There are more dangerous
STDs than Chlamydia. There are STDs that make for splashier headlines and that
take more lives, but Chlamydia infections in the United States have grown to
unprecedented proportions and something needs to be done about it. The most
obvious thing that can be done is that everyone engaging in sexual activity
take a test to check their status. This would enable the potentially infected
person to take control of their body, begin treatment and get themselves back
to good health.
Some STDs leave a trail
of obvious symptoms. With herpes it is the unappealing sore and scabs that pop
up on mouth, lips and genitals. With syphilis and gonorrhea it is the searing
pain one feels during urination, and with pubic lice and scabies there is the unstoppable
itching. Chlamydia is a different type of STD. Many sufferers of Chlamydia
experience no symptoms at all. Though all the time they are infected the
disease is inside their bodies wreaking havoc in the reproductive organs.
Receiving a test is the smart thing to do if you are a man or woman engaging in
sex and who would like to have a child one day.
The numbers of people in
America infected by this insidious disease is staggering. It is estimated that
over three million men, women and children in the United States are infected with
Chlamydia each and every year! Chlamydia is most common in individuals twenty
five years old or younger and because their cervix’s are not yet fully
developed, it seems that girls are more likely to catch this disease than boys
are. Regardless, both males and females should receive a Chlamydia test if they
are engaging in sexual activity of any kind.
Let’s take a long step
back and begin at the beginning: What exactly is Chlamydia? Chlamydia is the
most commonly reported sexually transmitted disease in America and is caused by
bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. This bacterium infects the vagina,
cervix, rectum, penis and urethra and can be passed from mother to child during
birth. Again, a Chlamydia test should be performed on everyone who has sex and
especially those who find themselves pregnant, whether planned or unplanned.
What was the mode of
transmission for those who have become infected with Chlamydia? Transmission
for this STD is generally the same for any other STD. It ping pongs around the
population due to sexual activity that includes vaginal, oral or anal. Because
it is so easy to become infected with Chlamydia, the test should be administered
as soon as possible.
Although many of the
individuals infected with this disease do not show symptoms some do. If you are
currently sexually active contact an STD clinic if you have any of the
following symptoms:
In Women
Painful urination
Abdominal pain
Lower back pain
Nausea
Fever
Painful intercourse
Spotting between periods
In Men
Penis discharge
Painful urination
Itching at the tip of
penis
Painful or swollen
testicles
If you are currently
experiencing any of these symptoms what should you do? Go for the test right
away. If left untreated in women, the results of the infection can cause PID—or
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. This occurs when the bacteria infects the cells of
a female’s cervix and spreads to the uterus and/or fallopian tubes. PID can
cause major health problems for women. The problems include chronic pelvic
pain, ectopic (or tubal) pregnancies and infertility. Scarring can occur due to
the infection and will keep an egg from being fertilized correctly. Taking the
Chlamydia test can put an end to a lifetime of regret and suffering.
What is not commonly known is that women who
have Chlamydia are five times more likely to catch HIV from their partner. This
is a disturbing statistic, to be sure. Though all it takes is the fast, easy
and affordable Chlamydia test to stop the infection before it get to a point
where it causes this terrible physical (and mental! and emotional!) damage.
If you live in NYC and
would like to get tested for STD in NYC and to receive a Chlamydia test—or for any other reason—log on to
get chlamydia testing nyc. This highly respected medical facility is
located just blocks from Grand Central Station in clean, spacious and discreet
offices. Prices are affordable and you will be treated by a genuine doctor as
opposed to a nurse practitioner as in other similar clinics. Call
1-212-696-5900 to arrange a convenient appointment today!
