Having sex should be fun.
It can also be awkward, passionate, weird, and even boring at times.
Heres why: More than 1 million people worldwide contract one each day, according to theWorld Health Organization.
Chlamydia is often a “silent” infection, so regular STI testing is important.
Unfortunately, no matter how you identify, the signs of chlamydia can be easy to miss.
First, how can untreated chlamydia affect your health?
While rare, this causes inflammation in the lining of the stomach and tissues surrounding the liver.
One tip-off that you do have this condition is upper quadrant pain, Dr. Soper says.
(Think pain in the pancreas, right kidney, gallbladder, and the intestines.)
Its often paired with other symptoms like fever or chills.
In some cases, this can be fixed surgically, but not always.
Okay, so now that weve talked through some of the scary stuff, we do have good news.
Chlamydia itself is extremely treatable, so if you catch it quickly its completely curable.
So, what can you do to outsmart chlamydia?
Get tested regularly for STIschlamydia testing can easily be done with a urine sample now.
What that looks like in practice depends on your specific circumstances.
Some vaginal discharge is normal as its the bodys way of cleansing the vagina and keeping it healthy.
Thats why he says it is important to really know your body.
You may also feel like you gotta go to the bathroom often and urgently.
Unfortunately, these are alsoclassic UTI symptomsand can easily be confused for one.
Chlamydia in the rectum can cause pain, discharge, and bleeding.
Obviously, abdominal pain can be due to a number of things, not just STIs.
National Library of Medicine.
If having sex has gone from pleasurable to downright agonizing, its not something you should ignore.
If the infection spreads and causes PID, that can alsomake sex feel painful.
Swelling and tenderness may crop up too.
Like regular arthritis, the reactive kind is also characterized by swelling andjoint pain.
The latter is triggered by an infection in another part of the body, according to theMayo Clinic.
Speaking of eye symptoms, unfortunately, chlamydia isnt relegated to the lower half of your body.
Thats because an exchange of fluids isnt the only way its transmitted.
Skin-to-skin contact can also be the culprit.
Chlamydia eye symptoms are similar topink eye.
Hand washing is also a generally good thing to do to keep your overall health in good shape.
Yes, you could add chlamydia to the long list of possibilities of why youve got a sore throat.
That is, of course, only if youve recently hadoral sexwith someone that has a chlamydia infection.
On a positive note, you will likelyonlyend up with a sore throat.
The cells that chlamydia like to infect are not really found in the throat, Dr. Reno says.
So chlamydia does not seem to cause long-lasting infections in the throat.
She also says that theCDC does not recommendscreening for chlamydia in the throat for that reason.
When should you see a doctor about chlamydia symptoms?
There are a few reasons its a good idea to see your doctor for STI screening.
Seek out screening even before symptoms occur since so much of chlamydia infection is asymptomatic, he says.
If you treat it effectively, it doesnt come back unless you get exposed again.
And dont forget to inform your partner(s) if youve been infected.
After all, wouldnt you want your partner to let you know?
Its the responsible thing to do.
But not for the reasons you might think.
How can I protect myself and prevent chlamydia?
(Remember, the signs of chlamydia in women and men can be hard to spot.)
And dont feel embarrassed or guilty if you do have chlamydia.
There is a sense of shame around sexually transmitted diseases, Dr. Grifo says.
Well, whats the shame?
People have sex all the time.
You treat it and move on with your life.
