8 Symptoms of Chlamydia in Women

Chlamydia is a gram-negative bacterium responsible for most of the sexually transmitted infections in the U.S. In fact, according to the commercial health maintenance organization (HMO), Medicaid records and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), between 47% and 54% of sexually active women aged between 16-24 years were diagnosed with this infection in 2014, and the prevalence of this disease increases every year. The high rate of this bacterial infection can be explained with its ease of transmission and the ability of the bacteria to go unnoticed because it's usually asymptomatic. It is estimated that approximately 75% of infected women and 50% of infected men experience no symptoms at all, so they have unprotected sexual relations while infected and do not take the proper treatment. Although Chlamydia is commonly spread among promiscuous individuals who have unprotected sexual relationships, it may be transmitted even from the habitual sexual partner. When the person develops symptoms, they appear approximately three weeks after having unprotected sexual contact with the infected person and may include the following: 1. Painful periods and sex. You may have more pelvic pain than usual during menstrual bleeding, and it may even produce severe abdominal pain (menstrual colic). Also, dyspareunia (pain during sex) is a prevalent symptom. However, most women refer more discomfort than pain. Itching or burning around the vagina is also very common. 2. Abnormal or unusual vaginal discharge. Although with Chlamydia, the vaginal discharge has no specific characteristics, you may notice an increase in the amount of discharge or a change in some of its characteristics. For example, a different odor, a thicker consistency, yellowish or milky white in color, or frothy. More symptoms on next page... 3. Cystitis. Discomfort or pain while urinating is another common symptom of this bacterial infection. Most women refer to a burning sensation while urinating, and also an increase in frequency. Many diseases can be the cause of this symptom, so it is always important to consult a doctor. It is also important to know that, due to the proximity between the urethra and the vagina, the bacterial infection may spread by contiguity and produce a urinary infection which also needs to be treated to avoid severe complications. 4. Asymptomatic. Although it may sound contradictory, the most common symptom of chlamydia is not having any symptoms at all. The person with this condition is medically called "asymptomatic carrier", and the main problem of this condition is that neither the patient nor its sexual partner may notice the infection, so it is transmitted from one to another without notice. Likewise, when the infection is not treated, the patient may be an asymptomatic carrier for years, and it can infect all the sexual partners they have during that time. 5. Rectal inflammation. Experts agree that rectal inflammation is caused by the closeness between the vagina and rectum. However, this symptom is very uncommon, and patients that suffer from hemorrhoids are more prone to develop it. 6. Bartholinitis. It is more a consequence than a symptom. Bartholinitis is the infection and subsequent blockage of the Bartholin's glands, which are the glands in charge of releasing the sexual fluids and facilitate the lubrication during sex. When these glands get blocked, it may result in a cyst or an abscess. 7. Bleeding between menstrual periods or after sex. The menstrual cycle may be decontrolled, and you may have mild bleeding between menstruations. In some cases, the blood looks more brownish than usual, and it may appear in small amounts. In contrast, the patient might witness scarce bleeding instead. It is essential to know that it is not a specific symptom of Chlamydia infection, so any abnormal vaginal bleeding should be consulted with a specialist to determine the cause. 8. Pelvic inflammatory disease. As it was said before, this is a severe complication of untreated Chlamydia infection in women. The pelvic inflammatory disease can cause scarring and damage to different reproductive organs, so if it is not properly treated, it may result in infertility. The most common symptoms are pelvic and abdominal pain, pain during sex, lower back pain, high and difficult to control fever and cramping. It is important to know that even though chlamydia screening has been more frequently used in the last few decades, many women are still at risk. So please seek medical attention if you think you are at risk, even if you are not showing any symptoms.

8. Pelvic inflammatory disease

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