{"id":6923,"date":"2022-05-13T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-13T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/?p=6923"},"modified":"2022-05-11T13:02:53","modified_gmt":"2022-05-11T13:02:53","slug":"frequently-asked-questions-and-statistics-about-chlamydia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/frequently-asked-questions-and-statistics-about-chlamydia\/","title":{"rendered":"Frequently asked questions and statistics about Chlamydia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK. Many people do not display symptoms of chlamydia when infected during the early stages, meaning they continue with their sexual activity, unknowingly spreading the infection even further.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p>80% of women and 50% of men with chlamydia in the UK do not show symptoms, so the only way to know for sure if you have chlamydia, or any sexually transmitted infection, is to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/std-sti-testing\/chlamydia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">get tested<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the world\u2019s leading private provider of sexual health testing services we have helped many thousands of people worldwide and in the UK get tested and treated for chlamydia.\u00a0 Here we look at some frequently asked questions when speaking to our patients about chlamydia and a few key UK and global statistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>What is Chlamydia and how do you get it?&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Chlamydia is caused by a specific strain of bacteria known as chlamydia trachomatis, which is spread predominantly through sexual contact.&nbsp; It can be passed to another person by having vaginal, anal or oral sex.&nbsp; A pregnant person can also give the infection to their baby during childbirth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Signs and symptoms of Chlamydia?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to the fact that many people do not show any signs or symptoms of chlamydia, it is advised to adopt a routine of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">regular STI testing<\/a> to know for sure whether you have an infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For those that display symptoms, they can include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Vaginal or penile discharge<\/li><li>Burning or pain during urination in both men and women<\/li><li>Back pain, or unusual pain during sex for women<\/li><li>Bleeding in between periods<\/li><li>Swollen testicles and\/or discomfort around the tip of the penis<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>What are the risk factors associated with a Chlamydia infection?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Chlamydia is a serious infection which can lead to long term health issues if not treated.&nbsp; The most common health implication is infertility in women and reduced fertility in men.&nbsp; This is because the bacteria can infect the cervix in women and the urinary tract in both men and women.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chlamydia can also cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women, leading to an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy, or pregnancy outside the womb.&nbsp; PID has also been associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A chlamydia infection can occasionally lead to miscarriage or preterm delivery in pregnant women.\u00a0 If the baby is exposed to the infection during delivery, they could suffer from eye infections or pneumonia. If chlamydia is left untreated, there is an increased risk of contracting other STIs, including HIV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>How is Chlamydia treated?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/medications-g0a9cd9bfc_1920-edited.jpg\" alt=\"How is Chlamydia treated?\" class=\"wp-image-6925\" width=\"591\" height=\"332\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/medications-g0a9cd9bfc_1920-edited.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/medications-g0a9cd9bfc_1920-edited-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/medications-g0a9cd9bfc_1920-edited-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/medications-g0a9cd9bfc_1920-edited-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/medications-g0a9cd9bfc_1920-edited-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 591px) 100vw, 591px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is chlamydia is curable and can be treated with a simple course of antibiotics.&nbsp; You should ensure you take the full course of medication and do not engage in sexual activity until the treatment is completed.&nbsp; You should also see that your sexual partners are treated to avoid re-infection. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you test positive for chlamydia, Better2Know can provide you with the prescription you need or arrange a follow-up consultation with a doctor if desired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>What are the key UK and Global statistics for Chlamydia?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to official statistics from public health England, chlamydia is the most common STI in England with 161,672 new diagnoses in 2020.&nbsp; This compares to 57,084 diagnoses of gonorrhoea, which was in second place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Manchester is the city that makes the most STI related internet searches, with the most common search term being \u2018chlamydia symptoms\u2019.&nbsp; London however has the highest rate of STI incidence with 5,319 case per 100,000 people. &nbsp;Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that in 2020 there were 129 million new infections of chlamydia.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Get tested for Chlamydia with Better2Know?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Better2Know\u2019s standard <a href=\"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/std-sti-testing\/chlamydia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">chlamydia test<\/a> uses a urine sample or vaginal swab for women and a urine test for men.\u00a0 We can also take a swab of your vagina, rectum or throat if you are displaying particular symptoms.\u00a0 You should wait 14 days after any incident of concern before having a test for chlamydia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We offer many other individual <a href=\"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/page\/std-sti-testing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STI tests<\/a> along with comprehensive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/std-sti-testing\/sti_screens\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STI Screens<\/a> which are created by medical experts.\u00a0 One of our STI screens is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/page\/peace-of-mind\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Peace of Mind Screen<\/a> which tests for Chlamydia as well as Syphilis and Gonorrhoea.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can book online using the \u2018book now\u2019 button or call us using the number at the top of this page.\u00a0 We can arrange discreet testing at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/clinics\/search\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">clinic near you<\/a>, with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/page\/we-come-2-you\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">private nurse visit<\/a>, or you can order a convenient <a href=\"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/shop\/categories\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">home test kit<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[1] Gov.uk: <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/news\/sti-rates-remain-a-concern-despite-fall-in-2020\">STI rates remain a concern despite fall in 2020<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[2] Thisisfresh.com: <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisisfresh.com\/blog\/2020\/09\/09\/sexual-health-sti-hotspots-uk\/\">STI hot spots by city<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[3] Pharmacydirectgb.co.uk: <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pharmacydirectgb.co.uk\/blog\/std-statistics-facts-and-figures-for-the-uk\">STD Statistics \u2013 facts and figures for the UK in 2021<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[4] Who.int: <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/sexually-transmitted-infections-(stis)\">Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK. Many people do not display symptoms of chlamydia when infected during the early stages, meaning they continue with their sexual activity, unknowingly spreading the infection even further.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":""},"categories":[3,20,16,14,2606,19],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[1546,1695,608,1351,1093,560,869,571,1465,725,2158,1564,629],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6923"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6923"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6923\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6928,"href":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6923\/revisions\/6928"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6923"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.better2know.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=6923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}