How does chlamydia affect your body?

Answer 1

There are a variety of effects that differ between the sexes and in their severity.

Women's symptoms may include:

• burning pain during urination
• more frequent urination
• abnormal vaginal discharge
• dull pelvic pain
• bleeding between periods and after sexual intercourse
• menstrual bleeding that is heavier than usual
• more painful periods

Men's symptoms may include:

• burning pain during urination
• more frequent urination
• white or yellow discharge from the penis
• redness at the tip of the penis
• itchy or irritated urethra (urethritis)
• pain and swelling in the testicles
• pain between the scrotum and anal area and difficult and frequent urination

However, approximately 75% of women and 50% of men do not experience any symptoms at all, which is why it is so important to test for chlamydia. However, the mere absence of symptoms does not indicate that the disease is unimportant. Chronic infections can lead to infertility (blocking the Fallopian tube in women), or further diseases such as pelvic inflammatory disease. About 15% of females with chlamydia get PID, and about 15% of those will become infertile.
If untreated, chlamydial infections can progress to serious reproductive and other health problems with both short-term and long-term consequences. Like the disease itself, the damage that chlamydia causes is often "silent."

Answer 2

Generally chlamydia affects the reproductive system; but the eyes, rectum, and throat can be infected. Chlamydia can cause long-term damage to the fallopian tubes and epididymis.

Answer 3

The human body doesn't make chlamydia. Chlamydia trachomatis is a germ that you catch from someone else.
Your body can not produce the bacteria that causes chlamydia.