Chlamydia Infection - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
What is chlamydia infection?
Chlamydia Treatment is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the U.S and the UK. This infection is easily spread because it often causes no symptoms and may be unknowingly passed to sexual partners. In fact, about 75% of infections in women and 50% in men are without symptoms.
How is chlamydia infection acquired?
The infection is transmitted in 2 ways:
- From one person to another through sexual contact (oral, anal, or vaginal).
- From mother to child with passage of the child through the birth canal. Chlamydia can cause pneumonia or serious eye infections in a newborn, especially among children born to infected mothers in developing countries.
What are chlamydia symptoms?
Most people who have chlamydia don’t notice any symptoms.
If you do get signs and symptoms, these usually appear between one and three weeks after having unprotected sex with an infected person. For some people the symptoms occur many months later, or not until the infection has spread.
Chlamydia symptoms in women
Around 70-80% of women with chlamydia don't notice any symptoms. If women do get symptoms, the most common include:
- pain when urinating (peeing)
- a change in vaginal discharge
- pain in the lower abdomen
- pain and/or bleeding during sex
- bleeding after sex
- bleeding between periods
- heavier periods than usual
If left untreated, chlamydia infection will greatly threatens women's health: it can spread to the womb and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is a major cause of infertility, miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy (when a fertilised egg implants itself outside the womb, usually in one of the fallopian tubes).
Chlamydia symptoms in men
Around half of all men with chlamydia don't notice any symptoms. If men do get symptoms, the most common include:
- pain when urinating (peeing)
- discharge from the tip of the penis (this can be a white, cloudy or watery discharge)
- pain in the testicles
Chlamydia in the rectum, throat or eyes
Some men have mild symptoms that disappear after two or three days. Even if the symptoms disappear you will still have the infection and be able to pass it on. If chlamydia is left untreated in men they are at risk of complications such as orchitis (swollen testicles), reactive arthritis (inflammation of the joints) and infertility.
If possible complications (like PID, prostatitis, etc. ) are triggered by chlamydia infection, more symptoms would develop.
Chlamydia can infect the rectum, eyes or throat if you have unprotected anal or oral sex. If infected semen or vaginal fluid comes into contact with the eyes you can also develop conjunctivitis.
Infection in the rectum can cause discomfort, pain, bleeding or discharge. In the eyes chlamydia can cause irritation, pain, swelling and discharge the same as conjunctivitis. Infection in the throat is less common and usually causes no symptoms.
How is chlamydia infetion diagnosed?
The test for chlamydia is simple. Most people can have the test carried out on a urine sample. Some people have a swab test (a small cotton bud). The swab is used to gently wipe the area where you might have chlamydia, to collect some cells. The cells are then tested for infection.
The doctor or nurse will explain which is the best test for you to have. You don’t always have to be examined by the doctor or nurse – this will depend on your situation and where you go to get tested.
People who have had anal or oral sex might have a swab taken from their rectum or throat. This isn’t done on everyone.
If you have symptoms in your eye, such as discharge or inflammation, a swab test might be taken to collect cells from your eyelid.
Tests for women
Chlamydia tests on women can be done with a urine sample or swab test. If a woman has a swab test, it can be taken from the cervix, or inside the lower vagina. Occasionally the doctor or nurse may advise you to have a swab test from the urethra (where urine comes out). Usually you can do a lower vaginal swab yourself, although sometimes a nurse or doctor may do it.
If you have had anal or oral sex you might also be offered a swab test taken from the rectum or throat. This isn’t done on everyone.
Routine cervical screening tests (smear tests) do not detect chlamydia. You will need to tell the doctor or nurse if you would also like to be tested for chlamydia at the same time.
Tests for men
Men will usually have a chlamydia test on a urine sample. Occasionally, a swab test may be taken from the urethra (the tube where urine comes out) at the tip of the penis.
If you have had anal or oral sex you might also be offered a swab test taken from the rectum or throat. This isn’t done on everyone.
How reliable is a chlamydia test?
The accuracy of tests varies, depending on the type of test that is used. Recommended tests are 90-95% sensitive. This means that they will detect chlamydia in most people who have the infection. Some tests you can buy may be less reliable.
Remember that no test is 100% accurate. There is a small chance that a test may show negative even when you have chlamydia. This is called a false negative test result. It is also possible for a test to be positive even when you do not have chlamydia. This is called a false positive test result. Both of these false tests are very rare but can sometimes explain why you get a different result to your sexual partner.
How is chlamyda infection treated?
Chlamydia infection is often treated with antibiotics. A convenient single-dose therapy for chlamydia is 1 gm of azithromycin (Zithromax, Zmax) by mouth. Alternative treatments are often used, however, because of the high cost of this medication. The most common alternative treatment is a 100 mg oral dose of doxycycline (Vibramycin, Oracea, Adoxa, Atridox and others) twice per day for seven days. Unlike gonorrhea, there has been little, if any, resistance of chlamydia to currently used antibiotics. There are many other antibiotics that also have been effective against chlamydia. As with gonorrhea, a condom or other protective barrier prevents the spread of the infection. Latest researches show that genital chlamydia infection can be treated with appropriate herbal formulas as well.
Why is Fuyan Pill a Better Treatment Option for Chlamydia in Women?
More and more women complain that their chlamydia infection can’t be cleared thoroughly. Untreated Chlamydia Infection can spread upward to the uterus and fallopian tubes (tubes that carry fertilized eggs from the ovaries to the uterus), causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
In addition, in pregnant women, untreated chlamydia infection has been associated with pre-term delivery, and can spread to the newborn, causing an eye infection or pneumonia. Thus, untreated chlamydia causes can cause many serious problems. Women should get it treated thoroughly.
Though chlamydia can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics, Antibiotics are always with their side effects. They cannot be used for a long time and may cause damage to the kidneys and liver. It is reported by some patients that the longer they take antibiotics, the worse they feel, other than the decrease of symptoms.
Nowadays, some women with untreated chlamydia infection started to take herbal medicine named Fuyan Pill. However herbal remedies are all made by herbs or insects in the nature, they're almost as safe as foods. Some special herbs which can milden toxicity of some herbs are added inthe formula is necessary. As a result, prescribed herbal formula seldom causes any side effect. That is why Fuyan Pill could be a better treatment option for chlamydia in women.
What’s more, Fuyan Pill is made up from multiple herbs including Bupleurum falcatum L., poria cocos, radices scutellariae, Gardenia, Atractylodes ovata, etc. Among which some herbs are highly powerful in killing bacteria, virus, and all the pathogen to cause infections. With other herbs which can clear up "fire" and toxic materials, and herbs which can promote blood and Qi circulation, inflammation such as PID caused by chlamydia infection can be treated as well.
How does Chlamydia Affect Fertility?
As the most commonly reported sexual transmitted disease (STD)in the world, chlamydia contribute to infertility in both man and woman.
How does chlamydia discharge affect women's fertility?
Chlamydia Cure as a common sexual transmitted disease, affects approximately 4 million women annually world-wide. If left untreated, the infection can lie dormant for several months before travelling through the cervix to infect the fallopian tubes, leading to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). This can cause symptoms such as low abdominal pain, fever and painful sex. However, many women have a less acute inflammation that produces few if any symptoms. If untreated, PID can lead to blockage of the fallopian tubes and subsequent infertility.
Chlamydia is now the commonest cause of PID, which is thought to affect more than 165,000 women a year. It is estimated that 25% of all cases of infertility are due to chlamydia infection.
Approximately 10% of all women who contract chlamydia will become infertile as a result of PID. This equates to 30,000 women a year becoming infertile.
The peak age for chlamydia infection in women is between 16 and 19 years.
How does chlamydia affect men's fertility?
In men, chlamydial infections cause about 40 percent of the cases of nongonococcal urethritis (NGU), an inflammation of the urinary tract. The most common symptom of NGU is a discharge of mucus or pus from the penis. Some men also notice pain when urinating. Pain or swelling in the scrotal area may be signs of epididymitis, an inflammation of a part of the male reproductive system located near the testicles. Up to 50 percent of men have no symptoms.
If the bacterial infection spreads to the epididymis then this could lead to the man becoming sterile. The epididymis is the tube where the sperm flows from the testicles. Fertility problem may occur on infected men who have developed prostatitis or orchitis as well.
Luckily, complications and damage caused by chlamydia infection is reversible, several kinds of herbal formulas are available for treating this condition.
What Kind of Herbal Medicine can One Take for Treating Chlamydia
Chlamydia Treatment is been infected, prompt treatment is needed in case it brings complications. Chlamydia is normally treated with antibiotics. However, there are some natural treatment that might help as well.
When treating std symptoms, the sexual partner should be treated as the same time as well. If one is left untreated, then it may pass forth and back between you and your partner, and you would never be free from the ailment.
There are some herbal remedies that are able to support most conventional methods of fighting off infections such as Chlamydia. These can help in the treatment of Chlamydia and some can clear up the infection. Some herbs and herbal remedies that have been successful include Olea Europea (extract of olive leaf), Viscum Album, Astralagus Membranaceus, Schizandra Sinesis, and Crataegus Oxyacanthoides.
Goldenrod, Agathosma Betulina (buchu), Mentha Piperita, and Hypoxis Rooperi (extract of African Potato) all have abilities to help the body fight infections and act as immune system boosters.
Some people find success using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of Chlamydia. When used with other forms of treatment, acupuncture can help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with Chlamydia, such as urinary dysfunction, fever, and pain. It can also help strengthen the immune system.
Acupressure might be able to help strengthen the immune system, relieve stress and anxiety, and relieve pain as well.
In order to keep the infection from affecting fertility or from developing into pelvic Inflammatory Disease, Chinese herbal therapy can be used, too. Some common herbs used in this type of therapy include bupleurum, Coptis, angelica, and gentiana.
Although Chlamydia is treatable, if left untreated, it can cause some serious complications. Aside from being transmitted between sexual partners, it can also increase the risks of infertility and cause a severe amount of pain and other uncomfortable feelings.
It can also lead to ectopic pregnancies, in which the fetus grows outside of the uterus. Ectopic pregnancies are not only very painful, but can be life threatening as well. In pregnant women, Chlamydia can cause premature labor as well as other complications. Thus, undertaking treatment of Chlamydia is very important.
Generally speaking, it is less common for men to experience severe complications from Chlamydia, although treatment would still be necessary.
If you find out that you have the infection, then not only should your current sexual partner be tested, but any partner that you have had during the past 60 days should also be tested as well. During treatment of Chlamydia, you should not have any unprotected sexual intercourse, including oral sex.
The best treatment for Chlamydia is prevention. Wearing protection, abstaining from having sexual intercourse with multiple partners, and getting tested on a regular basis can all ensure that you don't have to get treated for it in the first place.
Having read about treatment of Chlamydia, you can find out more about this condition by reading the other related Chlamydia articles and pages on this website.
What can Untreated Chlamydia Infection Result in Women?
Chlamydia Treatment is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis, which can damage a woman's reproductive organs. Even though symptoms of chlamydia are usually mild or absent, serious complications that cause irreversible damage, including infertility, can occur "silently" before a woman ever recognizes a problem. Untreated chlamydia infection can cause many severe complications.
Untreated chlamydial infections can progress to serious reproductive and other health problems with both short-term and long-term consequences. Like the disease itself, the damage that chlamydia causes is often "silent."
In women, untreated std symptoms can spread into the uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This happens in up to 40 percent of women with untreated chlamydia. PID can cause permanent damage to the fallopian tubes, uterus, and surrounding tissues. The damage can lead to chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus). Women infected with chlamydia are up to five times more likely to become infected with HIV, if exposed.
In addition, an untreated chlamydia infection in women can also lead to the infection of the glands responsible for the lubrication of the vagina. After a while an abscess will be formed. At this point you will know you have an abscess, mostly because of the pain in this area and the probable fever it will cause.
To help prevent the serious consequences of chlamydia, screening at least annually for chlamydia is recommended for all sexually active women age 25 years and younger. An annual screening test also is recommended for older women with risk factors for chlamydia. All pregnant women should have a screening test for chlamydia.
Herbal medicine is a good remedy for untreated chlamydia infection in women. Fuyan Pill as remarkable herbal remedies for untreated chlamydia infection in women, it causes no side effect and doesn’t have drug resistance. Herbs preserve the body as well as they treat the disease.