Chlamydia is the most commonly reported sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the U.S. It is an infection with the bacteria known as Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia is very similar to gonorrhea in its symptoms and pattern of transmission. It is important to note that many people (both women and men) who are infected with chlamydia do not have any symptoms and may not be aware that they have the infection. Chlamydia infection can cause permanent damage to the fallopian tubes in a woman and can lead to future infertility and an increase risk of ectopic pregnancy. Chlamydia infection during pregnancy also increases a woman’s risk of preterm labor and of having a baby with low birth weight.
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Symptoms
It is not easy to tell if you are infected with chlamydia since symptoms are not always apparent. But when they do occur, they are usually noticeable within one to three weeks of contact and can include the following:
Chlamydia symptoms in women
- Abnormal vaginal discharge that may have an odor
- Bleeding between periods
- Painful periods
- Abdominal pain with fever
- Pain when having sex
- Itching or burning in or around the vagina
- Pain when urinating
Chlamydia symptoms in men
- Small amounts of clear or cloudy discharge from the tip of the penis
- Painful urination
- Burning and itching around the opening of the penis
- Pain and swelling around the testicles
Causes
Chlamydia is a bacterial infection. The bacteria are usually spread through sex or contact with infected genital fluids (semen or vaginal fluid).
You can get chlamydia through:
- unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex
- sharing sex toys that aren’t washed or covered with a new condom each time they’re used
- your genitals coming into contact with your partner’s genitals – this means you can get chlamydia from someone even if there is no penetration, orgasm or ejaculation
- infected semen or vaginal fluid getting into your eye
It can also be passed by a pregnant woman to her baby – read about the complications of chlamydia for more information about this.
Chlamydia can’t be passed on through casual contact, such as kissing and hugging, or from sharing baths, towels, swimming pools, toilet seats or cutlery.
Prevention
To reduce your risk of a chlamydia infection:
- Use condoms correctly every time you have sex.
- Limit the number of sex partners, and do not go back and forth between partners.
- Practice sexual abstinence, or limit sexual contact to one uninfected partner.
- If you think you are infected, avoid sexual contact and see a doctor.
Any genital symptoms such as discharge or burning during urination or an unusual sore or rash should be a signal to stop having sex and to consult a doctor immediately. If you are told you have chlamydia or any other sexually transmitted disease and receive treatment, you should notify all of your recent sex partners so that they can see a doctor and be treated.
Because chlamydia often occurs without symptoms, people who are infected may unknowingly infect their sex partners. Many doctors recommend that all persons who have more than one sex partner should be tested for chlamydia regularly, even in the absence of symptoms.
Remedies
Besides antibiotics and pain medicine, many natural techniques and home remedies for chlamydia in men and women are effective in treating this bacterial infection. You can use these home remedies together with antibiotics in order to fasten the healing process and prevent this disease from further spreading.
Garlic
Although we do not see any connection between using garlic and chlamydia treatment, garlic is actually the effective one of home remedies for chlamydia in men and women. The possible explanation may be that garlic contains antibiotics, antiviral and antibacterial properties, which help you to get rid of this bacterial infection.
Olive Tree Extract
This can be taken orally, or rubbed on the location that is infected. The olive tree extract has oleuropein, which will help kill off the bacteria and reduce inflammation. It will also boost your immune system. It can be found as a liquid concentrate, powder, capsule or dried leaf tea. This extract has been shown to lower blood pressure and blood glucose.
Echinacea
Much like garlic and a series of other home remedies for chlamydia, Echinacea also benefits from a wide range of antimicrobial properties. Due to this along with its detoxifying effects, this miracle herb will strengthen your immune system and help you battle chlamydia more efficiently. Not only this, but it also acts as a lymph cleanser killing much more pathogens than just the chlamydia bacteria in your body.
Sage Leaves
Chop up 50 mgs of sage leaves and boil them in 250 ml of water. The mixture can be stores so that you can drink a little three times a week to cure Chlamydia. Sage leaves are found to be very safe, with no noticeable side effects.
Goldenseal
Goldenseal is another remedy that has been used to treat many fungal and bacterial infections of your skin and your body. This herb has the great source of berberine, an enzyme that helps you to ward off the infectious bacteria. According to recent study, the enzyme plays the important role in boosting your immunes system by making the white blood cells healthy in order to make sure that the white blood cells function properly. As a result, using goldenseal will fight against the bacteria causing this infection. Prepared douches from this herb can help you to get rid of the bacteria from your genitals. Moreover, it helps to reduce the itching and discomfort which are the symptoms of chlamydia.
Saw Palmetto
If you ask for the effective remedies for chlamydia in men and women, I would like to recommend saw palmetto for you. Saw Palmetto has been used to cure urinary tract infections because it has anti-bacterial properties. Because of anti-bacterial properties, saw palmetto can help you to eliminate the harmful bacteria causing this sexual transmitted disease. Moreover, it also fastens the healing process.
Balanced Diet Plan
A well-balanced diet in often overlooked, in spite of the fact that it represents one of the most common home remedies for chlamydia. Even though diet has nothing to do with contracting the disease, keeping a close eye on food intake can prevent the bacteria from further spreading inside your body. If goldenseal had a positive impact on the white blood cell count, a proper diet also improves the production of white blood cells. Hence, if you eat healthy while taking goldenseal, you double your chances to fight off the infection faster.
