Chlamydia Treatments

Men and women under the age of 25 are most likely to catch chlamydia. However, this does not mean older people are not at risk. About 6,000 cases per year are seen in people over the age of 45. People of all ages can require chlamydia treatment.

Anyone who is sexually active and not using condoms should get tested at least once a year and every time they change partners. If you test positive, you should inform your partner and get chlamydia treatment tablets as soon as possible.

75% of females and 50% of males have no symptoms! This does not mean it is harmless however, as it can be doing damage to you without you knowing. Some signs of chlamydia include painful urination, pain in the pelvic region, painful sexual intercourse, white, cloudy or watery discharge from the tip of the penis, pain in the testicles, burning or itching in the urethra (the tube carrying urine out of the body), untypical vaginal discharge, bleeding after sexual intercourse or bleeding in between periods.

In women, untreated chlamydia can spread to the womb and fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease. This causes permanent damage to the Fallopian tubes, uterus and leads to chronic pain, infertility and potentially life-threatening ectopic pregnancies (pregnancies outside the womb). Men and women can suffer from joint stiffness, swelling and swell and eye pain following a chlamydia infection. This is why it is very important to get treated for chlamydia with antibiotic tablets as soon as you know you are infected.

If you think you are at risk of other STIs such as gonorrhoea or syphilis we always advise to do a full check-up at your local GUM clinic. Most offer morning walk ins without an appointment and you will find out the results anonymously within a few days. Once you or your partner have had a positive chlamydia test, you can get chlamydia treatment here.

Chlamydia is treated with antibiotic tablets. The infection is usually cleared within 7 days. Chlamydia antibiotic tablets come in a 7-day course or a 3-day course.

After taking chlamydia antibiotic tablets, keep in mind that you can still pass on the infection for 7 days. Therefore, it’s advised to not have sex during this time or use condoms to reduce the risk of passing the infection to your partner.