What You Need To Know About Chlamydia
Sexually transmitted diseases are becoming more common than they have ever been due to the new culture of not using protection. It is all too easy to get lost in the moment without thinking about the consequences, although many young people are unaware of the more severe consequences, they just think protection is there to prevent pregnancies however this is not the case. They are there to protect you from catching any diseases which may have much more serious effects, some of which are irrevocable. Currently the most common STD is chlamydia, despite a massive campaign to educate young people on STDs they still do not know enough, here’s what you need to know to about this disease.
Firstly, what is chlamydia? As previously mentioned it is the most common infection and is caused by bacterium. It can infect both men and women so both sexes should be careful. If left untreated it can cause serious damage with reproductive organs, leaving an infected person infertile.
There are an estimated 2.8 million infections recorded per year. With young females between the ages of 14-19 most likely to be infected. It is estimated that 1 out of 15 young females between this age will be infected.
A person catches chlamydia by having sex with someone who is currently infected. There are two common misconceptions, one is that you can only catch it through vaginal sex and, two, that the man must ejaculate for you to contract the disease. Both of these rumors are false; you can catch the disease through vaginal, anal and oral sex and the contact of the penis is all it takes to contract the disease.
It is recommended that all sexually active young people carry out a chlamydia check. Many will say that they have no symptoms or nothing seems wrong so there is no need to. This is the biggest mistake many young people make as this disease is known as the ‘silent’ infection. This is due to it having next to no symptoms.
A few lucky people will notice symptoms occurring, but this is very rare. The symptoms in women include; vaginal discharge (thick or runny) and a burning sensation whilst urinating. If left untreated the disease can travel up the tubes causing pelvic inflammatory disorder which is just as silent as chlamydia, it is this that causes some people to become infertile. The symptoms in men include; discharge from their penis, a burning sensation while urinating, or pain/swelling in their testicles.
As mentioned earlier if left untreated it can cause infertility. It may also increase a persons chances of getting or transmitting HIV. It should be noted that if a person contracts the disease whilst pregnant or has it before they conceive it can be passed on to the baby in the womb.
Anyone who has unprotected sex should ensure they have a chlamydia test carried out. Even if you do not have any symptoms get tested. Do not be put off due to being scared. If you catch it early it is treated with a simple bout of antibiotics, it is only when you ignore it that it becomes a problem.
Related Posts
What Herpes Is And How You Can Prevent Its Transmission →
