What are the symptoms of chlamydia?

The majority of people infected with chlamydia have no symptoms, though a few people do experience them. This common sexually transmitted disease can cause severe damage to the reproductive organs, resulting in infertility. The infection can be detected by routine screening, which is free and confidential. In this article, find out about the symptoms of chlamydia.

Women with chlamydia

According to the NHS, chlamydia is the most commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted infection in the UK. It is most common in people of twenty-five years of age and under.

How do you get chlamydia?

It is caused by a bacterium that is transmitted through oral sex, and anal and vaginal intercourse.

If symptoms occur, they are usually present within one to three weeks of exposure. Some others only experience symptoms months later if the infection spreads, and most people don’t experience any symptoms. Symptoms of chlamydia in women may include:

• abnormal vaginal discharge
  
  
• burning sensation during urination
  
  
• lower abdominal pain
  
  
• lower back pain
  
  
• nausea
  
  
• fever
  
  
• pain during intercourse
  
  
• bleeding between menstrual periods
  
  
• bleeding after sex
  
  
• heavier than normal periods

Men and chlamydia

Men who experience symptoms of this STI after contracting it may notice:

• white, cloudy or watery discharge from the penis
  
  
• a burning sensation or pain when urinating
  
  
• burning and itching around the opening of the penis
  
  
• pain or swelling in the testicles

Chlamydia can spread to the rectum, eyes or throat. Rectal symptoms, if they appear, can include pain, discharge or bleeding. Eyes can become painful, swollen, and irritated and may develop discharge. Throat infection usually doesn’t produce symptoms.

The importance of screening for chlamydia

Reiter’s syndrome

Untreated infection in women can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, infertility and ectopic pregnancy. It can increase the chances of succumbing to an exposure of HIV. It can also cause Reiter’s syndrome - arthritis that is sometimes accompanied by skin lesions and inflammation of the eye and urethra.

Screening tests are routinely offered by the NHS National Chlamydia Screening Programme to anyone under 25 in the UK. The test is easy and painless, and infection can be treated with antibiotics. The test results are confidential, and the test can be self-administered. Contact your GP, pharmacy, sexual health clinic or the NHS. You can also visit the NSCP website.

People over twenty-five years of age who change sex partners can also get the disease, and can seek screening.