Sometimes hardly any symptoms
The best known and most common STI is chlamydia. Many people do not immediately know that they are infected, because they have no symptoms. That makes this STI even more insidious. Precisely because of its invisibility, this infection can spread quickly. How do you prevent infection? And how do you get rid of this annoying condition?
Chlamydia is an infection. The cause is a bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis, which can occur in the mucous membrane of the penis, vagina and anus.
This STI is highly contagious and can be transmitted through any form of sexual contact. It is a myth that you can get chlamydia from a toilet seat or sharing cutlery.
Symptoms of chlamydia
Sometimes you don’t notice anything at all. You can live with chlamydia for months without noticing. That makes the risk that you infect someone else in the meantime all the greater.
In 60-70 percent of women with an infection, the complaints disappear within four weeks without complications. You can still transmit the chlamydia.
Some people do get symptoms, but they resemble those of other sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and other infections in the vagina or urethra, such as a bladder infection. You can therefore not determine exactly what you have among the members. In any case, get yourself tested. Better one test too many than more infections.
What men notice
Men can notice the following symptoms as early as four days after the infection:
- Having to urinate more often.
- Pain or burning sensation in the urethra while urinating or defecating.
- Clear or red (pus) discharge from the penis opening.
- Pain in the scrotum.
- Irritation or itching near the anus.
- Bloody discharge in stool.
- Diarrhea.
What women notice
On average, women only get symptoms later if they have contracted chlamydia, usually 7 to 21 days after the infection. They notice this:
- Having to urinate more often.
- Pain or burning sensation in the urethra during urination.
- Pain in the lower abdomen or upper right abdomen.
- Mucous (pus) discharge from the vagina.
-
Blood loss from the vagina.
- Pain during sex.
- Fever.
- Irritation or itching near the anus.
- Bloody discharge in stool.
Serious Complications
It’s not always the case, but serious complications can arise with chlamydia. In men, painful infections can develop in the epididymis or prostate. Women can get infections in the uterus, fallopian tubes and the small pelvis. The complications in women can be very serious, such as chronic abdominal pain, an ectopic pregnancy and even infertility.
If you as a pregnant woman have chlamydia, this may have consequences for your baby. The baby may be born with a low birth weight or be born prematurely. During delivery, your baby can also become infected and develop infections in the eyes and lungs.
To your doctor
If you think you may be infected with chlamydia, see your doctor right away. Your doctor will then do an STI test in the form of a urine test or a swab. If you have obvious symptoms, immediate testing is possible. If you do not (yet) have one, do not get tested until two weeks after the possible infection. Otherwise there is a chance that the infection cannot yet be detected.
Treatment: antibiotics
Chlamydia is easily treated with a course of antibiotics. The earlier you start treatment, the smaller the health risks. You are not protected against subsequent infections after the course.
It is wise to have yourself tested again after a year to make sure that you are rid of it.
