The Basics
Chlamydia
What is chlamydia? Learn how to prevent, manage, and treat chlamydia with safe practices, lifestyle, and medicine.
Medically Reviewed By:
Dr. George Abraham
Last Updated:
December 3rd, 2022
What is Chlamydia?
Chlamydia is a common Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI). Bacteria infect the genitals (penis/vagina), rectum, and throat of men and women. We can easily treat chlamydia with medicine. Most people with chlamydia don’t realize that they have it.
Symptoms
Men
Men with chlamydia often have no symptoms. A man could have:
White, yellow, or green discharge from the penis
Pain in the testicles (‘balls’) or scrotum
Women
Women with chlamydia often have no symptoms. A woman could have:
Discharge from the vagina (more than usual)
Bleeding from the vagina when you’re not on your period
Men and Women
A pain or burning sensation when peeing (called dysuria)
Burning, Itching, or soreness in the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body)
Pain during sex
Pain in your lower belly
Rectal Infection
If bacteria enter the rectum, there are usually no symptoms. Men and women could notice:
Discharge from the anus
Itching or soreness in the anus
Blood or pain during a bowel movement (‘pooping’)
Throat (Pharyngeal Infection)
If the bacteria enter the throat (pharyngeal infection), men and women could notice a sore throat, but there are usually no symptoms.
Getting Tested—Do You Have Chlamydia?
Anyone who is sexually active can have chlamydia. If you notice symptoms, stop having sex and see your healthcare provider (doctor, clinic, hospital). Or, if your recent sexual partner is diagnosed with chlamydia, stop having sex and see your healthcare provider.
Sexually active women under 25 years old should get tested every year, even if they have no symptoms and their partners are not diagnosed with chlamydia.
To get tested, you may either pee in a cup (urine sample) or take a swab from your penis, cervix, urethra, anus, or throat. A lab tests this sample for chlamydia bacteria.
Mail-In Tests
You may take a sample at the doctor’s office, but you can also use a mail-in self test. The lab will mail you a kit. Then, you take a urine or swab sample at home. You mail the kit back to the lab. The lab gives you your results with an email, website, or app.
Testing Positive for an STI: What to Do
There are 4 steps everyone should take after testing positive for an STI, like syphilis.
Stop Having Sex
Doctors can treat STIs with just medicine or an injection (‘shot’). But if untreated, syphilis can spread and cause severe problems. Keep seeing your doctor.
See Your Doctor
Doctors can treat STIs with just medicine or an injection (‘shot’). But if untreated, syphilis can spread and cause severe problems. Keep seeing your doctor.
Get Tested for Other STIs
STIs often come in groups. If you have syphilis, you’re at risk for other STIs. Get tested.
Tell Your Partner
If you are diagnosed with an STI, you should tell your recent sexual partners. This protects your partners’ health because they can get tested and treated.
Partner Services
Talking to your partner about your STI can be hard. If you want to stay anonymous, you can ask your health department or doctor to tell your partner, without mentioning your name.
Or, you can ask a Partner Services Representative to be with you and provide support while you tell your partner.
Treatment: How to Feel Better
Medication: Antibiotics
Chlamydia can both be easily treated with medication from your doctor.
Use Antibiotics the Right Way
Remember to take antibiotics exactly how your healthcare professional tells you. You may feel better in 1 to 2 days. Don’t stop antibiotics because you’re feeling better. You need to finish taking the antibiotics so you don’t get sick again.
Transmission: Protecting Family and Friends
Chlamydia spreads through sexual contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus of someone with the disease. You can get chlamydia again, even if you have been infected before and received treatment.
The best way to avoid chlamydia and protect your partners is to not have sex. But, when you do have sex, use safe sexual practices around STIs:
Safe Sexual Practices Around STIs
Protect
Using condoms can cover syphilis sores and prevent spread. But syphilis can spread from sores in other parts of the body.
Test
Make sure you and your partner are tested for STIs before having sex. If you are diagnosed with an STI, tell your partner.
Wait
Do not have sex until you have finished your STI treatment.
Learn More
You can trust these sites to learn more about chlamydia.