How is chlamydia treated?
Chlamydia can be cleared up with antibiotics in about a week or two. But don’t stop taking your medication just because your symptoms improve. Ask your provider about what follow-up is needed to be sure your infection is gone after you’ve finished taking your medicine. Chlamydia infection can recur.
Part of your treatment should also include avoiding sexual activities that could cause you to get re-infected and ensuring that any sexual partners who may be infected also get treatment. You should:
- Abstain from sex until your infection has cleared up. Starting treatment doesn’t mean that you’re in the clear. Take all your medication as your provider directs, and avoid all sexual contact in the meantime.
- Contact all sexual partners. Tell any sexual partners from the last three months that you’re infected so that they can get tested, too.
- Get tested for other STIs (HIV/AIDS, syphilis, herpes, gonorrhea). It’s common to have multiple STIs, and it’s important to receive treatment that’s tailored to each infection.
Antibiotics can get rid of your infection, but they can’t reverse any harm the bacteria may have caused to your body before treatment. This is why it’s so important to get screened regularly for chlamydia, to see your provider at the first sign of symptoms, and get treatment immediately if you’re infected.
Can chlamydia just go away?
You should never wait for chlamydia to go away on its own. Left untreated, chlamydia can cause serious harm to your health. If you’re sexually active, you run the risk of infecting others, putting them at risk of experiencing severe complications, as well.
What medications are used to get rid of chlamydia?
The most common antibiotics used to treat chlamydia infections are:
- Doxycycline. Usually taken over seven days, is preferred.
- Azithromycin. Usually taken as a single dose, is recommended as the first choice in pregnancy.
Make sure you only take antibiotics prescribed by your provider, and take all medications until they’re gone, even if your symptoms improve.
Can chlamydia be cured?
Yes. Chlamydia can be treated and cured. Some sexually transmitted bacterial infections are starting to become resistant to antibiotics, though, and this makes them harder to treat. With this in mind, the best way to fight chlamydia is to prevent infections from spreading.
What can happen if chlamydia isn’t treated?
Untreated chlamydia can put your health at risk. Make an appointment with your provider immediately if you notice any symptoms of chlamydia, and get regular STI screenings to avoid complications later.
Complications of chlamydia for women and people AFAB
Untreated chlamydia can cause:
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is a serious condition that requires hospitalization. It can occur when an untreated STI, like chlamydia, damages your reproductive organs. PID can lead to infertility and chronic pelvic pain. PID can block the tubes and may lead an ectopic pregnancy, which is life-threatening for the fetus and potentially deadly for the mother or gestational parent, too.
- Pregnancy complications. An untreated infection can lead to pre-term delivery. Also, if you’re pregnant and have chlamydia, you can pass the infection on to your newborn. Babies born with chlamydia may have pneumonia or conjunctivitis that could lead to blindness if not treated. If you’re pregnant, you should receive testing for chlamydia at your first prenatal appointment.
- Infertility. An untreated infection can cause permanent damage to your fallopian tubes, uterus or vagin*, making it hard to become pregnant.
Complications of chlamydia for men and people AMAB
Untreated chlamydia can cause:
- Epididymitis. Infection can spread to the testicl*s and the tube that carries sperm to your testicl*s (epididymis), causing symptoms like pain, swelling and tenderness in your testicl*s.
- Reduced fertility. Chlamydia can harm your sperm, negatively impacting your ability to conceive.
Complications of chlamydia that can affect everyone
Untreated chlamydia can spread to your bloodstream, which:
- Increases your risk of getting reactive arthritis, which causes your joints to swell and feel painful.
- Increases your chances of contracting HIV.
How soon after treatment will I feel better?
You should start to feel better within a week after you begin taking antibiotics. Be sure to continue taking your antibiotics until they’re gone, even if your symptoms improve.
How long should I wait to have sex if I am getting treatment for chlamydia?
Don’t have sex with anyone (intercourse, anal or oral) for at least seven days from when you began treatment. This gives the medication time to work so you don’t infect your sexual partners. Once treatment is over, you should still practice safe sex and get tested for STIs as a part of your regular health maintenance.
