
If symptoms don't disappear in one to two weeks after you finish taking the antibiotic, see your health care provider. If you are given an antibiotic, it's important to take the entire dose prescribed even if symptoms disappear. TreatmentĪntibiotics are the usual treatment for chlamydia. The other method analyzes a urine sample. In the most common test, a health care provider takes a sample of fluid from the vagina or penis and has the sample analyzed. A lab test is the best way to confirm if you have chlamydia. DiagnosisĬhlamydia can be confused with gonorrhea, another STD, because they have similar symptoms. A child born to an infected woman can develop an infection in their eyes and respiratory tracts. In pregnant women, chlamydia can cause premature delivery, the CDC says. In men, complications from chlamydia are rare. Women who have chlamydia also are at much greater risk for becoming infected with HIV. PID can damage the fallopian tubes and uterus and cause chronic pain, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy.

In women, chlamydial infection can spread to the uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), according to the CDC. If not treated, chlamydia can lead to damage to the reproductive system. Symptoms usually appear within one to three weeks after being infected and may be very mild. Women also may have abdominal pain, bleeding, and an abnormal discharge from the vagina. Men and women may face painful urination, an abnormal discharge from the urethra, or both. If symptoms do show up, they usually occur within weeks of exposure. The longer the infection is untreated, the more damage that can be done. Even without symptoms, the disease can cause complications, particularly infertility. Many women, and some men, are infected with chlamydia but don't know it. It can also cause serious health problems in newborn babies of infected mothers. The disease can cause penile discharge in men and infertility in women. You can get chlamydia during oral, vaginal, or anal sexual contact with an infected partner. More than half of all infections involve people ages 18 to 24. CDC estimates that more than 2.8 million people are infected each year.Ĭhlamydia is most common in sexually active young adults. And some STDs can silently lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, or chronic pelvic pain.Ĭhlamydia is one of those diseases. Men may be asymptomatic or symptoms may be minor.A lot of us don't realize that some sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can cause no symptoms, meaning you could have an STD and not know it. If the infection spreads to the fallopian tubes, women may experience

So, most people who are infected will not be able to tell from symptoms. Also, approximately, 75% of women and 50% of men do not experience symptoms. First, the symptoms of chlamydia are similar to the symptoms of gonorrhea, and the two infections are often confused. It is important to understand that focusing on signs and symptoms is not very useful in determining if someone is infected with chlamydia.
