6 Potential Long-Term Complications of Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a common infection, but most people don't know it can lead to long-term complications. In fact, it is one of Australia's most frequently reported infectious diseases, mostly affecting individuals between the ages of 15 to 25 years.
Chlamydia affects both men and women, but women are at higher risk for complications than men. However, because most women don’t show any symptoms, it is difficult to diagnose chlamydia before they experience long-term problems. Studies show that around 3 in 4 women and 1 in every 2 men don’t show any early symptoms and may have had the infection for years before it is detected.
Unfortunately, chlamydia, if left untreated for too long, may have serious long-term complications that could even lead to infertility.
In this blog, we'll discuss the six potential long-term complications of chlamydia and how to prevent them.
What Is Chlamydia?
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can infect people of all genders. It's caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, which can be spread through all kinds of sex. The bacteria can survive for long periods inside the body without any symptoms. This is why it is difficult to detect chlamydia in its early stages.
When symptoms do develop, they can include: ● Urethritis (painful urination) ● Genital discharge ● Pain during intercourse ● Bleeding between periods ● Painful bowel movementsIf you suspect that you have chlamydia or want a pathology referral to get tested for STIs, get in touch with the online GPs at Prime Medic. We can quickly and discreetly provide diagnoses, referrals and treatment to patients all across Australia.
The 6 Possible Long-Term Effects of Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease that can have long-term effects. As with many other STIs, chlamydia can be asymptomatic. If you are having symptoms of chlamydia, they may not be noticeable or severe enough to prompt you to seek medical attention. However, the longer you avoid getting treatment for this condition, the greater your risk of developing complications and long-term effects.
Chlamydia can permanently damage the reproductive organs and lead to infertility if left untreated. The five possible long-term effects of chlamydia include:
1. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can cause serious damage to your reproductive organs and can be caused if chlamydia is left untreated for too long. PID occurs when chlamydial bacteria spread from the cervix to the uterus or fallopian tubes, causing inflammation and resulting in scar tissue and adhesions that block sperm from reaching eggs and fertilising them. This can make it difficult for women to get pregnant later on down the line, if not impossible. In addition to causing infertility and ectopic pregnancy, PID may cause chronic abdominal pain and pelvic tenderness.
2. Infection of the ovaries or testicles (epididymitis)
These infections affect men more often than women and can lead to sterility if left untreated.
3. Ectopic pregnancy
When a fertilised egg implants in a location outside the uterus, usually one of the fallopian tubes, an ectopic pregnancy occurs. It's a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention, as there's a risk that it could cause serious damage to your reproductive organs or result in death.
4. Reactive arthritis
A rare complication of chlamydia, reactive arthritis is inflammation caused in the joints, especially the knees, ankles, and feet, as with other types of arthritis. The inflammation can even reach the eyes, urethra, and skin.
5. New-Born Infections
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease that can infect your unborn child through the vaginal canal and lead to pneumonia or a severe eye infection.
6. Infertility
Women with chlamydia can suffer from pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which may cause scarring in the fallopian tubes and uterus. If these organs are damaged, it may be difficult for a woman to become pregnant.
Is Chlamydia Fully Treatable?
Because of the high risk of complications, getting tested for chlamydia regularly is important. Chlamydia can be easily treated with antibiotics, but taking all the medication to kill the bacteria and prevent further infection completely is important.
If you are allergic to penicillin, are pregnant, or are nursing, your doctor may prescribe an alternative antibiotic. If your doctor is worried about the serious consequences of chlamydia, he or she may prescribe a lengthier course of antibiotics.
Some patients may develop modest side effects during treatment. The most often reported adverse reactions are stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and vaginal yeast infections.
TakeawayChlamydia is a treatable bacterial infection that can be cured with antibiotics. But if you don't get tested and treated, chlamydia can lead to serious long-term complications such as infertility. If you have symptoms of chlamydia, talk to your doctor about getting tested for the infection. And if you're already experiencing symptoms, but haven't been tested yet, go ahead and get in touch with Prime Medic—we'll connect you with an online GP right away.
We offer online doctor referrals in Australia to help make getting the care you need easy and accessible.
