Chlamydia - What Should I Know About It?

Chlamydia is the most frequently reported sexually transmitted disease (STD), especially among young adults and teenagers. However, most people who are infected do not know that they have chlamydia, because they may not have any symptoms. Chlamydia is probably the most common treatable Sexually transmitted disease, but because it often presents no symptoms in either men or women unless it leads to complications (when treatment is sometimes too late to stop permanent damage), it is very widespread. For some women the damage to their reproductive system can be catastrophic. The infection can cause scarring to her fallopian tubes which can cause them to malfunction. The fallopian tubes carry her eggs to her womb, and in this scenario her tubes can become either completely blocked, or cause any pregnancy to become impaired. Once this happens, she has a much higher rate of any subsequent pregnancy being an ectopic one, or not becoming pregnant at all. As an ectopic pregnancy can have life threatening consequences, this can become a dire emergency. Chlamydia infection can also lead to pain in her lower abdomen. This can often be mistaken for other problems rather than the pelvic infection she is suffering from. If this happens and the infection is not treated, it can lead on to further medical problems. Men can also have problems due to a Chlamydia infection. It has been found that Chlamydia is probably the most common cause of inflammation in the testicles and sperm-conducting tubes in men under 35. This inflammation can cause pain, swelling and redness on the affected or both sides of his scrotum. It has even been known for Chlamydia infection to trigger joint inflammation in some men. Unfortunately not all doctors are aware enough to test their patients for a chlamydia infection so may not complete the necessary test needed to confirm a diagnosis. Another reason why chlamydia is so widespread, they may also have some difficulty discussing sex related topics with their patients. They also have a limited amount of time to spend with each patient, and often obvious symptoms can be missed. Therefore it is imperative that an education campaign is mounted for those people who are most likely to become infected so they are able to take the initiative for their health into their own hands by practicing safe sex at all times and ensuring they are fully aware of the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases.