Chlamydia

How common is Chlamydia?

Every year, around the world, about 166 million new cases of Chlamydia are reported. It is common among teenagers and adults who are sexually active.

How can I catch Chlamydia?

Chlamydia is passed from one person to another through unprotected sexual contact with an infected person. Unprotected oral sex is a common way to catch Chlamydia. It cannot be passed through kissing, hugging, or sharing food and drinks.

Can I catch Chlamydia without being sexually active?

Chlamydia is mostly caught through unprotected sexual activity with someone who has the infection. However, touching the penis, vagina, anus, and throat, could also lead to infection.

What are the signs and symptoms of Chlamydia in men?

About 50% of men will have no symptoms of Chlamydia. If there are symptoms, they are usually seen between 1─3 weeks after infection. Chlamydia symptoms in males include:

• A painful or burning feeling when urinating

• Clear or cloudy discharge from the penis

• Inflamed or swollen testicles

• Discomfort around the tip of the penis

• Fever

• Lower stomach pain

• Itchy penis

• Anal pain or bleeding

• Conjunctivitis (pink eye) if semen enters the eye

• Soreness and redness in the throat or mouth (throat infection)

What are the signs and symptoms of Chlamydia in women?

About 75% of women will have no signs of a Chlamydia infection. The most common Chlamydia symptoms in women are:

• Painful or burning sensation when urinating

• Unusual discharge from the vagina

• Bleeding between periods

• Fever

• Unusual pain during sex

• Back pain

• Anal pain or bleeding

• Conjunctivitis (pink eye) if infected semen enters the eye

• Soreness and redness in the throat or mouth (throat infection)

When should I get tested for Chlamydia?

Testing for Chlamydia is recommended for those with multiple sexual partners or those who do not use condoms. You may wish to test for Chlamydia prior to engaging in sex with a new partner. Testing for STIs such as Chlamydia can help you to take responsibility for your sexual health and provide you with peace of mind. Chlamydia can be accurately tested for 14 days after unprotected sex.

How do I get tested for Chlamydia?

Chlamydia can be very harmful if left untreated, so it is important to get tested regularly if you have unprotected sex or before starting a new relationship. Chlamydia is tested for by a urine sample for men, and a urine sample or swab of the vagina for women. However, for some symptoms, a swab of your throat or anus to test for Chlamydia may be needed.

Take responsibility for your sexual health with Better2Know. Testing with Better2Know is easy, fast, and pain-free. You can book a test today with Better2Know by calling our Sexual Health Advisory team on the number above or online by clicking the Get Started button.

What are the risks if Chlamydia is left untreated?

Chlamydia infections often have no symptoms. If Chlamydia is not treated it can lead to severe health problems such as:

• Increased risk of catching other STIs, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

• Scaring in the fallopian tubes which may cause pregnancy to occur outside of the womb

• Cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) in women, leading to chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and pregnancy outside of the womb (ectopic)

• Reduce fertility in men

• Throat infections

• Infect other sexual partners

• Cause reactive arthritis

How can Chlamydia affect a pregnant person and their baby?

Chlamydia during pregnancy may increase the risk of miscarriage (loss of the baby), premature birth, or ectopic pregnancy (fertilisation of the egg outside the womb).

Your baby can be infected with Chlamydia during delivery. If your baby is infected with Chlamydia this can cause severe eye or lung infections.

What do I do if I test positive for Chlamydia?

You will receive your test results after your test sample has arrived at the laboratory. If you receive a positive test result, you should discuss this with a doctor of your choice. If you would like Better2Know to arrange a private doctor’s appointment for you, please phone the number at the top of the page. Your doctor will prescribe a short course of antibiotics.

During your treatment, you can infect others through unprotected sex even after symptoms have disappeared. You should not have sex until the treatment is completed.

You may wish to have a Chlamydia test at the end of your treatment to check the infection has been successfully cured. You should also contact previous sexual partners so they can get tested for Chlamydia. It is also important to let your previous sexual partners know, so they can get tested for Chlamydia too. Better2Know includes an anonymous partner notification system available to all our patients if you test positive for any Sexually Transmitted Infection.

How is Chlamydia treated?

Chlamydia is treated with a short course of antibiotics. If you test positive for Chlamydia it is important to see a doctor and get a prescription for the correct antibiotics. Better2Know can arrange a private doctor’s appointment allowing you to get the prescription that you need. It is important to remember that a Chlamydia infection will not go away on its own, so you do need to take the necessary medicine to prevent you from passing the infection along to other sexual partners and to stop the infection from damaging your body.

Can Chlamydia come back?

Just because you have been infected with Chlamydia in the past does not mean you are immune to it and cannot catch it again. Chlamydia can be caught more than once, so it is important to reduce your risk of repeat infection. To do this you should use condoms every time you have sex and limit the number of sexual partners you have. If you think you have been reinfected, you should retest for Chlamydia right away.

When can I have sex again after being treated for Chlamydia?

You should not have sex until your treatment is finished even if your symptoms have disappeared. This is to prevent you from infecting your sexual partners with Chlamydia.

How do I book a Chlamydia test?

Better2Know is the world’s leading provider of private sexual health testing services. We provide you with fast and accurate testing to give you peace of mind.

You can book a test today with Better2Know by calling our Sexual Health Advisory team on the number above. Our expert Patient Services staff will help you select the right test and book any follow-up appointments if requested. If you prefer to book your test online, you can do so by clicking the Get Started button.