Of all the sexually transmitted infections, chlamydia is the most common. The reason that it is so common is that there are often no symptoms. About 75 percent of women and 50 percent of men show no symptoms at all. If a person doesn’t know that they have it, they cannot be treated.

If a woman is showing symptoms of the STI’s she would experience:
• Cloudy vaginal discharge with a foul odor
• Breakthrough bleeding
• Periods that are more painful than usual
• Pain while having sex
• Pain while urinating

If a man is showing symptoms, he could experience the following:
• Discharge from the tip of the penis
• Painful urination
• Pain or itching around the hole of the penis
• Swelling and pain in the testicles

How Is Chlamydia Diagnosed?
If a woman suspects that she has chlamydia the doctor will use a swab to take a sample from her cervix. For men, a swab will be used to take a sample from his urethra.

How Is Chlamydia Treated?
Fortunately, this STI can be treated very easily. If the test comes back positive, the doctor will prescribe an oral antibiotic. The most commonly used antibiotics are Zithromax or doxycycline. After about two weeks, the infection should be cleared up. Also, it is important that the patient inform their previous sexual partners of their condition so that they can also be treated.

What Can Happen If Chlamydia Goes Untreated?
If a woman has this STI and she doesn’t seek treatment, it can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease. Not only can this cause damage to the fallopian tubes, it can also result in infertility. If a woman is pregnant and doesn’t get the infection treated, it can result in premature birth. Also, if the mother passes it to her child, it can cause pneumonia, and eye infection, or blindness at birth.

If a man has the disease and doesn’t get it treated, it can result in an infection of the urethra, and infection of the epididymis, or an inflammation of the rectum.

How Can Chlamydia Be Prevented?
To keep from getting chlamydia, men should wear a condom every time they have sex. Also, limiting sexual partners and knowing the sexual partner’s sexual history is also important.

Chlamydia is a very common sexually transmitted infection and it is not too serious. As long as a person is diagnosed and treated shortly after contracting the infection, it should not result in any long-term issues.