Rules For Successful Treatment
The patient should make sure that the doctor is informed if the patient is pregnant or has any allergies. These conditions influence the choice of the medicine prescribed. No matter which antibiotic the patient takes treating chlamydia the following points should be remembered:
- The treatment of all partners on the infected person is obligatory
- Abstain from sex contacts during the treatment and until the negative result on chlamydia test is received
- It is unadvisable to interrupt the course of antibiotics treatment as it will result in the necessity to start again from the beginning. Although the symptoms may disappear, the infection may still remain in the body
- It is necessary to get tested after 34 months after the end of the treatment to make sure the infection is no longer in the body.
Chlamydia In Women: A Complete Guide
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.
Can It Cause Long
While chlamydia is often easy to treat when caught early, it can when left untreated cause some complications. For women, these could include Pelvic Inflammatory Disease which can damage the cervix, uterus and ovaries, affect fertility long-term. It can be painful, and an estimated 10-15% of women with untreated chlamydia develop Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.
If you have chlamydia during pregnancy, the infection can be passed on to newborns during birth and can cause possible eye infections or pneumonia in newborns, so if you suspect you have symptoms of chlamydia, speak to your GP.
Other possible complications include inflammation of the neck of the womb , inflammation of the fallopian tubes , infection of the urethra , and conjunctivitis if passed on through the eye. All in all, if you are concerned that you may have chlamydia, better safe than sorry get checked out.
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What Does A Chlamydia Infection Look Like
Although few, some of the visible signs of chlamydia in females include:
- Cervical inflammation and bleeding: the infection can cause inflammation at the cervix and make the outer portion of the cervix look red, a condition called cervicitis. This would only be visible if a health care provider examines you.
- Discharge: some of the signs you have chlamydia also includes a change in vaginal discharge. Youll notice more discharge than usual, and it may be yellowish or even bloodstained, that may have an odor.
- Swelling during a pelvic exam: sometimes, during your pelvic exam, your doctor might discover tenderness within the pelvis, especially on touching the cervix. They may also detect swelling of the tubes and ovaries.
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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Whats The Worst That Could Happen
For women, a chlamydia infection can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease , an infection of parts of the reproductive system like the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. That means if you have chlamydia and you dont get it treated, you might not be able to have babies if and when you want to. PID can also lead to problems like chronic pelvic pain or ectopic pregnancy.
In men, untreated chlamydia may spread to the testicles, causing pain, and in rare cases, infertility.
Chlamydia infection also increases your likelihood of getting HIV. Pregnant women who have chlamydia can pass it on to their babies during birth, which could cause blindness or lung damage.
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Preventing The Spread Of Infection
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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When To See A Doctor
If left untreated, throat chlamydia can result in significant health complications.
If you have strep throat-like symptoms after giving oral sex, seek medical care right away, epsecially if youre pregnant.
A healthcare provider can test you for chlamydia and other STIs and also rule out other infections.
Who To Test For Chlamydia
Anyone with the following genital symptoms should not have sex until they see a healthcare provider:
- A burning sensation when peeing
- Unusual sores, or a rash
Because chlamydia usually has no symptoms, screening is necessary to identify most infections. Screening programs can reduce rates of adverse sequelae in women.31,41 CDC recommends yearly chlamydia screening of all sexually active women younger than 25. CDC also recommends screening for older women with risk factors, such as new or multiple partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted infection.40 Screen and treat those who are pregnant as noted in How does chlamydia affect a pregnant person and their baby? Women who are sexually active should discuss their risk factors with a healthcare provider to determine if more frequent screening is necessary.
Routine screening is not necessary for men. However, consider screening sexually active young men in clinical settings with a high prevalence of chlamydia. This can include adolescent clinics, correctional facilities, and STD clinics. Consider this when resources permit and do not hinder screening efforts in women.40
At the initial HIV care visit, providers should test all sexually active people for chlamydia. Test at least each year during HIV care. A patients healthcare provider might determine more frequent screening is necessary, based on the patients risk factors.42
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Oral Herpes Can Cause Sores Or Blisters Around The Mouth
HSV-1 is a common cause of oral herpes, which can lead to cold sores or fever blisters around the mouth. Most people with oral herpes do not have any symptoms, according to the CDC. Children and young adults typically get the infection from nonsexual contact with saliva. Oral herpes caused by HSV-1 can also spread from the mouth to the genitals through oral sex, causing genital herpes.
Fifty percent to 80 percent of U.S. adults have oral herpes, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Once you are infected with oral herpes, you will have the virus for the rest of your life. While some people never develop any symptoms, others will have recurrent outbreaks.
The first outbreak of oral herpes is usually the worst. In addition to sores on and around the lips and throughout the mouth, it may cause severe flu-like symptoms, including swollen lymph nodes and a headache, per Johns Hopkins. However, some people have no symptoms at all.
Some people with oral herpes never have any additional outbreaks after the initial one. If they do, the recurring infections are usually much milder, and the sores typically appear on the edges of the lips. Recurrent outbreaks are more common in the first year after the first outbreak of oral herpes.
The most common signs and symptoms of a recurring oral herpes infection include:
Treatments for oral herpes include:
Chlamydia Symptoms In Women:
- testicular pain and/or swelling
Depending on the localization of the infection, women, men and children may experience inflamed rectum, urethra or eyelids. The symptoms of mouth and throat infections are rare although a person can suffer a sore throat. Eyes infected with chlamydia can be itchy, swelled, cause painful sensations or produce discharge similar to conjunctivitis. Infection in the rectum results in bleeding, chlamydia discharge and pain.
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What Kinds Of Discharge Can Be Caused By Stis
Discharge is completely natural and can be many different colours and textures. For example, women may regularly have white or clear discharge. If you are experiencing unusual amounts or colours of discharge, there may be something going on. Does your discharge have a yellow, green, brown colour or does it smell unpleasant? Then it is possible that you have an STI or other health condition .
What Does Chlamydia Look Like
What Is Chlamydia?
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease that is commonly curable. The cervix in women can get afflicted, and in both men and women, the urethra and rectum can become infected. Other parts of the body can get affected as well these include the throat, eyes, and rectum. Chlamydia is contracted primarily through sexual activity. Since this disease causes no symptoms, it is often known as a silent disease.
Each year, more than 90 million cases of Chlamydia are reported, and more than half of the cases occur in women. Among teens and young adults, the infection rate is the highest. Most of the men and women infected with chlamydia do not notice any symptoms, and thus the disease tends to be left untreated and may also be easily spread from one partner to another. Without simple antibiotics, chlamydia can easily spread or cause serious complications in the reproductive system, such as infertility.
Usually, no symptoms are experienced by people with chlamydia it is only between one and three weeks after having unprotected sex with an infected person that the symptoms appear. In some people, they may not develop for many months. After a few days, the symptoms may sometimes disappear. However, you may still have the infection even if the symptoms develop and you are able to pass the condition.
In at least 70 percent of women with chlamydia, no symptoms are noticed. However, the most common symptoms that may appear include:
What Chlamydia Looks Like
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Get Tested For Stis/stds At Gohealth Urgent Care
If you or your partner show any signs of chlamydia or any STI, you should get tested right away, especially if youre pregnant.
If youre sexually active, you should schedule regular STD/STI checks. Women under 25 are especially vulnerable to chlamydia, so its important for them to get checked annually at their well-woman visit. Pregnant women should be tested for chlamydia regardless of their sexual history.
Testing is especially important if youve had unprotected sex or if youre sexually active and not in a mutually monogamous relationship. You may not experience any symptoms of an STD/STI, but getting tested can catch a silent infection before it impacts your health.
At GoHealth Urgent Care, STD/STI testing includes a physical exam, as well as blood and urine tests. In some cases, the doctor will use a swab to collect a sample from the affected area.
If you need to get checked for chlamydia or any other STD/STI, come see the experts at GoHealth Urgent Care. You can walk in without an appointment, or you can check in online. Well have you back to feeling better in no time.
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.
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How Do You Catch Chlamydia
You can get chlamydia through:
- Unprotected oral sex and sex without a condom. You dont even have to experience penetration to get it as you can transmit the bacteria by only touching genitals together.
- Sharing sex toys.
- Infected mothers who have the infection might transfer it to their newborn baby during birth. For this reason, all expecting mothers should double-check for chlamydia with their OB-GYN.
You cant catch chlamydia through kissing, hugging, sharing baths, towels, swimming pools, toilet seats, or cutlery.
Can I Compare Pictures Of Chlamydia With My Own Body
This isnt a good way to tell if you have chlamydia although it may be tempting to look at pictures of chlamydia on the internet and compare this to any symptoms you are suffering or clinical signs you may have, this is not recommended because:
- Most people with chlamydia have no symptoms or signs
- There are a variety of symptoms of signs that may well not be due to chlamydia
- If you guess you have chlamydia, and get it wrong, you may well be missing another serious infection or medical condition
- The internet does not always give accurate information
- You cannot visualise your own genitalia properly
What if I compare pictures and I think they match? if you have any concerns you may have chlamydia you are strongly advised to have a chlamydia test. Remember even if you compare yourself with pictures and dont see matching symptoms, you could still have chlamydia without visible symptoms. This is very common.
What if I dont want to get tested? there is no good alternative. Chlamydia is a common infection, and it is easy to have a test and be treated if it is positive. Doctors and nurses are trained to deal with these issues, and they will do their best to put you at ease.
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Chlamydia Discharge In Women
If you notice a change in appearance of discharge, or more discharge than usual, chlamydia is a possibility. Chlamydia presents as a yellow discharge in women however, the colour and consistency can also appear thick and milky. Chlamydia discharge usually has a strong odour. Women with chlamydia symptoms often have pelvic pain, bleeding, burning, as well as vaginal discharge. The key is to look out for a change in colour, frequency, smell and consistency of discharge.
At least 70% of women with chlamydia do not notice any symptoms. If symptoms do present, they may not appear until several weeks after sex with an infected partner. Even when chlamydia causes no symptoms, it can still cause serious health conditions. If chlamydia is left untreated, it can spread to the womb and cause pelvic inflammatory disease . This is a serious condition which can cause of ectopic pregnancy and infertility in women.
Chlamydia is often referred to as a silent STI. This is because asymptomatic individuals who engage in unprotected sexual intercourse are likely to pass the infection on unknowingly.
The NHS recommends that sexually active women who are under 25 should have a chlamydia test once a year, and when they have a new sexual partner. If you have chlamydia, it can usually easily be treated with antibiotics.
Chlamydia is transmitted primarily through sexual activity. The following are the most common ways:
How To Get Rid Of Chlamydia
Once a person is diagnosed with chlamydia, the person, along with their sexual partner, is treated with antibiotics. It is very important to treat ones sexual partners, even if neither show any signs of the disease, nor test positive in medical tests. But such treatments help avoid re-infections, which could occur depending on ones sexual activities.
The treatments help overcome the minor or major symptoms relating to the infection and also help eliminate the disease.
The various antibiotics are highly effective in treating and eliminating chlamydia infections. Some of the most useful antibiotics are Doxycycline, Azithromycin, Erythromycin, Levofloxacin, and Ofloxacin.
The doctor can prescribe antibiotics, to be taken for a period of one to two weeks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , a higher dose of azithromycin taken as a part of treatment can be highly effective.
The treatments are powerful and can resolve the infection in as little as one to two weeks. But the patient should not indulge in sexual activity for at least one week after completing the course to avoid re-infection.
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Std And Chlamydia Discharge Color
If you have an STD or Chlamydia, then you may notice a significant change in your discharge compared to what youre used to experiencing.
Again, it can differ from person to person, but if you notice a change get in touch with a healthcare professional as soon as possible.
A very telling sign that you are experiencing an STD or Chlamydia would be a change in color which in this case would be yellow.