Chlamydia
is a sexually transmitted disease most common in the U.S. This
infection is easily spread because it often causes no symptoms and may
be unknowingly passed to sexual partners. In fact, approximately 75% of infections in women and 50% in men without symptoms.
Symptoms of Chlamydia
Chlamydia symptoms in women:
- Vaginal discharge has a bad odor
- Abdominal pain with fever
- Itching or burning in or around the vagina
Chlamydia symptoms in men:
- The amount of urine a little, colored clear or cloudy from the tip of the penis
- Burning and itching around the opening of the penis
- Pain and swelling around the testicles
Diagnosis of Chlamydia
There are several tests that are commonly used by doctors to diagnose Chlamydia. The doctor will take a sample from the urethra in men or from the cervix of women. There is also a test done to check for the presence of bacteria through urine samples.
Treatment
If you have chlamydia, your doctor will give you oral antibiotics, usually azithromycin (Zithromax) or doxycycline. Your doctor will also recommend your partner are treated similar to prevent re-infection and further spread. With treatment, the infection should clear in about a week or two. It is important to finish all your antibiotics, even if you have been feeling better though.
Women with severe Chlamydia infections may require hospitalization, intravenous antibiotics (medicine given through a vein), and pain medicines. After taking antibiotics, the patient should be re-tested to make sure the infection is completely healed. Do not have sex until you are sure you and your partner are not having Chlamydia.
Prevention can be done by:
- Use condoms correctly every time you have sex
- Limit the number of sexual partners, and not promiscuous
- Practice sexual abstinence, or limit sexual contact to one uninfected partner
- If you think you are infected, you should report it to the doctor.
Chlamydia often occurs without symptoms, people who are infected may unknowingly infect their sexual partners. Many doctors recommend that all people who have more than one sex partner should be tested for Chlamydia on a regular basis, even in the absence of symptoms.
Did you know what it is Chlamydia? This time we will share information about the disease. Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease. Maybe someone does not know if having chlamydia, because many people who never develop signs or symptoms, which may include genital pain and discharge from the vagina or penis.
Chlamydia affects both men and women and occurs in all age groups, although it is most common among young women. Chlamydia is not difficult to treat once know if you have one. If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to more serious health problems.
Cause of Chlamydia
Chlamydia is caused by bacteria and is most often spread through vaginal, oral sex, and anal. The disease is also possible for a mother to spread chlamydia to her child during childbirth. So can lead to pneumonia or serious eye infection to her baby.
Symptoms of Chlamydia
Early stages of chlamydial infections often cause few or no signs and symptoms. When signs or symptoms occur, usually start 1-3 weeks after exposure to Chlamydia. Even when signs and symptoms do occur, are often mild and fleeting. Therefore, chlamydia is often overlooked.
Signs and symptoms of chlamydia
- Pain during urination
- Pain in the lower abdomen
- Vaginal discharge in women
- Discharge from the penis in men
- Pain during sexual intercourse in women
- Testicular pain in men
Treatment of Chlamydia
Chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics. Patients may be asked to take medication in a single dose, or may need to take medication daily for 5-10 days or a few days.
In most cases, the infection can be cured within 1-2 weeks. During that time, the patient should abstain from sexual intercourse.
Sexual partners also need treatment even though may not have signs or symptoms. If not, the infection can be transmitted back and forth between sexual partners.
Sources: MayoClinic
