Chlamydia 101

chylmadia

I have a ton of friends who have gotten Chlamydia. But once again, I had little to no knowledge of it besides knowing that it is easily curable with antibiotics. I know these articles aren’t the most “fun” to read. They’re definitely not guides on how to give a blow-job or the best position for an orgasm. But it’s really important to know the positives and negatives that comes along with having sex. And although extremely common, Chlamydia left untreated can be very dangerous. So know your facts, which I will work on providing you with, and get tested regularly. This is a Sex-Ed blog, not some kinky night in the bedroom with Eileen blog lol.

What is it?

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection. In women, it infects the cervix and can spread to your ovaries, fallopian tubes, and urethra. In men, it infects the urethra and can spread to the testicles.

Causes?

Chlamydia is spread by:

  • Unprotected vaginal or anal sex
  • Oral sex
  • Shared sex toys
  • Contact during childbirth
  • Rarely, from hand to eye

Symptoms?

There are usually no symptoms, so it can be easy to miss and not know that you’re infected. That’s a big part of why I stress the importance of getting STD checks regularly, even if you don’t think you have anything.

If you do have symptoms they usually start to occur 5-10 days after infection.

In women:

  • Stomach pain
  • Abnormal vaginal discharge
  • Urge to pee
  • Painful urination
  • Painful sex
  • Vaginal bleeding after intercourse
  • Fever
  • Bleeding between your periods

In men:

  • Pain or burning during urination
  • Pus or watery discharge from penis
  • Swollen or tender testicles
  • Rectal inflammation

How common is it?

It is the most common STI in the United States and by far the most prevalent among women and men under 25. In total, around 3 million Americans get it every year. It is so common that according to the Centers for Disease Control, by the age of thirty, 50% of sexually active women will have had it. Additionally, the majority of people with chlamydia don’t know they have it.

Is it dangerous?

If left untreated, chlamydia can cause some serious health issues. In women, the infection can spread from the cervix to your fallopian tubes or ovaries. This can result in pelvic
inflammatory disease (or PID). If left untreated, PID can cause women to become sterile. The condition can also block your fallopian tubes, thereby preventing fertilized eggs from reaching the uterus, and resulting in an ectopic pregnancy — or a pregnancy in the tubes — which can be fatal.

Symptoms of PID:

  • Fever
  • Heavier and abnormal periods
  • Pain during pelvic exam
  • Pain during intercourse
  • Vomiting
  • Tiredness, weakness
  • Pain in lower stomach

Chlamydia can also make men sterile if left untreated. As the infection spreads from the urethra to the testicles, sterility can occur. Six percent of men who contract this condition caused by Chlamydia will develop reactive arthritis. This appears in the form of ulcers in the mouth, eye infections, swelling and pain of the joints. You can see why it’s important as a man OR woman to get tested regularly.

Diagnosis?

  • Urine sample
  • Lab test of the cells from the penis, anus, cervix, or urethra
  • Examination of the cervix and cervical discharge

How can you avoid spreading it if you get it?

It’s really important, if you have it, to inform any of your sex partners. I had friends in high school who got calls from boys they had slept with, saying they had chlamydia and
then got tested. Some got it, some didn’t. I understand it can be embarrassing, but look at how common it is! It’s not really something to be ashamed of. Remember, it’s important to make that phone call, so it doesn’t get spread around anymore.

Don’t have sex until your treatment is completed

Be sure your sex partners are screened and treated before having sex again, and be sure to use latex condoms every time.

Treatment?

Chlamydia is easily treated with antibiotics. Once you are treated, it is no longer present in your body, so it won’t come back unless you contract it again. If you have it and get treated, it is very important to tell your partner so they can get tested. Reinfection rates are very high because male partners aren’t treated or during the treatment, partners continue to have unprotected sex, so the infection keeps getting passed between partners.

How can you avoid getting it?

The best way to avoid contracting chlamydia is to always use barrier protection for vaginal, oral, and anal sex. Technically, abstaining from sex is the best way to avoid it, but that’s not an option for those of us who want to have a healthy sex life and still be safe.

Work Cited

Corinna, Heather. “Chlamydia.” S.E.X.: The All-you-need-to-know Progressive Sexuality Guide to

Get You through High School and College. New York: Marlowe, 2007. 300. Print.

Planned Parenthood. Chlamydia. N.p.: Planned Parenthood, n.d. Print.