How Do I Know If I Have Chlamydia
Chlamydia often has no symptoms, but it can cause serious health problems, even without symptoms. If symptoms occur, they may not appear until several weeks after having sex with a partner who has chlamydia.
Even when chlamydia has no symptoms, it can damage a womans reproductive system. Women with symptoms may notice
- An abnormal vaginal discharge and
- A burning sensation when peeing.
Symptoms in men can include
- A burning sensation when peeing and
- Pain and swelling in one or both testicles .
See a healthcare provider if you notice any of these symptoms. You should also see a provider if your partner has an STD or symptoms of one. Symptoms can include
- An unusual sore
Chlamydia Is A Serious Infection
Chlamydia is Americas most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection. Every year, an estimated 2.86 million infections occur. Since its so common, you may assume that its no big deal. However, chlamydia can be a very serious infection.
Chlamydia is very common, but that doesnt mean it cant have a serious impact on your health. The infection can cause a number of long-term complications. 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. In addition, some women experience subclinical inflammation of the upper genital tract. This can cause permanent damage to the affected tissues.
How To Reduce Your Risk Of Getting Chlamydia
Here are some ways to decrease your risk of getting chlamydia:
- Use condoms when you have sex.
- Get a sexual health check-up at least once a year. This should include tests for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhoea. If you often change sexual partners, get more frequent check-ups.
- Three months after youve finished treatment for chlamydia, you should get tested to check that youve not been re-infected. Its common to be reinfected with chlamydia.
- Inform your sexual partners about your chlamydia. Anyone you have had sex with in the last 6 months should be tested. If theyre not told or treated, they could infect someone else or reinfect you. Offering this information will help stop the spread of chlamydia in your community.
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Chlamydia Trachomatis And Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Twenty per cent of the women with chlamydial lower genital tract infection will develop PID63 and 4 per cent will develop chronic pelvic pain2. The clinical spectrum of chlamydial PID ranges from subclinical endometritis to frank salpingitis, tubo-ovarian masses, pelvic peritonitis, periappendicitis and perihepatitis. However, symptomatic chlamydial infections represent only the tip of the iceberg of all chlamydial infections as majority of genital chlamydial infections are asymptomatic.
How Chlamydia Diagnosis Process Is Carried On In Men
Early treatment of Chlamydia is essential to have a healthy life ahead. In case if you had unprotected sex with your recent partner then you must get tested for STIs as soon as possible. This test can be carried out at any local GUM clinic or GP. With improved facilities of digital world, patients can also order Chlamydia test kits to their home from online sources.
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Who Should Be Tested For Chlamydia
You should go to your health provider for a test if you have symptoms of chlamydia, or if you have a partner who has a sexually transmitted disease. Pregnant women should get a test when they go to their first prenatal visit.
People at higher risk should get checked for chlamydia every year:
- Sexually active women 25 and younger
- Older women who have new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted disease
- Men who have sex with men
Faqs About Chlamydia In Men Answered By Your Doctors Online Team
What does chlamydia do to men?
What does chlamydia look like in the mouth?
Chlamydia in the mouth can present as a sore throat, mouth sores, redness or white spots on the tonsils or at the back of the throat.
How does chlamydia affect males?
Chlamydial infection in males usually affects the urethra resulting in burning while urinating or penile discharge. Untreated infections can lead to complications such as epididymitis or prostatitis as well.
How long can you have chlamydia without knowing?
Symptoms usually appear within 1-3 weeks after exposure, but sometimes symptoms can occur after several months. Many people remain asymptomatic therefore, regular screening is essential in sexually active individuals.
Can you die from chlamydia?
Chlamydia does not cause death untreated infection can lead to complications in both men and women. It can result in inflammation of reproductive organs and may contribute to infertility.
What happens if you dont treat chlamydia?
If chlamydia is left untreated, complications can occur. For example, women can develop pelvic inflammatory disease, while men can develop complications such as swollen testicles or prostatitis. In addition, individuals with chlamydia have an increased chance of acquiring HIV or gonorrhoea.
How long can chlamydia be dormant?
Most people with chlamydia are asymptomatic. Usually, symptoms appear between 1-3 weeks after transmission of infection. However, chlamydia can remain dormant for several years as well.
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Chlamydia Can Harm Your Pregnancy Or Reproductive Health
Can chlamydia harm your unborn baby or your future reproductive health? Many people will say no, but thats not true. The infection can cause complications for both pregnancy and fertility.
Chlamydia can cause many complications for pregnant women and their babies. When the infection is left untreated, it can cause preterm delivery. Babies who are born prematurely can have problems with their lungs, hearts, or brains. The infection can spread to the baby, resulting in pneumonia, eye infections, and other complications. Due to these risks, pregnant women are routinely screened for chlamydia.
Chlamydia can cause many complications for pregnant women and their babies. When the infection is left untreated, it can cause preterm delivery.
Chlamydia can also cause complications for women who want to get pregnant. If untreated chlamydia spreads to other parts of the reproductive system, like the uterus, those tissues can be damaged. This can cause infertility. Damage to the uterine tubes could also result in an ectopic pregnancy. This means a fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the uterus, usually inside the uterine tube. These pregnancies arent sustainable and may put the mothers life at risk.
There are many myths that are circulating about this common sexually transmitted infection. If youre concerned about chlamydia, see your doctor to get tested.
Possible Treatments For Chlamydia
It is good to stay aware about how to treat Chlamydia. In case of your test is found positive then you have to undergo Chlamydia treatment. Most of the doctors prescribe just a single dose of some antibiotics like azithromycin. But in case if you are allergic to its content then you may have to take other standard antibiotic.Note that if you are infected then let your previous sex partners know about the infection so that they can also undergo tests and treatments at right time. It is also possible to start Chlamydia treatment online because most of the experts are delivering fast and reliable services over internet for complete treatment of this Silent Infection.
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How Common Is Chlamydia
In 2017, more than 1.7 million situations of chlamydia were reported to the Centers for Condition Control and also Prevention . Numerous instances go unreported, so the genuine number of chlamydia infections every year might be closer to 3 million.
Men and women can both obtain the infection, yet more cases in females are reported.
Infection prices are highest possible amongst younger ladies, with the highest possible prices of infection occurring in females between ages 15 as well as 24.
The CDC advises that all sexually energetic females ages 25 years as well as more youthful get screened for chlamydia annually, in addition to older women with threat aspects like multiple or brand-new partners.
Statistically, a person is most likely to get an STI if they have actually had sex with greater than one person. Various other threat aspects consist of having had an STI in the past, or presently have an infection since this might lower resistance.
Prices for chlamydia and also other STIs have been climbing up in recent years.
New Variant Of Chlamydia Trachomatis
A new variant Chlamydia trachomatis strain has been recently isolated in Sweden 62, which has a 377 bps deletion in a portion of the plasmid that is the target area for some of the NAATs. Consequently these tests often give false negative results when presented with this strain. Therefore, it is important to select primers for NAAT carefully particularly those targeting the endogenous plasmids. The symptoms and treatment of this strain do not differ from those for normal chlamydiae. So far, this strain has been found in Sweden and Norway. The clinicians and microbiologists should remain vigilant for suspicious negative results as well as unexplained fall in positive results. However, other commercially available NAAT systems that use a different sequence accurately detect this agent.
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Chlamydia Can Sometimes Go Away On Its Own
Some diseases and infections can go away on their own, so its not surprising that people wonder: does chlamydia go away on its own? The truth is, it sometimes does. In about 20% of people who have no symptoms, chlamydia may resolve spontaneously without treatment. It means that under certain circumstances host immune responses can control chlamydia naturally.
Untreated chlamydia can go on without any symptoms for a long period of time. Thats why its so important to get tested and catch it early. When chlamydia isnt treated, it can cause a number of serious complications. In women, the infection can spread to the uterus and uterine tubes, while in men, it can spread to the prostate gland. Chlamydia can also cause reactive arthritis, which affects your joints and eyes.
When chlamydia isnt treated, it can cause a number of serious complications.
Some people claim that chlamydia can be treated with home remedies like garlic and turmeric, but these methods are unproven and should be avoided. The only proven cure for chlamydia is treatment with antibiotics, which usually clear up the infection in a week or two.
What Are The Complications Of Untreated Chlamydia In Men
Because most men with chlamydia do not develop symptoms, many dont realize they have it and dont get the appropriate treatment. If left untreated, chlamydia infections may cause complications in men, including infertility, an abnormal narrowing of the rectum or urethra, and arthritis.
Untreated epididymitis from chlamydia may lead to infertility via two potential mechanisms :
- First, it has been suggested that untreated epididymitis can lead to scarring of the ducts that carry sperm.
- Secondly, chlamydia may directly impact the sperm and cause changes in sperm DNA.
However, a 2017 study found that infection with chlamydia did not harm sperm, nor did it affect fertility .
On the other hand, untreated proctitis caused by serovars L1, L2, or L3 does lead to long-term complications. Without appropriate antibiotic treatment, proctitis can cause fistulas and strictures of the rectum .
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Why Is Azithromycin Not A Chlamydia Treatment Anymore
The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV recently released guidelines explaining that Azithromycin is no longer an effective treatment for chlamydia. This is because of increasing levels of bacterial resistance to azithromycin. Instead, the recommended first-line treatment is now only doxycycline.
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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Chlamydia Symptoms In Men
One of the reasons that chlamydia is so common is more often than not, chlamydia doesnt cause any symptoms. This means if you dont get an annual screening, you may never experience any symptoms, even in case of an infection.
Fortunately for men, they have about a 50% chance of experiencing some symptoms. Although these symptoms are not pleasant, they can prompt a swift diagnosis.
Some common symptoms experienced by men include:
- Pain while urinating.
- Swelling of the testicles.
The signs and symptoms of chlamydia in males do not show up immediately. It can take around 510 days or more after exposure to chlamydia for symptoms to appear. Different parts of the male urinary system/organs may be affected by chlamydia resulting in:
How Do You Treat Chlamydia
Chlamydia can be easily cured with antibiotics prescribed by a healthcare provider.
It is important to complete the full treatment, as prescribed by your healthcare provider, even if symptoms go away sooner. The infection stays in your body until you finish the antibiotics. Also, do not share your medicine with anyone or take someone elses.
Some healthcare providers may give a separate dose of antibiotics for your partner so you do not re-infect each other or anyone else. Do not have sex until you have finished treatment.
Get tested again in 3-4 months to make sure the infection is gone and you were not re-exposed.
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Prevention Of Chlamydia In Men
Prevention is key to helping eradicate chlamydia because it often presents no symptoms. Many people have the infection and unknowingly infect their partners.
There are some steps you can take to better protect yourself:
- Always have penetrative sex with a condom.
- Get tested and encourage your partner to get tested for STDs annually.
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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Who Is At Risk
According to the CDC, women under the age of 25 are at the highest risk of contracting chlamydia. While young women may be at the highest risk, anyone who participates in unprotected sex is at risk. Chlamydia is often asymptomatic, so partners may be passing on the STI without ever knowing they were infected. This is why it is so important to get a yearly screening to prevent the spread of this infection.
Research shows that there are some people who are at a higher risk of contracting chlamydia.
Those who are considered high risk include:
- Men and women who have multiple partners.
- Those who currently have another sexually transmitted infection.
- Men who have sex with men.
- Men and women who have sex without a condom.
- Those with an infected partner.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chlamydia
Yes! It is curable for both men and women and it is one of the common diseases to be passed on sexually. The hardest thing is noticing the infection itself as it remains symptomless so it can be difficult to realise you have it in the first place.
Most people dont show signs of the infection and it rare for people to recognise symptoms as the infection. If you do get symptoms of the sexually transmitted disease then they usually appear one to three weeks after having unprotected sex with an infected person. It is possible for symptoms to develop months after the initial infection and symptoms can come and go.
Yes! Chlamydial conjunctivitis is redness and swelling of the clear membrane that lines the inside of your eyelids and covers the white of your eyes. In some cases the infection when in the eye is known as pink eye. Although relatively harmless in adults, eye infection in newborn babies can lead to blindness.
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Chlamydia Can Be Prevented
The most effective way to avoid getting a sexually transmitted infection is to not have sex. However, if you wish to have sexual contact, you can reduce your risk of infection with these actions:
- Minimizing the number of partners with whom you have intimate contact
- Asking your partners to get screened for STDs before engaging in sexual activity
- Always using latex condoms when having intercourse of any kind
Additional reporting by Ingrid Strauch.
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.
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Ways To Prevent Chlamydia Infection
In case if you are infected with Chlamydia then it is important to take preventive steps to stop spreading it further to other sex partners. Always prefer to follow these tips for prevention:
Any genital chlamydia symptoms in men like burning sensation at the time of urination or discharge can cause unusual rashes or sore. It is the right symptom to stop sexual contact and visit your doctor immediately. In case your doctor immediately identifies presence of Chlamydia in your body then it is good to start treatment from the same day.
Let your past partners know about this disease and ask them to have test fast at a trusted medical clinic. As Chlamydia symptoms are rarely noticeable so it is important to stay aware and protected with proper Chlamydia cure.