Written by Hannah Kingston on July 27, 2021
Does chlamydia go away?
Read on to find out what happens if chlamydia goes untreated, the symptoms of chlamydia, how to know if you have chlamydia and when to seek treatment.
Does chlamydia go away?
Chlamydia does not go away without treatment, while the symptoms of chlamydia may lessen or completely disappear for awhile, the infection may still be there.
This is why it is so important to get tested if you have had unprotected sex or if you suspect that you may have chlamydia.
Read: How does a chlamydia test work?
Can chlamydia be cured?
Chlamydia is easily treated with the use of antibiotics.
Chlamydia is a bacterial infection that is related to other common bacterial infections such as an ear or throat infection.
Once you have received the treatment for chlamydia, you will need to be re-tested to lower the risk of re-infection among others. Before having sex again, you will need a negative test.
Once you have tested positive for chlamydia, a medical professional will be able to guide you through the type of antibiotics you need. They will also advise on when it is time to get re-tested.
It is important to note that most chlamydia treatment failures arise when the full course of antibiotics are not taken. Bacterial infection may remain in your body if you do not finish your course of medication.
This is why it is so important to finish your course of antibiotics, even if you are feeling better.
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Read: Chlamydia treatment | How do you treat chlamydia?
Following your course of antibiotics, both you and your partner(s) need to be treated for chlamydia before you have sex again, or you could get re-infected. Just like strep, you can get it many times in your life – getting treated for it once doesn’t mean you’re good for life.
To prevent the spread of chlamydia and other STDs, use condoms every time you have sex.
What happens if chlamydia goes untreated?
Often, the initial damage caused by chlamydia may go unnoticed. However, over time and without treatment, chlamydia may have serious health complications.
One of the biggest health concerns from chlamydia is pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Untreated chlamydia can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes. Often there are no symptoms, and over-time PID can cause permanent damage and scarring to the reproductive issues. In the worst cases of pelvic inflammatory disease, women may experience infertility or ectopic pregnancies.
Untreated chlamydia in men will rarely off long-term have health problems linked to chlamydia.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infection sometimes spreads to the tube that carries sperm from the testicles, causing pain and fever. Rarely, chlamydia can prevent a man from being able to have children.
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How long does it take for chlamydia to show up on a test?
The length of time it takes for chlamydia to show up on a test will depend on the type of test you take, i.e the type of sample required for the test:
- Urine tests take about 2 to 5 days to show a positive (you have it) or negative (you don’t have it) result.
- Blood tests can come back with results in a few minutes if the blood is analyzed on site. But they can take a week or more if sent to an off-site lab.
- Swab results take about 2 to 3 days to show a positive or negative.
Can you have chlamydia for years?
You can have chlamydia for years if it is left untreated. Chlamydia, if left untreated for many years may cause a low grade infection without symptoms.
It could potentially flare up to cause a symptomatic infection, especially if there is an alteration in the persons immune system, such as a severe cold or flu, cancer or some other severe illness.
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References
- How does a chlamydia test work? - stdwatch.com
- Chlamydia treatment | How do you treat chlamydia? - stdwatch.com
- Can chlamydia live in the body after it is cured? - plannedparenthood.org
- Chlamydia - CDC Fact Sheet - CDC.gov
- Can You Get Chlamydia Any Way Other than Sex? - medicinenet.com
