Chlamydia
What is it?Symptoms & Effects
Screening & Treatment
Protection
More...
What is it?
You might not have heard the word "chlamydia” before, but you better learn it – it is one of the most common STDs in the U.S. today. Chlamydia is passed from one person to another during sexual intercourse or anal sex.
Chlamydia is really scary because 50% of men and up to 80% of women will not have symptoms but can still have this STD.
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Symptoms & Effects
Symptoms that do show up may happen one to four weeks after having sex. For guys, symptoms may include pain and burning when taking a leak and a watery or milky discharge from the penis.
When symptoms do show up for women, they include:
You might not have heard the word "chlamydia” before, but you better learn it – it is one of the most common STDs in the U.S. today. Chlamydia is passed from one person to another during sexual intercourse or anal sex.
Chlamydia is really scary because 50% of men and up to 80% of women will not have symptoms but can still have this STD.
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Symptoms & Effects
Symptoms that do show up may happen one to four weeks after having sex. For guys, symptoms may include pain and burning when taking a leak and a watery or milky discharge from the penis.
When symptoms do show up for women, they include:
- An unusual discharge from the vagina
- Pain in the pelvic area or stomach possibly with a fever or nausea
- Burning or pain when they pee
- Bleeding from the vagina between periods or after sex
Chlamydia is dangerous if you don't treat it because the infection can spread and cause painful and permanent damage to sex organs. In fact, it can make it so that you can't ever have kids.
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Screening & Treatment
The good news is that chlamydia is easily treated with antibiotics.
And more good news for guys .... There is now a new test for chlamydia that is easy and doesn't involve anything harder than peeing in a cup at your doctor's office, a community clinic or Planned Parenthood. If you have more than one sexual partner, you should be checked every few months, and you should have these check-ups even if you do not have symptoms.
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Protection
You can protect yourself from chlamydia (or any other STD) by the following:
Protection
You can protect yourself from chlamydia (or any other STD) by the following:
- Talk honestly with your partner before things get hot and heavy
- Don't have sex with a person if you notice any signs of infection or if the person has been exposed to chlamydia
- Carry condoms or rubbers with you always, and use them
- Limit your number of sex partners. The more people you have sex with, the higher your risk of getting any STD