What is Chlamydia?

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection that is spread through contact with infected genital fluids (semen or vaginal fluid). You can pick it up from all types of sexual contact, vaginal, anal, oral sex or sharing sex toys. Chlamydia is the most common bacterial STI in the UK especially amongst sexually active teenagers and young adults. The bacteria are called chlamydia trachomatis.

Symptoms

Most people who have chlamydia don’t notice any symptoms. Around two thirds of women and half of all men with chlamydia won’t have any obvious signs.

If you do get symptoms, these usually appear between 1 and 3 weeks after having unprotected sex with an infected person. Symptoms are slightly different for men and women.

Chlamydia symptoms in men include;

• pain when peeing
• white discharge from the tip of the penis
• burning or itching in the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body)
• pain in the testicles
• discomfort or discharge from your bum – if you have had anal sex

Chlamydia symptoms in women include;

• pain when peeing
• unusual vaginal discharge
• pain in the tummy or pelvis
• pain during sex
• bleeding after sex
• bleeding between periods
• discomfort or discharge from your bum – if you have had anal sex

Sometimes the symptoms can be so mild that you don’t notice them and disappear after a few days. Even if the symptoms disappear you could still have the infection and be able to pass it on.

Treatment

Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics such as doxycycline, although you may be given a different type if you have allergies or are breastfeeding or pregnant. You shouldn’t have any kind of sex, even with a condom, for at least 7 days after treatment.

Even if you have been treated for chlamydia, you can still catch it again.

I think I have chlamydia

If you have had sex with someone whose sexual history you are not sure about then it’s worth getting a check-up, even if you are not experiencing any symptoms. We would encourage you to book an appointment and come and have a chat with us, especially if you have not visited a sexual health clinic before.

You can access STI testing from our service in two ways:

1. online access to self-managed postal STI testing
2. a booked appointment at one of our Devon Sexual Health clinics (telephone or face-to-face)

To review your options and access testing, please register for your Devon Sexual Health Personal Health Record (PHR).

If you are aged 25 or under, as well as testing via our service you can also test by picking up a kit at a number of community services (eg. pharmacies, youth venues, GPs). This testing is supported the National Chlamydia Screening Programme, with tests provided from one of our postal testing partners: Preventx. You can search for local services that hold these kits using our find a service feature.

Your GP practice can also usually offer routine STI testing as part of any appointments you have with them, especially if you have potential symptoms of an STI.

Plymouth residents can access STI testing through SHiP.

You will be discretely contacted with the results within 14 days of your test and, if it’s positive, encouraged to come in and get treatment. It’s very important not to have sex until 7 days after you have been treated.

Chlamydia is very easily spread and if it isn’t treated it can lead to complications such as  pelvic inflammatory disease  in women or infertility in men. For this reason it’s really important that we contact any partners that you have had sex with. We can do this for you anonymously or you can do it yourself.

Avoidance

You can avoid getting chlamydia by using a condom whenever you have any type of sex with a partner. Use a dental dam or a condom during oral sex. Wash sex toys or cover them with a condom and replace it between partners. Also, talk to your partner about their sexual history. When did they last have unprotected sex? When did they last have a test for STIs?