10 Symptoms of Chlamydia In Men
There is nothing wrong with enjoying an active sex life. Indeed, regular sex even brings with it numerous physical and mental health benefits. There are some very good reasons to take precautions when having sex, however. It is important to prevent unwanted pregnancies, for example. It is also important to avoid catching sexually transmitted diseases.
Among the most common of all sexually transmitted diseases is chlamydia. Chlamydia can be very uncomfortable, but it is unlikely to cause serious problems. It will cause complications in a small number of cases, though. Treatment for the infection is usually treated with a course of antibiotics.
1. Frequent Urination
Most of us will need to urinate several times a day. This is because our bladders can only hold so much urine and so they need to be emptied when they become full. This process is entirely natural and very easy, and will not usually interfere with our day too much.
Men with chlamydia, however, can find that they will be urinating more frequently than usual, and this can be quite awkward in some situations. If it happens at night, it can also mean that they struggle to get to sleep at night as bathroom tips are disturbing their rest.
2. Painful Urination
As if frequent urination wasn’t frustrating enough, chlamydia also causes another rather unwelcome symptom associated with the act. That is that the condition can also make urinating quite painful. The pain is often described as a burning sensation as the urine passes through the penis.
Despite the act being painful, we still need to empty the bladder, meaning we will need to urinate no matter how much we would prefer not to. The pain should clear up altogether when the underlying cause is dealt with. Some people might find some relief from the pain by making changes to their diets.
3. Burning
As mentioned, chlamydia can cause pain when the patient is urinating. What makes things even worse is that the condition can also be quite painful the rest of the time also. Many men with chlamydia will often complain of a burning sensation in their penis even when they are not urinating.
The pain specifically comes from the urethra. This is the tube that allows urine and semen to pass out through the body. Again, this symptom will clear up once the underlying cause has been successfully dealt with. The pain can be enough to make it difficult for the patient to go about their day to day lives.
4. Testicle Pain
Chlamydia can also cause pain elsewhere in a man’s genital region, this being in their testicles. It can cause pain for them even when they are inactive, and the patient can find it difficult to move or sit in certain positions. Tight underwear can also make the symptom worse in some cases.
The patient’s testicles are likely to be very tender to the touch, and they can also become rather inflamed. While this can be very uncomfortable, it is not usually dangerous. Regardless, the patient should still get treatment as soon as possible to help ensure no permanent damage is caused.
5. Discharge
The urethra has a sphincter, which is a group of muscles that help to close it shut. This helps to prevent urine and other fluids from leaking out at awkward moments. In cases of chlamydia, however, the patient will often still experience a discharge.
In chlamydia, much of the infection will be located in the part of the urethra after the sphincter. Thus, a discharge from the penis is a fairly common symptom of the condition. The discharge will often be water, and cloudy or white. It can also sometimes contain blood, and it can also have a very unpleasant odor.
6. Rectal Pain
In some cases, the bacterium will also manage to infect the rectum. This usually happens in people that have participated in anal sex. The rectum is the final part of the digestive system before feces is passed out of the body through the anus. Conditions inside the rectum make it an ideal place for many bacteria and other pathogens to inhabit and proliferate.
In many cases, chlamydia infecting the rectum will cause no pain or other symptoms whatsoever. In other cases, however, it can lead to pain in the rectum area. It will also sometimes cause itchiness in the patient’s anus.
7. Rectal Discharge
With bacteria residing in the rectum, so these bacteria are also likely to be producing waste materials. There will also be pus, which contains mostly dead bacteria and white blood cells as the blood cells try to deal with the infection. These will result in a discharge coming from the patient’s anus.
The discharge will often be mucus-like, whereas it can also be thick and yellow with a foul odor. Blood will also be present in the discharge sometimes. In cases of chlamydia, the discharge itself is harmless, if unpleasant. The symptom should be checked out regardless to help confirm what is causing it.
8. Conjunctivitis
Many types of bacteria are not limited to infecting one part of the body only. This means that some infections can cause what is known as secondary infections, and this includes chlamydia. Some people with the condition will also go on to develop conjunctivitis.
Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the lining of the eyelid. It can be painful and itchy, and it can cause a discharge. Permanent damage is possible in the most severe cases, but this is rare. Chlamydia can cause conjunctivitis when the patient touches their eyes after touching an infected part of their body. The condition is treatable but should be treated as soon as possible.
9. Sore Throat
The bacteria responsible for chlamydia can also infect the back of the throat. This can result in white patches at the back of the mouth, and the condition will often cause little to no discomfort for the patient. It will sometimes cause the patient to have sore throat, however. Some patients with a chlamydia infection of the throat will also go on to develop a cough.
Chlamydia infections of the throat occur when the patient has taken part in oral sex with an infected person. The condition should cause no harm and will clear up with no lasting damage done, but the patient should still seek medical assistance.
10. Complications
In addition to the symptoms already mentioned, chlamydia will sometimes go on to cause potentially severe complications. One of these is reactive arthritis, which is also known as Reiter’s syndrome. This type of arthritis will often affect the urethra and the eyes in addition to the joints.
Chlamydia will also sometimes go on to cause an infection of the prostate gland, resulting in a condition known as prostatitis. This can cause symptoms like fever and chills, pain when urinating, pain in the lower back, and pain during or after sex. Chlamydia will also sometimes go on to cause epididymitis, which is an infection of the epididymis, which is located just beneath the testicles.
