What is STI testing? STI testing is the process of running medical tests to check for any sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It is quick, easy, and confidential. Most STI tests only require a blood test and either a self-collected swab or a urine sample. Why is STI testing important? […]
It’s Valentine’s Day National Condom Day! It’s no coincidence that Valentine’s Day and National Condom Day fall on the same day… but in terms of which one we’re celebrating, well, that’s a no brainer. Here at Play Safe, we’ll take any excuse to celebrate condoms, but today, on National Condom […]
World AIDS Day Ever wondered why you see red ribbons everywhere in early December? Well, it’s because of World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day takes place on the 1st of December each year and is all about showing support for people living with HIV, raising awareness about HIV prevention, testing […]
What is STI testing? STI testing is the process of running medical tests to check for any sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It is quick, easy, and confidential. Most STI tests only require a blood test and either a self-collected swab or a urine sample. Why is STI testing important? […]
It’s Valentine’s Day National Condom Day! It’s no coincidence that Valentine’s Day and National Condom Day fall on the same day… but in terms of which one we’re celebrating, well, that’s a no brainer. Here at Play Safe, we’ll take any excuse to celebrate condoms, but today, on National Condom […]
World AIDS Day Ever wondered why you see red ribbons everywhere in early December? Well, it’s because of World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day takes place on the 1st of December each year and is all about showing support for people living with HIV, raising awareness about HIV prevention, testing […]
What is contraception? Contraception, also sometimes referred to as ‘birth control’, is something people can use when they want to have sex that can result in pregnancy, but do not want to become pregnant or have a baby. Understanding contraception and figuring out the best contraceptive method for you is […]
Chlamydia is on the rise in Australia. In fact, it’s the most important thing for young people to test for. It often doesn’t have any symptoms which means it’s easy to miss without regular STI testing.
Chlamydia in the vagina, rectum (bum), and throat usually has no symptoms, but if they do occur they can include:
Chlamydia in the penis only has symptoms about 50% of the time, if they do occur they can include:
Chlamydia is a curable bacterial infection that can be passed through body fluids during vaginal, anal, and oral sex with someone who has the infection.
If left untreated, chlamydia can sometimes cause serious complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), painful swelling of the testicles (balls), ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy that happens in the tubes, not the uterus), and infertility (difficulty getting pregnant).
Chlamydia is carried in genital fluids and can be passed on when you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the infection.
It’s possible, but less likely, that chlamydia can be passed during other types of sex e.g. sharing sex toys, ‘dipping’ (brief insertion of penis into the vagina or bum) or when mutual masturbation or genital to genital rubbing involves a lot of genital fluids.
When you don’t have symptoms, Chlamydia can be tested by a urine sample or a self-collected vaginal swab. Sometimes a throat swab or self-collected anal swab should be taken too.
If you’re having any symptoms, the nurse or doctor will need to take a look. This will help them decide what kind of testing or treatment you might need.
The good news is that most cases of Chlamydia are cured in one dose of antibiotics. If you do have Chlamydia, make sure you let anyone you’ve had sexual contact with in the past six months know so they can get treated too. And, as always, make sure you go back for regular testing.
