Chlamydia may not fully clear up if you do not finish your antibiotic treatment. You can also get chlamydia again if it’s transmitted from a sexual partner or a sex toy after your treatment.
Yes, you can contract chlamydia more than once, although it’s rare for it to persist after you’ve fully completed treatment.
Keep reading to learn more about repeat chlamydia infection, including why it occurs, how to prevent it, and what can happen if chlamydia is not treated.
A type of bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis causes chlamydia. This bacterium can cause infection in the genitals and urinary tract, including the:
- vagina or cervix
- urethra
- penis
- epididymis or prostate
It can also cause infections outside of the genitals, including:
How is chlamydia transmitted?
It’s usually transmitted from one person to another during penetrative vaginal or anal sex or oral sex, although sex without penetration can also transmit it.
Chlamydia can also be transmitted to a baby during vaginal delivery if the person giving birth has an untreated chlamydia infection.
You can also get it from sex toys shared with someone with chlamydia that contain the Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria.
It cannot be transmitted by sitting on a toilet seat.
Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics,
Treatment may vary if the infection occurs in other parts of the body.
To make sure chlamydia is cured, you need to take the full course of antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor. You need to take every single dose. Do not stop taking the antibiotics until there are none left.
All sexual partners must receive treatment and wait until it’s completed or one week after to have sex to prevent recurrence. If you cannot wait one week to have sex, it’s best to use condoms or another barrier method.
Otherwise, the infection may not fully go away.
If you’ve taken all your antibiotics but still have symptoms, contact your doctor or another healthcare professional.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Pregnant people may need to get a follow-up test 3 to 4 weeks after treatment.
There are a few reasons why you might contract chlamydia a second time:
- The initial infection wasn’t cured because the course of antibiotics wasn’t completed as directed.
- A sexual partner may need treatment for chlamydia. It doesn’t always cause symptoms, which is why screening is so important.
- You used or shared a sex toy that contained chlamydia bacteria. This may happen if it isn’t adequately cleaned.
Chlamydia symptoms typically disappear once you finish your antibiotics. The time this takes
The
No home remedy for chlamydia can replace antibiotics. Chlamydia is a bacterial infection, so you need to take antibiotics to cure it.
However, you can soothe symptoms at home while you wait for the antibiotics to get to work. These can include:
- pain medications, such as ibuprofen (Advil), to reduce pain
- a cold pack to soothe inflammation
Remember that these remedies might soothe the symptoms of chlamydia, but they don’t actually cure chlamydia itself. The best way to relieve the symptoms is to use antibiotics.
If you take your antibiotics as directed, chlamydia is likely to go away. But if it’s left untreated, it can cause a few complications.
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID): If you have a vulva, you could develop PID. PID is a painful infection that could damage your uterus, cervix, and ovaries.
- Infertility: Untreated chlamydia can also lead to scarred fallopian tubes, which can cause infertility.
- Complications in newborns: If you’re pregnant, untreated chlamydia can be transmitted to the baby during vaginal delivery. Chlamydia can cause eye infections and pneumonia in newborns.
- Epididymitis: Untreated chlamydia can lead to epididymitis, which is when the epididymis (a tube attached to the testes where sperm mature) becomes inflamed, causing pain.
- Spread to the prostate: Chlamydia can also spread to the prostate gland, which can lead to painful sex, lower back pain, and a fever.
Treatment for chlamydia is relatively straightforward. And if it’s treated quickly, you’re unlikely to experience any long-term complications.
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If you have a sexual partner, or if you’ve had sex with someone in the last 60 to 90 days, talk with them about your chlamydia diagnosis. They’ll need to get tested and treated, too.
If your sexual partner doesn’t seek treatment, there’s a risk that they can transmit it back to you, even after your infection has been cured.
To prevent chlamydia from recurring, there are a few steps you can take:
- Take all your antibiotics as directed by a healthcare professional, even if your symptoms improve.
- Ensure any current sexual partners are also treated for chlamydia to prevent recurrence.
- Clean all sex toys thoroughly.
- Use barrier methods like condoms during sexual activity.
If you suspect you have chlamydia, talk with a healthcare professional as soon as possible. Abstain from all sexual activity until your appointment.
If you aren’t comfortable getting tested for STIs with your usual provider, you can find a clinic in your area or order an at-home testing kit online.
There are many free or low cost clinics.
To find local clinics, you can also visit GetTested or call CDC Info at 800-232-4636 (TTY: 888-232-6348).
It’s possible to have chlamydia more than once.
To prevent reoccurrence or reinfection, finish your full course of antibiotic treatment, and talk with your sexual partner(s) about getting tested and treated for chlamydia, too.