Why to Care About Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection that causes genital pains in both men and women. In the early stages there may be few signs and symptoms of infection, but later symptoms may include:

 

• Pain in the testicle
• Pain during urination
• Lower abdominal pain
• Pain during sex
• Discharge from the penis or vagina

Although chlamydia is one of the easier causes of genital pain to treat, it can contribute to other serious medical problems such as other STDs, chronic pelvic pain, pelvic inflammatory disease, and infertility (due to scarring of the fallopian tubes as a result of the bacterial infection).

 

If you suspect that you might have chlamydia, see a specialist for evaluation and treatment to rule out serious problems and reduce your risk for another infection. If you have chlamydia, a course of antibiotics will usually cure the infection, but it’s important to abstain from sex while you are infected, and to inform recent sex partners that they should be tested.

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