Unfortunately, there is no clear timeline, and the length of time it takes for damage to occur can differ from person to person. It can take days, months, or even years for a chlamydia infection to cause damage, depending on the person. For that reason, it’s important for your sexual health to be tested regularly, as the symptoms of chlamydia may not present immediately.
What Kind of Damage Can Untreated Chlamydia Cause?
Often the result of unprotected sex, chlamydia is a painful infection caused by the bacteria Chlamydia Trachomatis. Because it is an infection, chlamydia can cause serious health problems if it’s left untreated and will not go away on its own.
If you test positive for chlamydia, you will need to seek treatment to resolve the infection. Chlamydia treatment consists of an oral course of antibiotics. Which antibiotic is prescribed depends on the infected person’s allergies and pregnancy status. It is important to know your pregnancy status before receiving treatment for chlamydia, as some antibiotics consumed during pregnancy can be harmful to the baby.
Infertility
If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to infertility, meaning the woman is not able to get pregnant or stay pregnant.
Ectopic Pregnancy
Untreated chlamydia can also cause an ectopic pregnancy which is a pregnancy outside of the womb. An ectopic pregnancy is very serious and can be fatal to mother and baby.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Untreated chlamydia can also lead to PID, or Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease can cause formation of scar tissue in the fallopian tubes. That scar tissue can block the fallopian tubes completely, resulting in infertility. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease can also cause chronic pelvic and abdominal pain that is very difficult to relieve.
How Is Chlamydia Spread?
Anal, Vaginal, or Oral Sex
Chlamydia is spread through having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with an infected person. Using a condom can reduce your risk of contracting chlamydia during intercourse, however, that is only if the condom has been used precisely as the condom manufacturer instructs. The only way to eliminate the risk of a chlamydia infection is to not engage in vaginal, anal, or oral sex. For obvious reasons, sex without a condom has a much higher rate of transmission.
Pregnancy Complications
A pregnant woman is able to also spread chlamydia to her baby as the baby passes through the birth canal during the birthing process.
What Are Common Chlamydia Symptoms and Health Problems?
A person infected with Chlamydia may never experience symptoms, or they may not begin to experience symptoms until weeks after sexual intercourse occurred. If you have been sexually active, have a new sexual partner, or multiple sexual partners, you may be at risk for having chlamydia.
Chlamydia Testing
If you are or have been sexually active, it is important to receive routine sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing in order to catch infections and receive treatment as soon as possible.
Symptoms for women may include, but are not limited to:
- An abnormal vaginal discharge,
- A burning sensation while urinating,
- A fever.
Symptoms for a male may include, but are not limited to:
- Discharge from the penis,
- A burning sensation present when urinating,
- Pain and/or swelling in one of both of the testicles,
- A fever.
Symptoms from a rectal chlamydia infection can include:
- Rectal pain,
- Rectal discharge,
- Rectal bleeding.
Get Free Chlamydia Test Results
If you would like to know your status with chlamydia, see your Primary Healthcare Provider, an Alternatives Care Center nearest you, or your local Health Department for testing. The testing will either include a urine sample to be sent for testing, or a swab of the vagina, also to be sent off for testing.
