What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria; it is curable.
How is chlamydia spread?
Chlamydia can be passed on through bodily fluids, which can be spread during oral, vaginal and anal sex.
What are the symptoms of chlamydia?
Chlamydia is known as “silent” because 75% of women and 50% of men who are infected have NO symptoms. This is why it is really important to get routine STI testing and always use condoms. If there are symptoms, they usually appear within 1-3 weeks. In men, some of the symptoms can be discharge from the penis or a burning sensation when urinating. There can also be burning or itching around the opening of the penis. For females, some symptoms can be abnormal vaginal discharge or a burning sensation when urinating. Also, there might be lower abdominal pain, nausea, fever, pain during sexual intercourse, or bleeding between menstrual periods. Some of these symptoms may be due to another condition or illness so it is important to see your doctor.
How can chlamydia be diagnosed?
A doctor can test for chlamydia by taking a urine sample or by taking a sample from the infected area with a swab (like a Q-Tip). Make an appointment with your doctor to be tested; make STI and HIV testing part of your annual physical or GYN exam.
Is chlamydia curable and/or treatable?
Since chlamydia is a bacterial STI it can be treated and cured with antibiotics. After the medication is taken as directed it is important to follow up in about a month with an appointment to be re-tested to make sure it is cured.
What can happen if chlamydia isn’t treated?
If chlamydia is not treated, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which is an infection of the female reproductive organs. This infection can lead to infertility or ectopic pregnancy in women. Untreated gonorrhea can also lead to infertility in men. This means they may not be able (or it might be difficult) to get pregnant or get a woman pregnant. This is why it’s really important for men and women to get tested and treated for STIs and to use condoms.
How can chlamydia be prevented?
The surest way to prevent contracting an STI is to avoid any sexual contact (genital-to-genital or mouth-to-genital). Using latex or polyurethane condoms and dental dams for oral, anal and vaginal sex reduces the risk of getting chlamydia. It is important to use a condom or dental dam from the very beginning of sexual contact (not just before ejaculation) because chlamydia can be spread any time fluids from an infected person are passed to a partner.
How can you and your partner stay healthy together?
It is important to avoid any sexual contact while being treated for chlamydia with antibiotics. It’s a good idea for partners to be tested and treated as well; otherwise couples can pass it back and forth to each other.