Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Until now there are no exact figures regarding the number of Chlamydia infections in Indonesia, but this type of STD is the most frequently reported occurrence in the United States. STDs are usually transmitted to men and women through oral, vaginal, and anal sexual activity. However, an infected mother can pass chlamydia to her baby during childbirth. Chlamydia infection can cause health complications such as infertility, increased risk of contracting HIV, prostate gland infection, or reactive arthritis (arthritis). Chlamydia is not difficult to treat but can cause permanent damage to the body if left untreated so it is very important to know how to treat it.
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Part 1 of 3: Getting a Medical Diagnosis
Step 1. Be aware of the symptoms and signs of chlamydia
Although chlamydia generally shows few symptoms in its early stages, it is very important to be aware of any signs that appear. Consult a doctor for a definitive diagnosis when you notice the signs of chlamydia, especially if you have unprotected sex.
- Both men and women can get chlamydia, and recurrent infections are common.
- Early-stage chlamydia infection has few symptoms and even when they do appear, they usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks of exposure and have only mild symptoms.
- Common symptoms of chlamydia include: painful urination, pain in the lower abdomen, vaginal discharge for women, discharge from the penis for men, pain during sexual intercourse, bleeding during menstruation and after sexual intercourse in women, or pain in the testicles for men.
Step 2. Consult a doctor
If you experience any of the symptoms of chlamydia, including genital discharge or your partner has revealed that he or she has the disease, make an appointment to see a doctor. The doctor will perform an examination and establish a diagnosis, and suggest the best treatment for you.
- Tell your doctor about your symptoms, signs of chlamydia, and if you have unprotected sex.
- If you've had chlamydia before and now it's coming back, call your doctor for a prescription.
Step 3. Perform a medical examination
The doctor will order further tests or examinations if he suspects the patient has chlamydia. A simple test can help confirm the diagnosis of the sexually transmitted disease and make developing a treatment plan easier.
- If you are female, the doctor will take a sample of fluid that comes out of the cervix or vagina, then send it to a laboratory for examination.
- If you are male, the doctor will insert a thin cotton swab into the mouth of the penis and take a sample of fluid from the urinary tract. The doctor will then send the sample to a laboratory for testing.
- If you have oral or anal sex, your doctor will take a sample from your mouth or rectum using a cotton swab to check for chlamydia.
- In some cases, a urine sample can detect a chlamydia infection.
Part 2 of 3: Treating Chlamydia
Step 1. Get treatment for chlamydia
If your doctor diagnoses that you have chlamydia, he or she will prescribe antibiotics, which are the only way to treat and prevent the disease. The infection usually clears up after 1-2 weeks.
- The first level of treatment is the administration of antibiotics azithromycin (1 g taken at a dose once a day) or doxycycline (100 mg taken twice a day for 7 days).
- Antibiotics can be taken as a one-time dose, or they must be taken daily or several times a day for 5-10 days.
- Your sexual partner will also need treatment even if he or she has no symptoms of chlamydia. This will prevent you and your partner from infecting each other with chlamydia.
- Do not share medicine for chlamydia with anyone.
Step 2. Examine and treat the newborn
If you are pregnant and have chlamydia, your doctor will prescribe azithromycin in the second or third trimester to reduce the risk of transmitting the disease to your baby. Chlamydia infection will be treated during pregnancy when the diagnosis is made, the patient will be re-examined to make sure the infection has cleared. After birth, the doctor will examine and treat the baby according to his condition.
- If you give birth and pass chlamydia to your baby, your doctor will treat the disease using antibiotics to prevent pneumonia or serious eye infections in your baby.
- Doctors will give erythromycin eye ointment prophylactically to help prevent chlamydia-related eye infections in newborns.
- Parents and doctors should observe newborns for chlamydia-associated pneumonia, for at least the first three months of the baby's life.
- If your baby has chlamydia-related pneumonia, your doctor will most likely prescribe erythromycin or azithromycin.
Step 3. Avoid all sexual activity
During treatment for chlamydia, abstain from all sexual activity, including oral and anal sex. This can help prevent chlamydia from infecting your partner and reduce the risk of recurrence of the infection.
- If taking a single dose of medication, avoid sexual activity for seven days after taking the drug.
- If taking medication for a duration of seven days, avoid sexual activity during the period of treatment.
Step 4. See a doctor if you continue to experience chlamydia symptoms after treatment
Seeing a doctor as soon as possible is important if chlamydia symptoms persist after treatment. Controlling and treating the symptoms and infection can help ensure that chlamydia does not recur and that there are no more serious conditions or complications.
Failure to treat symptoms or recurrence of chlamydia can lead to reproductive health complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, which can lead to ectopic pregnancy and permanent damage to the reproductive organs
Part 3 of 3: Preventing Chlamydia and Recurring Infections
Step 1. Get checked for chlamydia regularly
If your doctor treats a chlamydia infection for the first time, check yourself again after approximately 3 months and the next fixed period to detect the disease. This step can help ensure that the chlamydia has completely disappeared from the body and is no longer infecting you.
- Check again for sexually transmitted infections with each new sexual partner.
- Chlamydia usually recurs and is treated using the same course of antibiotics. If chlamydia recurs after a follow-up examination that reveals no infection, this is another sign of infection.
Step 2. Do not use douche products for the vagina
Avoid using a douche if you have or have had chlamydia. This product can kill good bacteria and increase the risk of contracting or recurring infections.
Step 3. Practice safe sex
The best way to prevent chlamydia is to avoid spreading it. The use of condoms and limiting the number of sexual partners can minimize the risk of contracting or recurrence of the disease.
- Always use a condom during sexual contact. Although condoms will not eliminate the risk of contracting chlamydia infection, their use can reduce the risk.
- Abstain from all sexual intercourse or activity, including anal and oral sex, during the treatment period. This can help prevent the infection from happening again or STDs being passed on to your partner.
- The more sexual partners you have, the higher your risk of contracting chlamydia. Try to limit the number of partners you have to reduce your risk of contracting chlamydia and always use condoms with your partner.
Step 4. Be aware of risk factors
Certain factors can increase the risk of contracting chlamydia. Being aware of these factors can help reduce the chances of getting chlamydia.
- You are at a higher risk of getting chlamydia if you are under 24 years of age.
- If you have had multiple sexual partners in recent years, you are more likely to get chlamydia.
- Irregular use of condoms can increase the risk of contracting chlamydia.
- People with a history of sexually transmitted diseases, including chlamydia, are at higher risk of developing the disease.
