What Everyone Should Know About Chlamydia

Until recently I spent my days talking about sex!  For the last eighteen years I worked as a Sexual Health Adviser.  So I spent my time asking people about their sex lives – when they last had sex, what kind of sex they had, with how many partners and so on.  

Many of my patients turned out to have an infection called Chlamydia.  Here are a few questions I was often asked – and my answers. 

Question

Who is at risk of catching it? 

Answer

Anyone who has sex can catch it – so most of us.  Chlamydia is no respecter of age either. 

Obviously the more partners you have, the more chance of catching it.  But it only takes one.  It is extremely infectious. 

Question

If someone has got Chlamydia, why do they go around having sex with other people? 

Answer

Ah, well you see they may not know they’ve got it.  So there’s no point shouting that you’ll kill him or her if you ever get your hands on them. Chlamydia can be undetected for a very long time. 

Question

How long? 

Answer

Months, even years in some cases. 

Question

Can it do any harm if it’s there a long time? 

Answer

Yes, very much so.  In women it can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease which, in turn can lead to infertility. If a woman has Chlamydia without realizing it when she’s pregnant, the baby may be born with an eye infection. 

Both baby and parents can be treated but it isn’t the best start to parenthood. 

In men Chlamydia can cause severe pain in the joints. 

Question

Can it be cured? 

Answer

YES!  Simple antibiotics can cure it quickly, even if it has been there a while. 

Question

If my partner has got Chlamydia then that must mean he or she has been cheating on me. 

Answer

It may mean that BUT someone can have Chlamydia for ages without realizing it.  It can be a legacy from a long-dead relationship.  If you’ve no other reasons to doubt your partner then give him or her chance to explain. 

Question

Can I get checked out if I’m worried? 

Answer

Yes.  Go to a Sexual Health Clinic and you can be checked out for Chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections too, including HIV.  Couples who have reached a point in their relationship where they feel committed and want to stop using condoms often visit together before they have unprotected sex.  It may not be the most romantic couple of hours you’ve ever spent together but it beats finding out later that you have a problem. 

Question

How can I prevent it? 

Answer

Use a condom.  Although nothing is one hundred per cent safe, if they’re used correctly they are your best bet.  Take time to learn how to use them properly.  It may sound crazy but most condom “accidents” are due to people putting them on incorrectly.