What Are the Symptoms & Signs of Chlamydia? - Head Start Testing

Had An Unprotected Sex? See, What Can Happen To You?

Well, talking about the increasing rate of STDs in the country, the count is on the go. The chances of catching any STD are even higher if a person had unprotected sex with different partners or one partner who is already having a disease. And the point of concern here is that many people who are suffering from these STDs don’t show any symptoms. 

Chlamydia is one of these most common Sexually Transmitted Diseases and most people who have chlamydia don't show any symptoms. Closely 3 million Americans get it every year, most commonly in the age of 14-24. Women have chlamydia in the cervix, rectum, or throat whereas men have chlamydia in the urethra (inside the penis), rectum, or throat.

Do I Have Chlamydia?

Chlamydia in women

Chlamydia is the most frequently reported sexually transmitted bacterial infection in the United States. Chlamydia is easy to grow because it's likeliness to have very mild or no symptoms, and thus many unknowingly pass it on to others. The CDC recommends that sexually active women get tested for STDs on an annual basis. Getting tested regularly is especially important since chlamydia infection increases the risk of contracting another STD such as HIV.

How chlamydia infects women

The chlamydia bacterium first infects the cervix (the passageway which joins the vagina and the uterus). Symptoms of chlamydia infection may include vaginal discharge, painful urination and stomach pain. From there, the infection may spread upward to the urethra (urine canal), the uterus (womb) and the Fallopian tubes (tubes that carry fertilized eggs from the ovaries to the uterus). If the infection is left untreated, it can reach to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). In addition, chlamydia can lead to serious consequences such as infertility and ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy in which the embryo develops outside of the womb).

Chlamydia Symptoms in Women

* Abnormal vaginal discharge (may have an odor) 

* Pain during urination

* Rectal pain, discharge or bleeding

* Inflamed eye 

* Bleeding between menstrual cycles

* Lower bellyache

* Lower back pain

* Nausea

* Fever

* Pain during sex 

* Sore throat

Chlamydia in men

When symptoms do occur in men, they may include a thick, yellow-white, milky or watery discharge from the penis and/or a burning sensation during urination. Pain and swelling in the testes may also happen, although such symptoms are less common. Untreated chlamydia infection in men can result in nongonococcal urethritis (NGU), an infection of the urethra, as well as epididymitis. For these reasons, men who frequently engage in sexual activity should value the importance of annual chlamydia testing.

Chlamydia Symptoms in Men

*Abnormal penile discharge (thick, yellow-white, milky or watery)

*Pain during urination

*Rectal pain, discharge or bleeding

*Inflamed eye

*Itching and burning nearby the opening of the penis

*Testicular pain and swelling

*Sore throat

If you are experiencing any of the above chlamydia symptoms, than you need to undergo chlamydia testing with a DIY Chlamydia rapid test kit provided by Head Start Testing.