Read all about Chlamydia
On this page you can read everything about chlamydia. If you want to find out what your symptoms mean, or what a doctor would think of. Do the symptomcheck
What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). It is caused by bacteria that infect the urethra, vagina or anus. Chlamydia can be transmitted through vaginal, oral and anal sexual contact. Chlamydia is quite treatable with antibiotics.
What are symptoms of chlamydia?
Women:
- Often there aren’t any complaints
- Increased vaginal discharge
- It hurts or burns when you urinate
- Vaginal bleeding between periods
- Bloody discharge after sex
- Pain in the lower abdomen
- When there’s an infection in the anus:
- Itching
- Pain
- Slimy discharge
Men:
- Often there aren’t any complaints
- It hurts or burns when you urinate
- Some discharge from the penis
- When there’s an infection of the anus:
- Itching
- Pain
- Slimy discharge
Is chlamydia serious and should I see a doctor?
Chlamydia is very well treatable with antibiotics, so contact your doctor when you suspect you might have been infected with chlamydia. Eventhough there’s not much to worry about when you’re treated properly with antibiotics, left untreated an infection with chlamydia can spread to the ovaries and stomach in women, and to the testicles and scrotum in men and cause inflammation there. Eventually untreated chlamydia infection can lead to chronic abdominal pain in women, decreased fertility or infertility in both men and women and several other complications.
Contact your doctor:
- To test you for chlamydia and other STDs
- To prescribe treatment if necessary
What can I do about chlamydia myself?
- With vaginal, oral (with the mouth) and anal (with the anus) sexual contact you can catch an STD!
- Condoms are the only protection against STDs
- Contraceptives (the pill, IUDs, etc.) don’t protect against STDs
- When you’re in a relationship and want to start having unprotected sex, always either discuss this with your doctor or get tested for STDs
- When you’ve had unprotected sexual contact either discuss this with your doctor or get tested for STDs
- Safe sex has nothing to do with trust, don’t let yourself get pressured into unsafe sex
How does chlamydia affect my body?
When you get infected with chlamydia at first it will infect your urethra, vagina or anus. This causes the general symptoms of chlamydia like a burning sensation when you urinate, increased discharge, itching etc. When it’s left untreated the infection can spread:
- In men: to the testicles causing swelling, pain and inflammation in the scrotum
- In women: to the uterus, ovaries and ultimately the abdomen, causing pain and inflammation
Ultimately the inflammation can cause damage to the tissues and cause adhesions. These can cause obstruction in the tubes transporting the eggs in women and the semen in men, causing decreased fertility or even infertility.