depending on your access to Medicare, and whether or not your doctor offers a bulk billing service. You can find your closest sexual health testing site using our where to get tested tool.

Burning Sensation When Urinating

Chlamydia can cause a burning sensation when you urinate. Its easy to mistake this for a symptom of a urinary tract infection.

You might also feel like you have the urge to urinate more often than usual. And when you do go to urinate, only a little bit comes out. Your urine might also smell unusual or look cloudy.

If you have chalmydia, you might also feel some pain during sex, especially intercourse.

You may also some bleeding and lingering irritation after any type of sexual activity involving penetration.

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What Increases Your Risk

Risk factors for getting chlamydia include:

• Having unprotected sex .
• Having more than one sex partner.
• Having a high-risk partner or partners. This includes people who have more than one sex partner or sex partners who have chlamydia.
• Starting sexual activity before age 18.

Any child with chlamydia needs to be seen by a doctor to determine the cause and to assess for possible sexual abuse. For more information, see the topic Child Abuse and Neglect.

Symptoms Are Tricky To Interpret

Does your headache mean youre dehydrated, stressed, or dealing with poor vision? Its tempting to ignore symptoms and hope they disappear, but the following three symptoms definitely need your attention since they could signal an STD.

Before we dive in, its important you know, most STDs are a bit silent. Meaning, symptoms are generally mild and can be brushed off as something else, that being, said pay close attention.

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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.

Are There Complications Of Chlamydia

Chlamydia can cause serious complications if it isnt treated promptly and properly.

Untreated chlamydia can trigger arthritis, skin rashes, and inflammation in the eye or rectum.

For women, chlamydia can spread into the uterus and the fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease . This can cause problems with pregnancy, such as ectopic pregnancy. Women with untreated chlamydia have up to a 1 in 12 chance of becoming infertile. In men, chlamydia can spread to the testicles and the tubes that carry sperm, causing pain and fertility problems.

Pregnant women who are infected with chlamydia have a higher chance of miscarriage or premature birth. Their babies may also get an eye or lung infection. You can read more about chlamydia and pregnancy here.

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Typical Antibiotics Prescribed To Those Infected

You can treat chlamydia and completely remove it from the system. The best treatment options are prescribed by your doctor, and they include proper antibiotics with high potency. Depending on the potency required and how allergic you are to the ingredients, your doctor can prescribe:

• Doxycycline
• Levofloxacin

Chlamydia Symptoms In Women

Up to 80% of women who have chlamydia do not notice any symptoms.

However, when symptoms do occur, they include:

• Pain or a burning sensation when urinating
• Heavier periods than normal
• Bleeding between normal period cycles
• Yellow or white vaginal discharge
• Stomach or pelvic pain
• Pain during or after sex
• Bleeding during or after sex

What happens if its left untreated?

If left untreated, chlamydia can also cause fertility problems for women, particularly if the infection spreads to the womb or fallopian tubes.

This causes a serious condition known as pelvic inflammatory disease , which increases the chance of an ectopic pregnancy. This is when a fertilised egg becomes embedded outside the womb. If this happens, its not possible to save the pregnancy and you may need an operation..

Symptoms of PID include:

• Nausea
• Bleeding between normal period cycles

In some cases, chlamydia can even lead to infertility, so its really important to get the right treatment as quickly as possible.

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What Happens To Those Who Dont Get Treated

Since more than 50% of the infected dont experience any signs of chlamydia, many people unknowingly pass their infection onto their partner and leave it to manifest in their system for years.

Even though chlamydia is not a life-threatening infection, if left untreated, it can cause serious health problems. For women, untreated chlamydia can move up into the fallopian tubes and womb and cause pelvic inflammatory disease . If it travels to the uterus as well, it can lead to endometritis.

In time, these diseases will become a serious problem and can cause:

• Infertility
• Increased risk of developing HIV
• Joint pain

Any prolonged damage to the reproductive tissues can cause irreversible damage, and once it gets to this stage, chlamydia can be a serious burden, and infertility can no longer be treated.

In men, the infection can affect the testes and spread to the reproductive tract. When it gets to this area, the infection can cause serious inflammation, swelling, fever, and pain. However, if left untreated, it can have the same consequences as in women, and that is infertility.

Thats why its crucial to get on-time treatment and regularly get tested for chlamydia even if you dont notice any signs or symptoms.

Symptoms In The Throat

Chlamydia symptoms can sometimes appear in the throat, although this is uncommon. When it does occur, the time frame is likely to be similar to that of chlamydia infections of the genitals.

In people who experience symptoms, the main one is a persistent sore throat. A doctor may refer to a chlamydia infection in the throat as pharyngeal chlamydia.

Testing for chlamydia in the throat is not a common practice in STI testing, as it does not have approval from the Food and Drug Administration . However, if a person suspects that they have pharyngeal chlamydia, a doctor may take a swab from the throat.

A person can undergo testing for chlamydia at their:

• doctors office
• local health department
• local planned parenthood center

A person can also order a chlamydia test online, take it at home, and then send it off for testing.

If people are at high risk of chlamydia, they may need screening for all types of chlamydia every 36 months.

At risk groups include people who have:

• multiple or unknown sexual partners
• sex in combination with illegal drug use
• sexual partners who use illegal drugs or have multiple partners

7 days .

People should avoid having sex until their treatment is complete. If a person is experiencing symptoms even after the treatment, they should see a doctor.

People who menstruate should notice that their periods return to normal or that bleeding between periods stops by their next period.

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Chlamydia Diagnosis And Testing In Women

You can surely say whether you have Chlamydia by undergoing test for this condition. When you have reason to believe that you have the infection, it is better to go for a test even if you have no apparent symptoms. This is more necessary if the person with whom you have had sex within the last three weeks has been diagnosed with Chlamydia.

The test is very simple and painless, and usually done with a urine sample to detect the presence of the Chlamydia bacteria. Another test called Swab Test, this is done by inserting a small cotton bud inside the vaginal chamber and it is swiped with the discharge and then the swab tested and analyzed in a laboratory.

When you have had anal or oral sex, the swab test may be done in your rectum or throat also to detect the presence of bacteria in these areas. If you have symptoms of the infection in your eyes, the swab must be collected from your eyelid.Also there are many perfect types of Chlamydia testing kits that you can do at your home.

Where Do The Symptoms Of Chlamydia Appear

In case of Chlamydia infections, symptoms can appear in different regions of the body. The most frequent symptoms are that appear in the genital area. For men, a liquid discharge will appear at the tip of the penis, being more visible in the morning. It can be clear, or have a whitish coloration. Also, the testicles may feel more sensitive or inflamed, and stinging pain can accompany the urination process. For women, they might also experience a vaginal discharge, with an abnormal consistency or smell. They may feel pain in the abdomen, when urinating or when having sex. Women might also experience bleeding between periods, or more painful periods than usual since the cervix is inflamed. Or discomfort in the vaginal area, like itching or stinging.

But symptoms may appear in other parts of the body as well. You may experience pain in the rectus, in case you had anal sex. Bleeding from the anus, pains, swelling, discharges, even diarrhea are on the list. Or, symptoms may appear in the throat, as a result of having oral sex, since the mouth and throat were exposed to the bacteria.

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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.

Symptoms In The Vulva

Chlamydia symptoms that show up in the vulva 13 weeks after a person comes into contact with the infection. In some cases, though, it can be months later.

Certain people can experience symptoms only when the infection is spreading to other areas of the body.

If symptoms are noticed by people, they may include:

• bleeding between periods
• nausea
• fever

If a person thinks they may have chlamydia, they should get a test at the earliest opportunity, even if they have no symptoms. People can get a chlamydia test at any time after touching the infection potentially.

A chlamydia test may require an exam of the vagina and cervix for people with a vulva. A health care provider may take a swab from inside the vagina.

People may also be able to take a swab themselves from inside the vagina which will be tested for chlamydia by technicians in a laboratory.

It is vital that individuals get a chlamydia test if they believe they have come into contact with the infection.

Neither regular cervical screening tests nor routine blood tests identify chlamydia.

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Symptoms Of Chlamydia In Women

Deby, Facty Staff

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease . It is the side-effect of a negative bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. The main issue with chlamydia is that it usually goes unnoticed. In most cases, it shows absolutely no symptoms for years since the infection. The stealth of an STD is what a lot of sexually active individuals rely on in their pursuit of unprotected sex. To avoid this problem, you should use protection during all new sexual encounters until both parties have been tested. Those that frequently use protection are far less likely to experience an STD. 1 in every 20 sexually active women in the UK has chlamydia. Oral, anal, and vaginal sex are all viable ways to contract chlamydia. About 30% of women with it begin to notice its symptoms usually three weeks after the initial infection. Since untreated chlamydia in women can lead to infertility, it is imperative to take steps against it.