Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, which is easily spread because it often causes no symptoms and may be unknowingly passed to sexual partners. 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 1-3 weeks of contact. 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 STD 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.

Symptoms in Men May Include:

• Painful urination

• Small amounts of clear or cloudy discharge from the tip of the penis

• Pain and swelling around the testicles

• Burning and itching around the opening of the penis

• Limit the number of sex partners, and do not go back and forth between partners

• If you think you are infected, avoid sexual contact and see a doctor

• Practice sexual abstinence, or limit sexual contact to one uninfected partner

• Use condoms correctly every time you have sex

Your doctor can use a swab to take a sample from the urethra in men or from the cervix in women and then will send the specimen to a laboratory to be analyzed. Also, other tests may include a check of urine sample for the presence of the bacteria.

If you have chlamydia, your doctor will prescribe oral antibiotics, usually azithromycin (Zithromax) or doxycycline. Your doctor will also recommend your partner(s) be treated as well to prevent reinfection and further spread of the disease. After the treatment, usually the infection clears up within a week or two. It is critical to complete all of your antibiotics even if your condition has improved. Also, check with with your doctor for a further test that will confirm the total eradication of the infection.

If Chlamydia is treated early, it's unlikely to cause any long term problems. However, without adequate and proper treatment, the infection can spread to other parts of the body. The more you times you have chlamydia, the more you are to get complications.

In women, chlamydia can spread to other reproductive organs resulting to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This can lead to long-term pelvic pain blocked fallopian tubes, infertility and ectopic pregnancy. In women, chlamydia can also spread to the liver causing pain and inflammation. Usually, this condition improves with the correct antibiotic treatment.

The surest way to prevent a chlamydia infection is to abstain from sexual activities. Short of that, you can:

• Use a male latex condom or a female polyurethane condom during each sexual contact. Condoms, used properly during every sexual encounter, reduce but don't eliminate the risk of infection.

• Limit your number of sex partners. Having multiple sex partners puts you at a high risk of contracting chlamydia or other sexually transmitted diseases.

• Get regular screenings for sexually transmitted diseases. If you're sexually active, particularly if you have multiple partners, talk with your doctor about how often you should be screened for chlamydia and other sexually transmitted diseases.

• Women shouldn't use douche because it decreases the number of good bacteria present in the vagina, which may increase the risk of infection.