How to Effectively Treat Chlamydia
In the UK, chlamydia is one of the most common STIs (sexually transmitted infections). Unprotected sex (not using a condom during sex) is the most common way it is transmitted, especially among sexually active young adults and teenagers. Keep reading to find out what antibiotic to treat chlamydia with.
Women under 25 in England who are sexually active and have sex with casual or new partners should have a chlamydia test at least once per year. The same applies to men under the age of 25 who are sexually active and engage in sexual activities with casual or new partners without using a condom.
What are the symptoms of chlamydia?
The majority of people with chlamydia don’t notice any symptoms and are unaware that they have it.
The symptoms usually include:
- Pain when urinating
- Abnormal discharge from the penis, vagina or bottom
- In women: tummy pain, bleeding between periods and bleeding following sex
- In men: swelling and pain in the testicles
Visit a pharmacist, general practitioner, community contraceptive service or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic if you suspect you may have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or exhibit any symptoms of chlamydia.
How is chlamydia transmitted?
Chlamydia is classified as a bacterial infection. The bacteria are normally transmitted through sexual intercourse or contact with genital fluids such as semen or vaginal fluid that contain the infection.
You can contract chlamydia through the following:
- Having unprotected oral, vaginal, or anal sex.
- Sharing unwashed sex toys.
- Touching your partner’s genitals using your genitals – this implies that you can contract chlamydia from anyone even if you don’t have penetrative sex, ejaculate or have an orgasm.
- Getting infected vaginal fluid or semen into your eye.
- A pregnant woman can also pass it to their unborn baby.
You cannot transmit chlamydia through casual contact, like hugging and kissing, or from sharing cutlery or toilet seats, baths, swimming pools, or towels.
What antibiotic is used to treat chlamydia?
Is azithromycin or doxycycline a better antibiotic to treat chlamydia?
Chlamydia is usually treatable with antibiotics. If people take their antibiotics correctly, they will get better in more than 95% of cases.
After you have been diagnosed with chlamydia, you may be prescribed antibiotics. It’s possible to begin treatment before you receive your test results if it’s suspected that you have the infection.
The most common antibiotics used to treat chlamydia include:
- Doxycycline – taken daily for a week
- Azithromycin – one dose of 1g, then 500mg once per day for 2 days
Your pharmacist may prescribe different antibiotics, like erythromycin or amoxicillin, if you are allergic, pregnant or breastfeeding. You may need to use antibiotics for an extended period if your pharmacist is concerned about chlamydia complications.
Some patients may have mild side effects during their treatment. The most reported side effects are feeling sick, stomach ache, diarrhoea, and thrush in women.
When taking doxycycline, you should wait for you and your current partner to have finished treatment before having sexual relations (including oral sex). When taking azithromycin, it’s crucial to wait 7 days following treatment prior to engaging in sex (including oral sex).
Conclusion
In order to stop the spread of Chlamydia infection, your current and past sexual partners must also be tested and treated.
After being treated for chlamydia, under-25s should be offered a second test 3 to 6 months later. The high risk of catching chlamydia in this age range increases their rate of recurring infections.
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This blog post was written on behalf of WePrescribe by Pharmacy Mentor.
