Why Do I Keep Getting Chlamydia

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.

How Will I Know If The Chlamydia Has Affected My Fertility

Chlamydia is just one of many factors that can affect your fertility. Most people whove had chlamydia wont become infertile or have an ectopic pregnancy . If youve had chlamydia you wont normally be offered any routine tests to see if youre fertile unless you or a partner are having difficulty getting pregnant. If youre concerned, talk to your doctor or practice nurse.

How Can I Make Sure I Dont Give Anyone Chlamydia

If you find out that you have chlamydia, dont panic. Chlamydia is easily cured, and there are a few ways to make sure you dont spread it to other people.

• Tell your past and present sexual partners you have chlamydia, so they can get tested and treated too.

• Don’t have sex with ANYONE for 7 days from when you got or started treatment.

• Your sex partners should also be treated before they have sex with anyone, including you.

• Once youve finished your treatment and start having sex again, its still a good idea to use condoms every single time you have sex.

Telling someone you have chlamydia isnt anyones idea of a good time. But the infection is really, REALLY common and can be easily cured, so try not to be too embarrassed or stressed out about it. Once you get the conversation over with, you can both get treated and get on with your lives.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Chlamydia

Chlamydia doesn’t usually cause any symptoms. So you may not realize that you have it. People with chlamydia who have no symptoms can still pass the disease to others. If you do have symptoms, they may not appear until several weeks after you have sex with an infected partner.

Symptoms in women include

If the infection spreads, you might get lower abdominal pain, pain during sex, nausea, or fever.

Symptoms in men include

• A burning sensation when urinating
• Burning or itching around the opening of your penis
• Pain and swelling in one or both testicles

If the chlamydia infects the rectum , it can cause rectal pain, discharge, and/or bleeding.

Im Pregnant How Does Chlamydia Affect My Baby

If you are pregnant and have chlamydia, you can pass the infection to your baby during delivery. This could cause an eye infection or pneumonia in your newborn. Having chlamydia may also make it more likely to deliver your baby too early.

If you are pregnant, you should get tested for chlamydia at your first prenatal visit. Testing and treatment are the best ways to prevent health problems.

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What Problems Can Happen

If it’s not treated, chlamydia can lead to:

• in girls: pelvic inflammatory disease , which can damage the reproductive system, making it hard or impossible for a woman to get pregnant later on
• in guys: swelling in the testicles and tubes at the back of the testicles, possibly preventing a man from fathering kids later on
• joint problems

Chlamydia Infection May Have Long

For women, the long-term effects of an untreated chlamydia infection may include:

• Severe infection with pain and fever requiring a hospital stay
• Pelvic inflammatory disease, an infection of the upper reproductive tract
• Scarring in the reproductive tract that causes infertility
• Higher risk of ectopic pregnancy

Men are less likely than women to have major health problems linked to chlamydia, although they can develop epididymitis, an inflammation of a structure within the testicles called the epididymis that can result in infertility.

A chlamydia infection can sometimes result in reactive arthritis in both men and women.

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Chlamydia Symptoms & Treatment

FAST FACTS

• Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection that is normally passed on through sex without a condom or sharing sex toys with someone who has the infection.
• Using male or female condoms and dental dams during sex will help to protect you from getting chlamydia.
• Chlamydia is often symptomless however if left untreated it can lead to long-term health problems.
• Chlamydia is easily treated with antibiotics.
• Chlamydia can be passed on from mother to child during pregnancy, so its important for pregnant women to get tested.

Treatment Options For Recurrent Bv

To treat bacterial vaginosis, a medical provider will prescribe either an oral or vaginal suppository antibiotic. Both forms of antibiotic are effective at treating the infection. If youre age 26 and older, its easy to get the online treatment you need to fight your BV infection and feel better fast.

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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.

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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Can You Get Rid Of Chlamydia

Chlamydia can be cured with antibiotics. The best way to cure chlamydia and keep from infecting your partners, is to avoid sex for seven days, until the antibiotics have done their job. If you do end up having sex while the antibiotics are still working it is really important to use a condom or else it is likely the medicine you took wont work. If you got medication to take at home make sure you take all of the pills, even if you start to feel better otherwise the infection might not go away completely.

Bv Increases Risk Of Other Infections

BV is an infection and, if left untreated, it can make you more vulnerable to developing other types of infections that can negatively affect your sexual health. For example, BV has been linked to an increased risk of getting STIs like HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhea and may be associated with an increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease . For these reasons, if you have BV and especially recurrent BV its a good idea to regularly screen for STIs.

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Having Multiple Sexual Partners After Treatment

After treatment, did you engage in unprotected intercourse with multiple sexual partners?

If you did, its likely your new symptoms are due to chlamydia or other sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhea and trichomonas infection.

After chlamydia treatment, boosting your sexual health and minimizing the number of persons you have unprotected intercourse with, is vital to prevent reinfection.

More About Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

For women, one of the most serious complications from untreated chlamydia is pelvic inflammatory disease .

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 1020% of women with untreated chlamydia and gonorrhea infections may develop PID. And 1 in 8 women with a history of PID experience difficulties getting pregnant. PID can also cause ectopic pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain.

Like chlamydia, it is possible for a woman to have PID and not have any symptoms, or have symptoms too mild to notice, for an unknown period of time. If symptoms do occur, they could include:

• Dull pain or tenderness in the lower abdomen
• Burning or pain when you urinate
• Nausea and vomiting
• Increased or changed vaginal discharge
• Pain during sex

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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.

How Is It Treated

Antibiotics are used to treat chlamydia. It’s important to take all of the medicine as directed. Otherwise the medicine may not work. Both sex partners need treatment to keep from passing the infection back and forth.

As soon as you find out you have chlamydia, be sure to let your sex partners know. Experts recommend that you notify everyone you’ve had sex with in the past 2 months. If you have not had sex in the past 2 months, contact the last person you had sex with.

Having a chlamydia infection that was cured does not protect you from getting it again. If you are treated and your sex partner is not, you probably will get it again.

Some people who have chlamydia also have other STIs, such as gonorrhea.

Finding out that you have an STI may make you feel bad about yourself or about sex. Counseling or a support group may help you feel better.

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How Did I Get Chlamydia If I Didnt Cheat

Chlamydia cant be transmitted without sexual contact, so in some cases, a new chlamydial infection could mean that someone has been unfaithful in the relationship. But penetrative sex isnt a requirement for chlamydia to spread, and other types of intimate contact can also lead to this infection.

However, its also possible for your partner to have asymptomatic chlamydia and be completely unaware of it. In fact, most people with chlamydia will never develop any signs of the disease, but they can still pass it on to new partners and develop complications from a chronic infection. So if you develop new STD symptoms that are compatible with chlamydia but havent cheated, its possible that your partner has had an asymptomatic infection for some time and passed it on to you.

So how exactly can you get chlamydia? Lets find out.

Does Your Partner Need To Get Treated Too

If you have a sexual partner, or if youve recently had sex with someone, talk with them about your chlamydia diagnosis. Theyll need to get tested and treated, too.

If your sexual partner doesnt seek treatment, theres a risk that they can transmit it back to you, even after your infection has been cured.

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Can Chlamydia Come Back After Treatment Yesheres How

Medically reviewed by Rosanna Sutherby, PharmD on January 21, 2021. To give you technically accurate, evidence-based information, content published on the Everlywell blog is reviewed by credentialed professionals with expertise in medical and bioscience fields.

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease that can affect anyone whoâs sexually active. The good news is that you can check for chlamydia at home with a home chlamydia test, and the infection is easy to treat with a course of antibiotics. However, a chlamydia infection can come back if you engage in unprotected sex with an infected sexual partner. Read on for a look at some of the ways in which chlamydia can come back.

Can A Treated Std Come Back

Monique Rainford, MD, is board-certified in obstetrics-gynecology, and currently serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Yale Medicine. She is the former chief of obstetrics-gynecology at Yale Health.

Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis can all be treated, and often cured, with antibiotics. While it’s important that you find treatment for your STD, having your STD treated is not a guarantee that it will never come back. You have to use your medication as directed, and you also have to be careful about prevention so you won’t get re-infected.

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What Happens If Chlamydia Isn’t Treated

Only some people who have chlamydia will have complications. If chlamydia is treated early, its unlikely to cause any long-term problems. But, without proper treatment, the infection can spread to other parts of the body. The more times you have chlamydia the more likely you are to get complications.

• If you have a vulva, chlamydia can spread to other reproductive organs causing pelvic inflammatory disease . This can lead to long-term pelvic pain, blocked fallopian tubes, infertility and ectopic pregnancy .
• In people with a vulva, chlamydia can also cause pain and inflammation around the liver, though this is rare. This usually gets better with the correct antibiotic treatment.
• If you have a penis, chlamydia can lead to infection in the testicles. If this isnt treated, theres a possibility it could affect your fertility but more research is needed to understand how likely this is.
• Rarely, chlamydia can lead to inflammation of the joints. This is known as Sexually Acquired Reactive Arthritis and is sometimes accompanied by inflammation of the urethra and the eye. This is more likely to occur in people with a penis than people with a vulva.

How Do I Know If I Have A Uti Or Chlamydia

Urinary tract infections and chlamydia can also cause pain in the lower abdomen or pelvic region. The main symptom that chlamydia does not share with UTIs is penile or vaginal discharge. A chlamydial infection can cause a yellowish, strong-smelling vaginal discharge or a watery, milky penile discharge.

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How Will I Know If I Have Chlamydia

You can only be certain you have chlamydia if you have a test.

Anyone can get chlamydia. Youre more likely to have it if youre under 25, have a new sexual partner, or more than one sexual partner in the last year, and if you havent used condoms.

You should have a test if:

• you, or a partner, have or think you might have symptoms
• youve recently had sex without a condom with a new partner
• you, or a partner, have had sex without a condom with other partners
• during a vaginal examination, your doctor or nurse says that the cervix is inflamed and/or theres an unusual discharge
• a sexual partner tells you they have a sexually transmitted infection
• you have another STI.

If you live in England, and youre a woman who is under 25 and sexually active, its recommended that you have a chlamydia test when you change sexual partner and once a year.

If youre a man who is under 25 and sexually active, its recommended that you have a chlamydia test once a year if you are not using condoms with new or casual partners.

You could still have chlamydia even if a partner has tested negative. The only way to make sure you dont have chlamydia is to get tested yourself.

If you have chlamydia, youll be encouraged to be tested for other STIs as you can have more than one STI at the same time.

What Does Chlamydia Infection Mean For My Health

Chlamydia can be treated and cured easily, but that doesnt mean that chlamydia infection isnt potentially dangerous. If chlamydia isnt diagnosed and left untreated, it can cause serious complications.

Untreated chlamydia infections in women may lead to:

• Pelvic inflammatory disease , a serious infection of the reproductive organs . Left untreated, PID can cause infertility , chronic pelvic pain, or ectopic pregnancy.
• Cystitis
• A condition called mucopurulent cervicitis, characterized by a yellow discharge from the cervix

Untreated chlamydia in men may lead to:

• Prostatitis
• Scarring of the urethra
• Infertility
• Epididymitis

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How Do You Get Rid Of A Boil Overnight

The first thing you should do to help get rid of boils is apply a warm compress. Soak a washcloth in warm water and then press it gently against the boil for about 10 minutes. You can repeat this several times throughout the day. Just like with a warm compress, using a heating pad can help the boil start to drain.

How Do You Know If Chlamydia Is Gone After Treatment

If youve had treatment after testing and taking the right antibiotics, its always important to confirm chlamydia cure. You can wait till five weeks after medications and recheck for chlamydia to verify cure.

If you still test positive after five weeks, please let your health professional know right away

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How Do You Get Tested

There are several different reliable tests for chlamydia. Newer tests, called NAATs , are very accurate and easy to take. Your healthcare provider can explain what testing options are available . If you dont have a regular healthcare provider, you can search here for a clinic near you.

People infected with chlamydia are often also infected with gonorrhea, so patients with chlamydia are often treated for gonorrhea at the same time, since the cost of treatment is generally less than the cost of testing.

If you live in Alaska, Maryland, or Washington, D.C., you can have a free at-home chlamydia test. Visit iwantthekit.org for more information.