Men's Health > Sexually Transmitted Disease > Chlamydia Information

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a STD that results from bacteria called “Chlamydia trachomatis”. If left untreated, Chlamydia can cause serious damage to both men and women. This need for treatment is obscured, often dangerously, by the fact that many cases of Chlamydia do not occur with visible symptoms.

Chlamydia is transmitted during sex, including both oral and vaginal. It’s also possible for a pregnant woman to pass Chlamydia on to her unborn baby. Young women and teens are at a particular risk for Chlamydia, since their cervix is not yet fully mature.

Chlamydia Symptoms

The symptoms of Chlamydia are often hidden for some period of time. This is why Chlamydia is often known as the “silent STD”. Of those diagnosed with Chlamydia, only about one quarter of the women and half of the men will have any noticeable symptoms. When there are symptoms that are present, they will appear in about three weeks after the infection has been transmitted.

In women, Chlamydia will induce a vaginal discharge and a feeling of burning during urination. The Chlamydia bacterial will infect the woman’s cervix as well as the urethra and then will spread to the fallopian tubes. This can cause symptoms of low back and stomach pain, painful intercourse, and bleeding in between the woman’s normal menstrual cycle.

Men will have symptoms that include a discharge from the penis as well as a feeling of burning during urination. In some more severe cases of Chlamydia men may have testicles that are sore and swollen. Though often painful and frightening, Chlamydia will not harm male sperm. It’s important for men and women to note that oral sex can transmit Chlamydia as easily as vaginal sex. This can lead to a throat infection that can be both painful and potentially lead to other health ailments that require medical intervention.

Chlamydia Treatment

Currently, the only cure for Chlamydia is a treatment of antibiotics that will have to be taken from anywhere from one week to one month. Most people, however, don’t treat Chlamydia, because the symptoms tend to “disappear” after a while. However, Chlamydia can (and does) reoccur throughout life if left untreated, and as such it’s important to put a stop to the chain of infection. The more Chlamydia infections that a woman has, the more chance she has of having permanent damage to her reproductive system.

The easiest and most beneficial way to prevent Chlamydia is to practice safe sex. More and more young people need to be educated in the risks of STD’s. Young women in particular need to know the risk that they face when they have Chlamydia. They have a high risk of becoming infertile or of having some severe problems in their reproductive system.

In addition to prescribed medications, some alternative medicines are gaining popularity in the west for treating Chlamydia. These include taking Levofloxacin, Ofloxacin, or Erythromycin. Herbal remedies that are also gaining some support for treating Chlamydia include: aloe vera (applied topically and taken internally), calendula, goldenseal, marshmallow root, and tea tree oil.

Jim Shaw