Chlamydia Symptoms in Men & Women

Most people who catch chlamydia do not get any symptoms, so they are unaware they have the infection. This can mean that they pass chlamydia on to their sexual partners without realising. However, some people do get some symptoms.

Common chlamydia symptoms include:

• abnormal vaginal or penile discharge
• burning sensation when you pee
• pain in your lower abdomen (women) or in your testicles (men)

If you have oral chlamydia or chlamydia in the mouth, you may notice signs such as:

• sore throat
• fever
• mouth sores
• swollen tonsils or lymph nodes

How long after unprotected sex will it take for you to get chlamydia symptoms?

If you have chlamydia and get symptoms, they will usually appear 1 to 3 weeks after you had unprotected sex and were infected. Some people may not get symptoms for several months.

Chlamydia symptoms in women can affect anyone with a vagina and can be similar to urinary tract infections (UTIs). If you think you have chlamydia, you may experience:

What happens if chlamydia is left untreated in men?

If left untreated, chlamydia in men can lead to complications such as inflammation in the testicles and the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles, a condition called epididymitis. Symptoms for this can include:

• swelling or a lump in the testicles
• frequent need to urinate
• difficulty or pain during urination
• fertility issues

Chlamydia can also cause sexually acquired reactive arthritis (SARA), which is more common in men than women. Usually, SARA gets better within 4 to 6 months, but 50% of cases can keep coming back, and 17% of people experience chronic symptoms. Symptoms can include:

• sore, stiff, and swollen joints
• tiredness
• red, hot skin around painful joints

In most cases, chlamydia is asymptomatic, which means there are no obvious signs or symptoms, so many people are unaware they are infected.

The infection is asymptomatic in 70% of women and 50% of men. In these instances, you will not know you have chlamydia unless you get tested. That’s why regular testing in sexually active people is recommended because you may not know you have chlamydia, leaving you susceptible to complications and able to spread it to others.

If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to infertility in both men and women. Research shows that women infected with chlamydia trachomatis have a 70% higher chance of experiencing infertility. In men, it is estimated that STIs, including chlamydia, cause 15% of infertility cases.

How long it takes for chlamydia to affect your fertility is not known, but the longer it remains untreated, the higher the chance of complications, including infertility.

Some estimates suggest that 10% of women will develop PID within a year of being infected with chlamydia, which, if left untreated, can result in fertility problems. It does this by causing scarring and blocking the fallopian tubes, making it difficult for eggs to reach the womb to be fertilised.

In men, chlamydia can cause epididymitis, a condition that causes inflammation in the epididymis, the tube that carries sperm. Epididymitis is one of the most common causes of male infertility, with up to 40% of people with the condition experiencing a low or no sperm count.

You should test for chlamydia after you have potentially been exposed to the infection or if you have chlamydia symptoms.

Regular testing is recommended for sexually active individuals, especially if you:

• have multiple sexual partners
• have a new sexual partner
• frequently have unprotected sex
• have had chlamydia or other STIs in the past
• are under 25
• have been exposed to infected vaginal fluid or semen, even without penetrative sex, such as through sharing sex toys

Self-tests are easy to perform at home on your own and are posted back to our partner lab (postage included with the kit), where you should receive your results within 72 hours. We can also provide oral chlamydia and gonorrhoea and anal chlamydia and gonorrhoea test kits.

How long after exposure do chlamydia symptoms appear?

You must wait at least 2 weeks after being exposed to the chlamydia infection before getting tested to make sure you get an accurate result.

Chlamydia symptoms usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after being infected, but they can take months in some people, while others may not get any symptoms.

The first line treatment for chlamydia is doxycycline, an antibiotic that kills the chlamydia-causing bacteria. It does this by stopping the bacteria from producing essential proteins it needs to survive. The usual dose is one 100mg doxycycline capsule twice a day for 7 days.

Research shows that doxycycline is 95% effective at treating chlamydia compared to 97% for the alternative antibiotic azithromycin. If you are able to, you should inform any sexual partners of your diagnosis so that they can also get chlamydia treatment. You can also ask the place you got tested to do this anonymously on your behalf.

When should I get tested again?

You may not need to retest if all of the following are true for your situation:

• you have taken the medication exactly as prescribed
• you have avoided sexual contact during treatment
• your current partner has also received treatment

However, you may be offered a re-test, usually 3 months after completing treatment if you are:

• under 25
• pregnant (a retest will usually be carried out after 4 weeks)
• at risk of reinfection, for example, your current sexual partner has not received treatment

Can chlamydia come back after treatment?

Yes, chlamydia can come back even after treatment with antibiotics. You can be reinfected if you have unprotected sex with someone who has chlamydia.

You can avoid getting chlamydia by:

✓ using condoms during sex

✓ getting tested at least once a year

✓ always completing the course of antibiotics

✓ telling your partner so they can get treatment

✗ not sharing sex toys without protection or washing them between users

Chlamydia is the most common bacterial STI in the UK, and with up to 70% of cases in women and 50% in men being asymptomatic, many people do not realise they have it.

If left untreated, chlamydia can cause complications, including infertility. However, it is easily preventable and treatable with antibiotics, like doxycycline.

Request an at-home chlamydia test or treatment via our chlamydia treatment service page.