Chlamydia: Symptoms and Treatment
Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the country. It spreads quickly by the Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria and is common largely because most people with the disease don’t even realize they have it. Because of this, your doctor may screen you for the condition if you’re in a high-risk group.
Risk Factors for Chlamydia
There are a few different risk factors that may indicate your likelihood of developing the disease. For starters, both men and women can develop chlamydia, though it affects both genders differently and women are usually at a higher risk. In most cases, you’re more likely to contract the illness other STIs if you have more than one sexual partner. Additionally, younger women are at a particularly high risk of developing the disease because their cervical cells are immature and more prone to infection.
Causes of Chlamydia
The bacteria that causes chlamydia may transmit from person to person during vaginal, anal, or oral sex and spreads via vaginal fluids or semen. It’s also important to note that these fluids may infect the throat and eyes, along with the cervix, vagina, penis, anus, and urethra.
Symptoms of Chlamydia
Chlamydia is one of those conditions that don’t always present symptoms, and many chlamydia symptoms are similar to symptoms of gonorrhea because they’re both bacterial infections. In most cases, symptoms appear between one and 14 days following exposure to the bacteria that causes to disease, and symptoms vary between men and women. For example, men may experience the following symptoms:
- Yellow or white urethral discharge
- Anal discharge, pain, bleeding
- Light sensitivity or eye pain
- Frequent or painful urination
- Testicular pain or pain in the scrotum
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Sore throat
For women, symptoms may include the following:
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Anal pain, bleeding, discharge, or pain
- Green or yellow vaginal discharge
- Swelling around the vulva
- Bleeding between periods
- Heavier-than-normal periods
- Bleeding after intercourse
- Frequent or painful urination
- Inflamed eyes
- Sore throat
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
Diagnosis of Chlamydia
If you think you may have chlamydia, schedule a visit with your doctor. To obtain proper treatment, you need a proper diagnosis. During your checkup, your doctor will perform a physical exam and run through any symptoms you may have. If you frequently have oral and/or anal intercourse, your doctor may also use swabs to collect samples from your rectum or throat.
Treatment of Chlamydia
Fortunately, if you’re diagnosed with chlamydia, the condition is simple to treat. Because it’s a bacterial infection, antibiotics are commonly prescribed, including azithromycin and doxycycline. Your doctor may also prescribe additional antibiotics depending on the severity of your condition. No matter what antibiotic you’re prescribed, however, it’s important to follow the dosage instructions to ensure your infection clears up completely.
In most cases, the infection clears up within two weeks. During that time, you should refrain from sexual intercourse.
Prognosis of Chlamydia
If diagnosed early enough, chlamydia is easy to treat. However, it’s also important to note that even if you’ve successfully treated a chlamydia infection, you can still become infected again if you’re exposed to the bacteria again.
Complications of Chlamydia
Complications related to chlamydia vary depending on your gender. For example, if left untreated, men may experience more serious medical conditions, including epididymitis and swollen testicles. If left untreated, the illness may also cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women, which may result in the formation of scar tissue. Scar tissue may lead to blocks in fallopian tubes, infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic abdominal or pelvic pain.
