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What Happens If Chlamydia Is Left Untreated Male

Can Chlamydia Be Prevented

Sexual Health – Chlamydia (Male)

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

Inflammation Of The Testicles

In men, chlamydia can spread to the testicles and epididymis , causing them to become painful and swollen. This is known as epididymitis or epididymo-orchitis. This is very rare.

The inflammation is usually treated with antibiotics. If it’s not treated, there’s a possibility it could affect your fertility.

Sex Hurts Your Lady Parts

Speaking of sex: This can vary between mild discomfort to a sharper, stabbing pain, says Jennifer Wider, M.D., whos based in New York. She notes that gonorrhea can inflame the tissues of the vagina and cervix, making them extra sensitive. Because there are a variety of causes for this symptom, its very important for women who have had unprotected sex or potential exposure to an STD go get tested, she says.

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Untreated Chlamydia In Women

The greatest complication of untreated Chlamydia in women is infertility. It is defined as the inability to get pregnant despite trying to conceive for over a period of one year. Chlamydia is one of the causes of infertility worldwide. If left untreated, Chlamydia can spread to the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries leading to pelvic inflammatory disease . It can also cause ectopic pregnancies .

Infertility due to Chlamydia is caused after the spread of infection further into the fallopian tubes that causes blockage of the fallopian tubes, known as hydrosalpinx. Fallopian tubes can also develop scar tissue due to which an egg is unable to travel to the uterus for implantation leading to ectopic pregnancy. The classic symptoms of ectopic pregnancy can be pelvic pain, vaginal bleeding, lightheadedness, positive pregnancy test. A doctor should be immediately contacted when these symptoms are noticed.

The spread of infection to other parts of female reproductive system, particularly to the uterus and fallopian tube may also cause pelvic inflammatory disease leading to scarring and blocking of the fallopian tubes. PID also on occasions develops without any symptoms and sometimes can be diagnosed too late which might lead to ectopic pregnancy. There is also a higher chance of miscarriage, preterm birth and still birth due to this.

The treatment of infertility in women due to Chlamydia is simple and that is treatment with antibiotics.

Can Chlamydia Cause Long

Things you must know about Chlamydia (infographics)

13.Aug.2021

Think of the clichés associated with chlamydia. One that springs to mind might be that chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection that affects women much more than it does men. And, you wouldnt be entirely wrong – the chlamydia rates among females was almost two times higher than the rate among males in 2018 . However, chlamydia is so common that it can impact just about anyone who is sexually active, and it also has the potential to cause long-term complications in both males and females.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , chlamydia is the most common notifiable disease in the United States – with rates among adult males steadily increasing over recent years. Without regular testing, chlamydia cases can often go unnoticed and as a result, untreated this can sometimes cause complications in men, including:

  • Epididymitis

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What Are The Risks Of Untreated Chlamydia

STDs or sexually transmitted diseases are of different kinds. Some go away on their own if you are infected, some can be treated with medicine and some cannot be treated and stay with you as long as you are alive. You will get vaccines for some and some can be prevented easily. However, if you are left with a potentially dangerous infection that can wreak havoc if left untreated, it may threaten your life. Chlamydia is one such infection that you get from an infected partner and can be dangerous if you dont treat it on time.

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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What Are The Complications Of Gonorrhea

Untreated gonorrhea can cause serious and permanent health problems in both women and men.

In women, gonorrhea can spread into the uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease . The symptoms may be quite mild or can be very severe and can include abdominal pain and fever 13. PID can lead to internal abscesses and chronic pelvic pain. PID can also damage the fallopian tubes enough to cause infertility or increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy.

In men, gonorrhea may be complicated by epididymitis. In rare cases, this may lead to infertility 14.

If left untreated, gonorrhea can also spread to the blood and cause disseminated gonococcal infection . DGI is usually characterized by arthritis, tenosynovitis, and/or dermatitis 15. This condition can be life threatening.

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What Is Chlamydia Symptoms and Treatment

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.

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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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Your Chlamydia Was Poorly Treated Or Left Untreated

Its possible to have chlamydia infection with no symptoms of the disease. In some women and men, it could take weeks for chlamydia signs to appear. If you just started having symptoms, purchase chlamydia kit to know if its chlamydia or not.

Poorly treated chlamydia, either due to wrong antibiotics or not completing your doctors prescribed medications, may cause chlamydia to persist with resistance.

If you have chlamydia symptoms months after treatment, it is advisable to let your doctor know ASAP.

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Just How Is Chlamydia Spread What Happens If Chlamydia Is Left Untreated In Males

You can obtain chlamydia by having vaginal, rectal, or oral sex with somebody who has chlamydia.

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

If you have actually had chlamydia as well as were dealt with in the past, you can still obtain infected again. This can happen if you have vulnerable sex with a person who has chlamydia.

If you are pregnant, you can provide chlamydia to your baby throughout giving birth.

Are There Complications Of Chlamydia

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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How Can I Prevent Chlamydia

Itâs easier to prevent an STI like chlamydia than it is to treat it:

  • Donât have more than one sex partner at a time. The safest sex is with one partner who has sex only with you. Every time you add a new sex partner, you are being exposed to all of the infections that all of their partners may have.
  • Use a condom every time you have sex. Latex and polyurethane condoms keep out the viruses and bacteria that cause STIs.
  • Be responsible. Donât have sex if you have symptoms of an infection or if you are being treated for an STI.
  • Wait to have sex with a new partner until both of you have been tested for STIs.

What Happens If Chlamydia Is Untreated

If you’re not treated for chlamydia, you may have some serious complications.

  • Chronic pelvic pain
  • Infertility. Pelvic inflammatory disease can cause scar tissue to develop in your fallopian tubes. This can block your tubes and make it difficult for an egg to pass through and become fertilized.
  • Ectopic pregnancy. This scarring of your fallopian tubes can stop a fertilized egg from moving into your uterus. The egg may then begin to grow in your fallopian tube. An ectopic pregnancy can be dangerous, as your fallopian tube may break and cause bleeding in your pelvis and abdomen.

A study of women admitted to hospitals found that women with pelvic inflammatory disease were:

  • Ten times more likely to be admitted to hospital for abdominal pain
  • Ten times more likely to be admitted for ectopic pregnancy
  • Six times more likely to be admitted for endometriosis
  • Eight times more likely to be admitted for a procedure to remove their womb

Some people with pelvic inflammatory disease caused by chlamydia may also develop a rare complication known as Fitz-Hugh-Curtis Syndrome or perihepatitis. This is a painful inflammation of the tissue surrounding your liver.

Pregnancy complications

If youre pregnant and your chlamydia is untreated, this increases your likelihood of problems like premature birth and a low-birth-weight baby. You may pass chlamydia on to your baby. Your baby may develop a lung infection or eye infection .

Other complications

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Does Discharge From Your Penis Mean You Have Chlamydia

Not necessarily the presence of a white, cloudy or watery discharge from the end of your penis is a symptom of chlamydia in men. However, discharge can also be a sign of other issues such as:

  • a urinary tract infection
  • genital herpes

In cases of chlamydia other symptoms which may occur alongside penile discharge include:

  • Pain when you pee
  • Burning or itching in the tube that carries urine out of your body
  • Painful testicles

If you have discharge it may be:

  • Watery
  • White
  • Yellow and pus like

No discharge doesnt mean no chlamydia it’s important to remember that most cases of chlamydia are symptom-free, particularly in men. If you’ve had unprotected sex, i.e. you didnt use a condom, there’s every possibility you could have caught chlamydia. You should get tested even if you have no symptoms, so you can be sure. If chlamydia is left untreated it can cause serious health complications, including some that could affect your fertility.

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What You Need to Know About Chlamydia

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How Is Chlamydia Transmitted

Sex without a condom or other barrier method and oral sex without a barrier method are the main ways a chlamydia infection can be transmitted.

Penetration doesnt have to occur to contract it. Touching genitals together may transmit the bacteria. It can also be contracted during anal sex.

Newborn babies can acquire chlamydia from their mother during birth. Most prenatal testing includes a chlamydia test, but it doesnt hurt to double-check with an OB-GYN during the first prenatal checkup.

A chlamydia infection in the eye can occur through oral or genital contact with the eyes, but this isnt common.

Its also possible to get a chlamydia infection in the anus. In this case, the main symptoms are often:

  • discharge
  • pain
  • bleeding from this area

Having oral sex with someone who has the infection raises the risk of getting chlamydia in the throat. Symptoms can include a sore throat, cough, or fever. Its also possible to carry bacteria in the throat and not know it.

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What Other Problems Can Chlamydia Cause

In women, an untreated infection can spread to your uterus and fallopian tubes, causing pelvic inflammatory disease . PID can cause permanent damage to your reproductive system. This can lead to long-term pelvic pain, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. Women who have had chlamydia infections more than once are at higher risk of serious reproductive health complications.

Men often dont have health problems from chlamydia. Sometimes it can infect the epididymis . This can cause pain, fever, and, rarely, infertility.

Both men and women can develop reactive arthritis because of a chlamydia infection. Reactive arthritis is a type of arthritis that happens as a reaction to an infection in the body.

Babies born to infected mothers can get eye infections and pneumonia from chlamydia. It may also make it more likely for your baby to be born too early.

Untreated chlamydia may also increase your chances of getting or giving HIV/AIDS.

What Should Someone Do If They Suspect They May Have Chlamydia Or Gonorrhea

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The first step is to get tested. Lifeline offers no-cost testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea in a friendly environment, free of judgment. The urine test is not painful, and results come in just a couple of days. We will inform you of the next steps if your test comes back positive. Lifeline is not a substitute for medical care. We advise that anyone who has been confirmed for an STI schedule a follow-up with their doctor. Its also recommended to avoid any sexual activity during treatment, as well as to inform any sexual partners so that they can get tested as well. To learn more about what to expect during an STI testing appointment at Lifeline, please visit our service page.

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Nucleic Acid Amplification Test

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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