What you need to know about Chlamydia

 

This cute little guy's name is Chlamydia...he is not your friend.

In Marion County there were 4,134 cases of Chlamydia in 2011 for people ages 15-24. With numbers like that, do you feel safe? A lot of times people feel like they don't need to be tested for STDs if they don't have any symptoms EVEN if they had unprotected sex. The best way to fight Chlamydia is to know all about it. The first thing you should know is there is a cure for Chlamydia but most people don't have any symptoms.

For the folks that do have symptoms they may look like this:

 Men:

• Sores, bumps, or blisters near genitals, anus (butt) or mouth
• Burning or pain when you urinate (pee)
• Drip or discharge from the penis

     Women:

• Sores, bumps, or blisters near genitals, anus (butt) or mouth
• Burning or pain when you urinate (pee)
• Itching
• Bad smell or unusual discharge from vagina or anus
• Belly ache-normally in the lower belly area
• Bleeding from the vagina between periods

Health consequences:
Men: though rare, the infection can spread to the epididymis (a tube that carries sperm from the testes), testicles and prostate, causing pain, fever and, rarely, being unable to father a child.
Women: it can lead to scarring of the fallopian tubes. This can lead to infertility (being unable to have a baby).

If you have unprotected sex...GET TESTED! We do free testing for Chlamydia at the Damien Center. Call (317)632.0123 for an appointment. Walk-ins welcome.