At Freddie, we want to give everyone the tools they need to have safer sex. That means friendly, judgment-free information about taking care of your health – including STIs. Read on for our guide to chlamydia.
What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI). In fact, it’s the second most common STI in the world after HPV. It’s caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis.
You can get chlamydia in parts of the body you use for sex – your penis, vagina, rectum and mouth/throat. You can also get it in your eye if you get infectious bodily fluids in there (for example, if someone cums in your eye).
Many people with chlamydia have no symptoms. Thankfully, it is simple to test for with a urine sample or a swab from the parts of the body you use for sex (vagina, throat, and/or rectum). It can be easily treated with a course of antibiotics.
What are the symptoms of chlamydia?
Many people with chlamydia will have no symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may include:
- Pain when peeing
- Discharge from your genitals or anus
- Pain in the lower abdomen
- Pain in your genitals or anus
- Bleeding from the anus or more vaginal bleeding than usual
How is chlamydia transmitted?
Chlamydia targets mucous membranes (basically warm, moist areas of the body). It can be transmitted when bodily fluids that have the bacteria in – like semen, vaginal fluid or rectal fluid – come into contact with these membranes.
The most common ways for chlamydia to be transmitted are oral, anal or vaginal sex without a barrier (a condom or dental dam). You can transmit chlamydia from any body part that has the infection to another body part with mucous membranes.
For example, if someone has chlamydia in their throat and gives their partner a blow job then they could give their partner chlamydia in their penis, and vice versa.
Chlamydia can also be passed if someone had infectious fluids on their hands or or a toy and then puts this inside a partner. For example, if someone gave one partner a hand job and then fingered another partner with semen on their hands.
How is chlamydia treated?
Chlamydia is treated with oral antibiotics. This is usually a 7 day course of daily medication. Getting treatment is important because without it, chlamydia can cause long-term health complications like infertility.
After you’ve been treated, wait 7 days from your last dose before having sex again. If your symptoms reappear then contact your healthcare provider and do not have sex until you’ve seen them.
You can still get chlamydia again after you’ve been successfully treated. Using safer sex tools can help reduce your risk in future.
How do you prevent chlamydia?
Abstinence is the only guaranteed way to prevent all STIs, but for most of us this is not realistic. People have sex! If you do, there are some ways you can reduce your risk for STIs.
Condoms
Condoms and other barriers like dental dams are an effective way to prevent transmission of bacterial STIs like chlamydia. However, they are only effective if used for all kinds of sex you have. For example, if you use condoms for anal sex with a partner but not for oral sex, then there is still an STI risk.
Condoms need to be worn the whole time you have sex. You can also prevent STI transmission by using condoms on toys and then replacing these whenever you switch holes and switch partners.
DoxyPEP
DoxyPEP is short for Doxycycline Post-Exposure Prophylaxis. It’s where you take an antibiotic (doxycycline) after condomless sex to help prevent syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea. It can reduce, but does not eliminate, bacterial STI risk.
DoxyPEP needs to be taken within 72 hours after condomless oral sex, anal sex or insertive vaginal sex. Ideally it should be taken within 24 hours.
DoxyPEP is for men who have sex with men, trans women and other gender-diverse people who were born with a penis. This is because the research supporting DoxyPEP showed it was effective in people with these body types.
Unfortunately, research suggests DoxyPEP is not as effective for people who were born with vaginas. This includes cis women, trans men and other gender-diverse people with this body type. At this time, DoxyPEP is not recommended for these people – however, you can speak to your clinician to decide what might be best for you.
Some researchers have cautioned that using doxycycline for DoxyPEP may increase the risk of antibiotic resistance, particularly when used inconsistently. Public health units are carefully considering these risks alongside the benefits of reducing STI transmission. At the time of writing, DoxyPEP has been formally endorsed by America's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Public Health Agency of Canada is currently conducting its review.
I’ve been exposed to chlamydia. What should I do?
If a partner has told you they have chlamydia, then you should be tested as soon as possible (even if you don’t have symptoms). You should abstain from sex while you wait for the results.
You can get STI testing and treatment at sexual health clinics, public health clinics, family doctors, walk-in clinics, and some community health centres. Some providers will give you treatment the same day as they test you, even if you don’t have symptoms.
I have symptoms of an STI. What should I do?
If you have symptoms, make an appointment with your sexual health clinic or visit them during walk-in hours. Most clinics can diagnose and treat you right away. For example, if you have genital or rectal discharge they may take a urine sample, take some swabs and test these on site.
Depending on your symptoms, they may swab your rectum, your urethra (if you have a penis) or your vagina/front hole (whether you were born with one or had a vaginoplasty). They may order some additional tests to confirm your diagnosis, and will get in touch when those results come back.
I just tested positive for chlamydia. What now?
If you received a positive result outside a clinic (for example, if you get a text about test results) then make an appointment or go to walk-in hours as soon as possible. Do not have sex until your treatment is complete and your healthcare provider confirms it’s ok to have sex again. This is usually 7 days after your final dose of medication.
If you test positive for an STI, you should notify your recent partners so they can get treatment if needed. However, this may not be safe for everyone.
If you don’t feel comfortable reaching out to a partner directly, then there are services available to send an anonymous text to someone saying they’ve had an STI exposure. Note that if your partner is only having sex with you, they will know who the message is coming from.
