What Medication Is Given For Chlamydia

How Is It Treated

Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics. It is important that you take all the pills you are given. You may be given pills for seven to 10 days or you may be given pills for just one day.

• if you could be pregnant please tell the nurse or doctor so you are given the correct antibiotics
• tell the nurse or doctor if you are allergic to any antibiotics
• it is best to have another test 3 months after treatment to check you have not got chlamydia again.

What You Need To Know About Azithromycin For Chlamydia Treatment

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in America.

In fact, in 2018, four million infections occurred in the U.S. However, many cases may go unreported because people with chlamydia are often asymptomatic and therefore dont know they have an infection.

Because chlamydia can go undetected, regular testing is extremely important in both fighting the spread of the infection and in treating it.

If you happen to test positive, the good news is, the vast majority of chlamydia cases can be cured easily with antibiotics such as azithromycin.

In this article, Ill explain if azithromycin treats chlamydia, who can take this antibiotic, the best dosage to treat chlamydia, and how to take it.

Then Ill break down how azithromycin compares with another antibiotic, doxycycline, for treating chlamydia.

Finally, Ill share everything you need to know about being tested for chlamydia.

How Much Does Azithromycin Cost

Azithromycin is available as a generic medication and may be significantly cheaper compared to the brand version. Unless there is a specific reason you need the brand, the generic medication will be a better value. For even more savings, use a GoodRx coupon and pay just a fraction of the retail price.

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What Are Common Side Effects Of Chlamydia Medication

Since antibiotics are the exclusive treatment for chlamydia, side effects tend to be pretty similar for those that experience them. However, this is not a full list and you should discuss any possible side effects with your healthcare professional.

Some of the most common side effects of chlamydia medication include:

Management Of Sex Partners

Sex partners should be referred for evaluation, testing, and presumptive treatment if they had sexual contact with the partner during the 60 days preceding the patients onset of symptoms or chlamydia diagnosis. Although the exposure intervals defining identification of sex partners at risk are based on limited data, the most recent sex partner should be evaluated and treated, even if the time of the last sexual contact was > 60 days before symptom onset or diagnosis.

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Complementary And Alternative Medicine

If you have a viral STD, talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist before taking any herbal medicines or nutritional supplements to ensure doing so is safe given any other medications you may be taking.

There are a few complementary treatments that are being explored for the treatment of certain viral STDs:

• Herpes: Propolis, a sticky substance bees produce from tree sap, is found to speed the healing of herpes lesions. Algae extract is being studied as a possible herpes treatment. Some people also find relief of herpes pain from acupuncture.
• HIV/AIDS:Medical marijuana may help with pain, reduce nausea, and stimulate your appetite. Yoga and meditation can help ease pain, as well as alleviate feelings of stress and depression that often come with an HIV diagnosis.

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Treating Toddlers And Children

Chlamydia in toddlers and children may occur as a result of sexual abuse and should be investigated. With that said, chlamydia transmitted during childbirth can sometimes take up to three years before symptoms develop in the childâs throat, rectum, or genitals.

If chlamydia is confirmed, either erythromycin, azithromycin, or doxycycline may be used depending on the childâs age and/or weight.

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Summary Of The Evidence

There is no evidence relating to patient values and preferences but the Guideline Development Group agreed that there is probably no variability in the values people place on the outcomes. Research related to other conditions indicates that adherence may be improved with simpler medication regimens. The GDG therefore agreed that azithromycin may be more acceptable to patients since it is a single dose regimen . There is little to no evidence for equity issues and feasibility. Resistance in other infections that often co-occur with chlamydia may restrict the use of some medicines, such as ofloxacin. For many of these medicines, costs may differ between countries in places with high incidence of chlamydia, the cost differences between azithromycin and doxycycline may be large due to greater numbers of people requiring treatment.

In summary, there was moderate quality evidence for trivial differences in benefits and harms between azithromycin and doxycycline, and although the cost of azithromycin is higher, the single dose may make it more convenient to use than doxycycline. While the differences are also trivial with the other medicines, the evidence is low quality and these are therefore provided as alternatives, with the exception of delayed-release doxycycline, which is currently expensive.

See for list of references of reviewed evidence, and for details of the evidence reviewed, including evidence profiles and evidence-to-decision frameworks .

What Do I Need To Know If I Get Treated For Gonorrhea

If youre getting treated for gonorrhea:

• Take all of your medicine the way your doctor tells you to, even if your symptoms go away sooner. The infection stays in your body until you totally finish the antibiotics.

• Your partner should also get treated for gonorrhea so you dont re-infect each other or anyone else.

• Dont have sex for 7 days. If you only have 1 dose of medication, wait until a week after you take it to have sex. If youre taking medicine for 7 days, dont have sex until youve finished all of your pills.

• Get tested again in 3 months to make sure your infection is gone.

• Dont share your medicine with anyone. Your doctor may give you a separate dose of antibiotics for your partner. Make sure you both take all of the medicine you get.

• If you still have symptoms after you finish your treatment, call your doctor.

• Even if you finish your treatment and the gonorrhea is totally gone, its possible to get infected with gonorrhea again. Gonorrhea isnt a one-time-only deal. So use condoms and get tested regularly.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Chlamydia

Many people with chlamydia dont have any symptoms. If you do get symptoms, you may not notice them until several weeks after infection. Other people might not have any symptoms for several months.

Signs of chlamydia in women include:

• increase in vaginal discharge
• pain or burning when urinating
• pain during sex and/or bleeding after sex
• pain in the lower stomach especially when having sex
• bleeding between periods and/or heavier periods.

Signs of chlamydia in men include:

• pain or burning when urinating
• pain and/or swelling in the testicles.

Milly DawsonSanjai Sinha, MDShutterstock

Chlamydia is easy to cure. If you test positive for chlamydia, basically you take an antibiotic, says Jill Rabin, MD, cochief in the division of ambulatory care for womens health programs and prenatal care assistance program services for Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, New York.

Your partner must take an antibiotic, too, to keep them from reinfecting you, she says.

You have to have your partner treated, and if you have more than one partner, they should all be treated, says Dr. Rabin, regardless of your partners genders.

Even if you dont have chlamydia now, its wise to learn how to protect yourself so you wont develop this common infection in the first place. In women, chlamydia can create serious health problems, including infertility. Besides, no one ever wants to have a sexually transmitted disease and then have to tell other people about it.

How Does Evidence Fit With Biological Understanding

Chlamydial and gonococcal infections are often asymptomatic in women. Untreated infections may progress to PID-related complications such as chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, or infertility. Infections may also be transmitted to sex partners and newborn children. Accurate screening tests and effective antibiotic treatments are available for chlamydia and gonorrhea.

In men, gonococcal infections are more commonly symptomatic compared with women. Serious complications from infection are less common in men.

Studies on assessing risk and for whom screening may be most effective are a high priority.

The CDC recommends annual chlamydia and gonorrhea testing in all sexually active women younger than 25 years and in older women at increased risk of infection . It also recommends screening for both infections in pregnant women younger than 25 years and in older pregnant women at increased risk for infection during their first prenatal visit and again during their third trimester if risk remains high.16

The American Academy of Family Physicians follows the 2014 USPSTF chlamydia and gonorrhea screening recommendations.58 The American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations align with the CDC guidelines.59

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How To Prevent Gonorrhea

Unfortunately, there are no drugs or vaccines that prevent gonorrhea. The best way to avoid gonorrhea is by employing safe sex practices, including the use of condoms. Getting a gonorrhea Infection does not protect you against future infections.

Gonorrhea is a common STI that is treatable. However, if you wait too long to get treatment, you run the risk of having serious complications, like scarring, PID, and possible future fertility issues. Know your STI status and encourage your sexual partner to do the same. Practicing safe sexual practices is the only way to prevent the transmission of gonorrhea.

Chlamydia Treatment And Prevention

Milly DawsonSanjai Sinha, MDShutterstock

Chlamydia is easy to cure. If you test positive for chlamydia, basically you take an antibiotic, says Jill Rabin, MD, cochief in the division of ambulatory care for women’s health programs and prenatal care assistance program services for Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, New York.

Your partner must take an antibiotic, too, to keep them from reinfecting you, she says.

You have to have your partner treated, and if you have more than one partner, they should all be treated, says Dr. Rabin, regardless of your partners genders.

Even if you dont have chlamydia now, its wise to learn how to protect yourself so you wont develop this common infection in the first place. In women, chlamydia can create serious health problems, including infertility. Besides, no one ever wants to have a sexually transmitted disease and then have to tell other people about it.

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Sex Partners Need Treatment Too

If you are diagnosed with chlamydia, you will need to tell all of your sexual partners, because they will need the same treatment you are receiving.

In most states, a doctor or other healthcare provider can give you the medicine that your partner or partners will need to take. Then you can deliver it to those partners. This practice is called expedited partner therapy or patient delivered partner therapy.

These options can help a lot if your partner doesnt have a healthcare provider or feels embarrassed about seeking care, says Dr. Dombrowski.

Its natural to feel nervous or upset about having to tell your partner or partners about having an STD. Your healthcare provider can help with this problem. They may even rehearse the conversation with you, says Dombrowksi.

Learning about chlamydia and seeking advice from a healthcare provider about how to discuss it with your partner can help you handle the conversation with less anxiety and more confidence.

Remember, chlamydia is not just common: It is the most common infection reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . You are being helpful, mature, and responsible by telling your partners.

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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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Put Sex On Hold During And After Chlamydia Treatment

If you were given a single dose of antibiotics to treat your chlamydia, you should not have any kind of sex for a full seven days after the day you took the medicine. If youre taking antibiotics for a week, wait another seven days after the last day of your treatment. Be sure to take all of the medicine that is prescribed for you.

Not having sex for seven days after treatment is important so you dont spread the infection to your partner or partners.

Medication stops the infection and can keep you from spreading the disease, but it wont cure any permanent damage that the infection caused before you started treatment. In women, such damage can include blocking the fallopian tubes, causing infertility.

If you still have symptoms for more than a few days after you stop taking your medicine, go back to see your doctor or other healthcare provider so they can check you again.

How Does Genital Herpes Spread

Herpes can be spread when an infected person has lesions blisters and open sores on their body or when you do not have any symptoms. Taking antiviral medicine can help you reduce the risk of spreading genital herpes to your sexual partners. You can also:

• Inform your sexual partner that you have genital herpes.
• Use a condom every time you have sex.
• Refrain from having sex when you have symptoms.
• Abstain from performing oral sex if you have blisters or open sores around your mouth.

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What If I Forget To Take It

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember, unless its nearly time for your next dose. In this case, just leave out the missed dose and take your next dose as normal.

Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one.

If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to remember your medicines.

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

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What Are The Side Effects Of Chlamydia Treatment

While doxycycline is an effective treatment for chlamydia, some people may have side effects when taking this chlamydia treatment.

Some common doxycycline side effects may include:

• increased sensitivity to light
• nausea or being sick

• joint or muscle pain

If you have any side effects when taking doxycycline, tell your doctor as soon as possible.

The full list of doxycycline side effects and cautions can be found in the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine package.

When taking doxycycline, you should avoid drinking alcohol as it reduces doxycyclines effectiveness. You should also avoid sunlight as increased sensitivity to light has been reported as a side effect of doxycycline.

You should stop taking doxycycline and seek immediate medical attention if you develop any of the following rare but severe side effects, or symptoms of an allergic reaction:

• Ringing in your ear
• Fever, swollen lymph nodes or skin rash
• Symptoms of an allergic reaction such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest pain, swollen face, lips, mouth, hand or feet

Why Early Treatment Is Needed

Chlamydia treatment should be started promptly. Studies suggest that delayed treatment can increase the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease , which can lead to infertility. Early treatment also reduces the risk of passing the infection to others.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the antibiotic doxycycline is the drug of choice for adults and adolescents with chlamydia. If doxycycline cannot be used, the antibiotics azithromycin or levofloxacin may be prescribed.

All of these antibiotics are taken by mouth. The recommended dose and duration of treatment vary by the antibiotic type.

Treatment with azithromycin may seem easier since itâs only one dose. However, the treatment failure rate in males is higher when compared to doxycycline. It may also be less effective in treating chlamydia in the rectum, mouth, or throat.

While levofloxacin is an effective treatment, it is a far more costly drug.

There are no specific follow-up recommendations after the completion of treatment. If you continue to have symptoms, however, see your healthcare provider.

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