Chlamydia
What is chlamydia?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Chlamydia is a sexually transmittable disease caused by the baterium Chlamydia trachomatis that can affect both sexes. This particular disease is especially dangerous for women because it can severely damage their reproductive systems. This being said, the disease can render the task of getting pregnant hard or nearly impossible. Chlamydia can also make pregnancies occur outside the womb, which is fatal.
How can i contract chlamydia?
A person can catch chlamydia by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who already has chlamydia, even if their symptoms are not visible. It can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby during childbirth. The bacteria from the infected person comes into contact with the mucous inside the mouth, the vagina or the rectum.
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What are the Symptoms?
Most individuals who are infected with Chlamydia do not notice it. More precisely, according to the Sexually Transmitted Disease Guide-2, 2/3 of women and ½ of men have imperceptible symptoms. Indeed, it is no easy to tell if you are infected by Chlamydia because it often causes no symptoms. If they do develop, it may appear one to three weeks after exposure.
Symptoms in women :
Symptoms in men :
When men and women are infected with Chlamydia in their rectum, they can have some rectal pain, discharge and bleeding. Those infected through oral sex may get a throat infection. Symptoms like painful swallowing, cough or fever may appear. Also, if you or your partner notices any of these symptoms, it is imperative to be examined by your doctor in order to be treated. Otherwise, several health problems may occur.
Symptoms in women :
- Abnormal and sometimes smelly vaginal discharge
- Painful urination
- Bleeding between periods
- Itching/burning in or around the vagina
- Pain during sexual intercourse
Symptoms in men :
- Small amount of discharge from the tip of the penis
- Burning and painful sensation when urinating
- Itching/burning sensation around the opening of the penis
- Pain and swelling around the testicles
When men and women are infected with Chlamydia in their rectum, they can have some rectal pain, discharge and bleeding. Those infected through oral sex may get a throat infection. Symptoms like painful swallowing, cough or fever may appear. Also, if you or your partner notices any of these symptoms, it is imperative to be examined by your doctor in order to be treated. Otherwise, several health problems may occur.
is there a cure for chlamydia?
Since Chlamydia is a bacterial infection, it can easily be treated with antibiotics. The treatment takes two weeks at most. It is important to avoid unprotected sexual activities to prevent from re-infection. Many people tend to end their treatment before time because they think the infection is gone. It is very important to complete the full treatment as directed by the physician or else there can be a relapse of the infection.Remember, you can get chlamydia more than once.
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The antibiotics:
Amoxicillin, azithromycin, doxycycline, erythromycin, levofloxacin, ofloxacin, etc.
Are they effective?
The amount of days the treatment will last depends on the severity of the illness and the type of antibiotic used. For example, Azithromycin and doxycycline cure chlamydia in up to 95 out of 100 cases. There are some people who can’t take these specific pills but they can take other pills. The type of pill is to be determined and prescribed by the physician.
What will happen when I get tested ? There are laboratory tests to diagnose STIs like Chlamydia.
1) Swab method: A cotton swab can be use to test for Chlamydia. For men, the swab is taken of the urethra (the tube that leads the urine from the bladder to outside of the body). For women we get the sample from the vagina, more precisely the cervix (the lower part of the uterus).
2) Urine test: Urine sample can also diagnose Chlamydia. However, for women it is less effective and the swab test is recommended.
Amoxicillin, azithromycin, doxycycline, erythromycin, levofloxacin, ofloxacin, etc.
Are they effective?
The amount of days the treatment will last depends on the severity of the illness and the type of antibiotic used. For example, Azithromycin and doxycycline cure chlamydia in up to 95 out of 100 cases. There are some people who can’t take these specific pills but they can take other pills. The type of pill is to be determined and prescribed by the physician.
What will happen when I get tested ? There are laboratory tests to diagnose STIs like Chlamydia.
1) Swab method: A cotton swab can be use to test for Chlamydia. For men, the swab is taken of the urethra (the tube that leads the urine from the bladder to outside of the body). For women we get the sample from the vagina, more precisely the cervix (the lower part of the uterus).
2) Urine test: Urine sample can also diagnose Chlamydia. However, for women it is less effective and the swab test is recommended.
how Can i minimize my risk?
According to the Government of Canada, the following suggestions can help you minimizing your risk of contracting and transmitting chlamydia.
- Learn about safer sex methods
- Use correctly and consistently protection such as male condoms or internal/external female condoms during vaginal, anal or oral sex
- Get tested for chlamydia and other STIs if you are sexually active and have symptoms
- If you are diagnosed for chlamydia: follow your treatment, avoid unprotected sexual activities and inform you partner(s).
Common questions asked about chlamydia
What happens if I don’t complete my treatment the way my physician directed me to or if i don’t treat my chlamydia on time?
The answer is simple, it can lead to complications as the infection spreads towards other members and areas around the body. In women, this can mean that is can cause difficulty in getting pregnant, ectopic pregnancies, and pelvic inflammatory disease (also known as PIV). In men , complications can include infections in the testicles and the epididymis which can cause infertility and inflammation of the prostate. In both men and women, the untreated infection can cause reactive arthritis which can include skin, eye, and joint problems.
The answer is simple, it can lead to complications as the infection spreads towards other members and areas around the body. In women, this can mean that is can cause difficulty in getting pregnant, ectopic pregnancies, and pelvic inflammatory disease (also known as PIV). In men , complications can include infections in the testicles and the epididymis which can cause infertility and inflammation of the prostate. In both men and women, the untreated infection can cause reactive arthritis which can include skin, eye, and joint problems.
Most women who are on birth control pills wonder if their pills will still work effectively if they take antibiotics.
The answer is not quite. Birth control pills will not work as effectively whilst taking antibiotics.4 If treatment includes antibiotics, the best thing to do is to keep on taking birth control pills and to use a condom as a second form of birth control until the next period after completing the antibiotic treatment.
The answer is not quite. Birth control pills will not work as effectively whilst taking antibiotics.4 If treatment includes antibiotics, the best thing to do is to keep on taking birth control pills and to use a condom as a second form of birth control until the next period after completing the antibiotic treatment.
Did you know?
Although the indection is common in both men and women, the disease mostly affects younger women. Between the years of 2001 and 2010, the rate of the infection increased for both men and women (91% from 99.2 to 189.5 per 100,000 in men and 64% from 221.9 to 363.8 per 100,000 in women) . In 2010, it was mostly younger women aged between the year of 20 and 24 who reported the highest rate of chlamydia. The rate was around 2,005.5 cases per 100,000 people which is more than seven times the overall national rate of 277.6 cases per 100,000 people and more than five times the overall rate for females which is of 363.8 cases per 100,000 people.
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/cphorsphc-respcacsp/2013/sti-its-eng.php