9 Signs of Chlamydia to Know

Untreated chlamydia is especially dangerous for women who have uteruses since it can have major effects on reproductive health. For one thing, it has the potential to extend to the uterus and fallopian tubes, resulting in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infection of the reproductive organs. In terms of numbers, he claims that untreated chlamydia affects 10 to 15% of persons who are assigned female at birth.

So, how can you outsmart Chlamydia? Get tested for STIs on a regular basis—chlamydia testing may now be done with a urine sample. What that looks like in practice is determined by your unique circumstances.

1. Abnormal vaginal discharge

If you have vaginal discharge, it is not an instant cause for concern. Some vaginal discharge is typical because it is the body's way of cleaning and maintaining the vagina. Changes in your discharge might also be typical, such as during the menstrual cycle. Typically, vaginal discharge is clear or milky, but you may notice a runny, mucus-y discharge during the menstrual cycle.

Changes in vaginal discharge color, smell, and feel that are not usual for your body may indicate a greater problem. Outside of chlamydia, a variety of factors can account for this, including yeast infection, bacterial vaginosis, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. However, chlamydia may be present if your discharge is stinky or white, yellow, or gray in color.

2. A burning sensation when you pee—and an urgency to go

Nobody wants to urinate with a burning sensation, but a chlamydia infection in the urethra—the tube that transports urine out of your body—can create that sensation, as well as actual pain and cloudy urine. You may also feel the desire to use the restroom frequently and urgently. Unfortunately, these are also classic UTI symptoms and can be readily misdiagnosed.

3. Rectal pain, discharge, or bleeding

Chlamydia can cause pain, discharge, and bleeding in the rectum. These are also common symptoms of proctitis, which occurs in people with inflammatory bowel illnesses such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

4. Lower abdominal pain

Obviously, stomach pain can be caused by a variety of factors other than STIs. However, when chlamydia is implicated, it usually arises after the infection has gone untreated for a period, resulting in PID. Other symptoms you might have at this point include nausea, fever, and pain during intercourse, but we'll get to that later.

5. Painful sex and bleeding afterward

If having sex has turned from delightful to unbearable, you should not dismiss it. Chlamydia can cause cervicitis, or cervical inflammation, making the cervix more sensitive during penetrative sex. It is also possible to bleed after having sex. If the infection progresses and becomes PID, intercourse may become painful.

6. Pain in the testicles

Testicular pain can be an indicator of a severe case of chlamydia in people with penises, the majority of whom are asymptomatic. Swelling and tenderness may also occur. Another thing to keep an eye out for is epididymitis, which occurs when the epididymis, the coiled tube that transports sperm to the outside world, becomes inflamed—in this case, as a result of a chlamydia infection.

7. Reactive arthritis

The reactive kind of arthritis, like common arthritis, is characterized by swelling and joint pain. What is the distinction? The latter is caused by an infection elsewhere in the body. Although Chlamydia is not the only infection that can cause this type of arthritis, it is one of the most prevalent. Reactive arthritis can cause a slew of symptoms, including joint pain, urinary difficulties like discomfort and increased urgency, and ocular inflammation, which causes redness and pain in the eyes.

8. Eye inflammation

Pink eyes are common Chlamydia eye symptoms. The whole list includes eye discharge, redness, itching, and light sensitivity, and it normally develops slowly in adulthood.

We're assuming that avoiding ocular chlamydia is high on your priority list, so make sure you're not exchanging washcloths, towels, cosmetics, or even artificial eyelashes with others. Hand cleaning is also an excellent way to keep your overall health in good shape.

9. Sore throat

Yes, you may add chlamydia to the huge list of possible causes of your sore throat. Of course, this is only true if you've just had oral intercourse with someone who has a chlamydia infection.

On the plus side, you will most likely have a mere sore throat. Chlamydia prefers to infect cells that are not found in the throat. As a result, chlamydia does not appear to produce long-term infections in the throat. Because of this, the CDC does not suggest screening for chlamydia in the throat.