INTRO
In this article, we are going to discuss what chlamydia is, the facts, the signs of chlamydia, and what you should do if you are at risk. There will be future articles that I'll discuss about the symptoms in men and the symptoms in women, and what both should do. All articles will be linked together for easy access.
There will always be future articles about STDs and STIs as new discoveries surface.
Don't forget to check out the WHERE TO GET FREE CONDOMS page as it is continuously being updated.
Stay protected.
For starters, chlamydia is an STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection), because you're talking about the infection itself, as with STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) you're talking about symptoms occurring because it was sexually transmitted. There is a difference between STDs and STIs and the facts about them can be found in my article, What's The Difference Between STDs & STIs explaining the terms and how it's important to use the terms accurately, as there is a difference and it is important to know them.
The reason why chlamydia is an STI is a bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Chlamydia Trachomatis, and is primarily through vaginal, oral, and anal sex, and oftentimes asymptomatic, therefore makes it incredibly dangerous, especially those that are sexually active from the ages of 15 to 24, who are more likely to contract the STI. Many people may have chlamydia and not even know it because of the typical asymptomatic factor, which makes it easy to spread.
If you think you may have chlamydia, or any STI or STD, you need to see a doctor immediately. You will be okay, but you need to see a doctor.
Often those that have chlamydia may not know that they have it, as it is typically asymptomatic, but if you get tested and it comes back positive, chlamydia is easily treated. But if you continue to not get tested, have unprotected sex, and not see a doctor and you do have it, it can lead to possible long term health problems.
If symptoms do occur, it is usually one to three weeks, after initial contact with the person infected by the STI. And usually those symptoms are mild and passing, which makes chlamydia often overlooked and left untreated.
The typical signs of chlamydia are as follows:
- Painful urination
- Lower abdominal pain
- Abnormal vaginal or penile discharge
- Painful intercourse
- Bleeding between periods
- Women bleeding after sex
- Testicular pain
If you have these signs, that's when you need to see a doctor. Don't wait. Just do it. If you want to take a test at home, you can do that and get a free kit from I Want The Kit, which will provide you with everything you need to know and do if your results come back positive. There are safe and free, accessible ways to get tested.
The I Want The Kit test is FREE, it's done at home, it's accurate, it's confidential, and it is lab-tested. Get the kit!
Testing, however, isn't the same for men and for women. They are done differently for each gender.
Testing for women is a swab of the cervix, which can be done during your routine pap smear. Pap smears are important for a reason, and you need to do them regularly.
Testing for men is a swab of the urethra and in some cases, the doctor may have to swab the anus.
If you are pregnant, you should get tested when you go for your first prenatal visit, as chlamydia can be passed to the infant during delivery. It is not typically frequent when a pregnant woman gets chlamydia, however, when it does occur, there could be serious consequences for the mother and for the infant.
Chlamydia is more common in women from the ages of 15 to 25 years of age.
Higher risk groups are men who have sex with men and men who have sex with transgender women.
Yes. Chlamydia can be treated and it can be cured when taking the antibiotics properly. You need to do exactly as the doctor says.
When you get diagnosed with chlamydia, it can be treated and cured with short-term antibiotics such as doxycycline and azithromycin.
If you continue to have unprotected sex and not get tested, and have chlamydia, the infections will be continuous, and continued sexual acts being unprotected and not getting tested can lead to long-term health complications.
If you are taking the medications prescribed to you after getting diagnosed, then you need to wait at least 7 days after taking all of your medications to start having sex again.
You'll survive without having sex for a little while. You don't need it that badly. Just chill and take care of your problem before having sex again.
You also need to tell the people you have had sex with to get tested. That's a mandatory thing to do and it is your responsibility, just as it is theirs.
- Chlamydia is an STI
- Often asymptomatic
- Common between the ages of 15 to 24 in both men and women
- It is treatable and curable when you are diagnosed
- Get tested often
- Continuous and correct use of condoms is the key prevention of contracting the STI
- Be smart and responsible
- If continued unprotected sex with people and not getting tested, and you have chlamydia, there are possible long-term health complications
- Pregnant women can spread chlamydia to the infant during delivery
- You can get free testing done (info provided above)
In 2023, the rate of reported cases with chlamydia was 492.2 per 100,000 according to the CDC, and that's REPORTED cases.
CDC Reported Cases 1941-2023 | CDC Tables of STI Surveillance of 2023 (11 of 37 tables are for chlamydia) | Statista (recent report from 5 days ago - 16FEB25) | 2024 surveillance shows a slight decrease in chlamydia in 2024 (this report was released by Missouri in January 2025)
