What Is Chlamydia & How To Treat It?

You can get many sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) when you have unprotected sex, but you do not need to have penetrative sex to catch chlamydia. It is one of the most common STDs, and it is most common in under 25s in the UK. Below is information on chlamydia, its symptoms, how you get it, and also treat it, so you know what to expect if you get diagnosed as having it.

How Do You Get Chlamydia?

You do not have to have penetrative sex to catch an STD, and there are various ways you can contract this common disease. If women share sex toys, this can lead to transmission of it, and unprotected intercourse and oral sex can also pass on chlamydia. If you get vaginal fluid or semen in your eye, you can also catch it, and it can also be passed on when genitals come in contact, even without penetration, ejaculation, or orgasm.

The Symptoms Of Chlamydia

One problem with chlamydia is that many people can have it without displaying any symptoms. As such, they can often pass this on to others and not realise it, and it can be not easy to trace where you caught it from after you have been diagnosed with it. For those who display symptoms, a common one is experiencing pain or discomfort when passing urine. You can also have an unusual discharge from the penis, vagina, or rectum, and women can experience bleeding after sex and between their periods and stomach pains. Men can also experience pain, which can lead to swelling of the testicles if left untreated.

How To Test For Chlamydia?

It is a simple test for your doctor to diagnose chlamydia, and it will need you to visit your doctor. You will need to explain your symptoms to them, and they will ask you questions about your sex life which you will need to answer honestly. They can usually diagnose the STD from questioning, but to be sure, they will also test you. To test men for chlamydia, they can do a simple urine test, and for females, they can do a smear test, and you can get this done at an STD clinic, or you can visit your local GP. They will often prescribe chlamydia tablets to clear the condition up, and there are a few options available.

How Do You Treat Chlamydia?

The good news is that it is relatively simple to clear up chlamydia, and you can usually get over the condition by taking some tablets. Standard treatment for chlamydia uses antibiotics, and there are two typical options doctors often prescribe. The first is doxycycline which you will need to take for a week and refrain from having any sex until the condition clears up. The second is azithromycin, which you will need to take once a day for three days. Once you have been treated for chlamydia, it is good to go back after three or six months to ensure that it is cured, and you do not have it without any symptoms showing.