The Silent Epidemic of NYC Chlamydia: Symptoms, Statistics and Treatment

For those of us who engage in sexual activity it is important that we undergo STD testing. One of the most problematic of all STDs these days is chlamydia-especially in NYC, where the numbers have been steadily climbing over the past few decades.

Chlamydia is known in some circles as the silent epidemic for the reason that many people who are infected with this particular STD are unaware that they are so. Anyone who engages in sex of any sort, whether it be vaginal, anal or oral sex—should undergo testing for this sneaky disease. In NYC there are many places that such testing can be administered quickly and affordably.

This disease is not as dangerous as some of the other STDs out there—and there are over twenty five of them. But chlamydia affects both men and women at an alarming rate, and it is most common with guys and gals under twenty five years old.

If you have ever engaged in unprotected sex (even with one partner) it is important that testing is administered as chlamydia is easy to pass on and is out there in startling numbers. In fact, it is one of the most common STDs in the world, with an estimated two and half million Americans newly infected every single year. In NYC the numbers are slightly higher than in the rest of the country and the problem remains that most people who are infected with this disease show no symptoms at all.

As stated above chlamydia is a silent epidemic and the numbers prove this. Seventy five percent of women and over fifty percent of men show no symptoms of this illness while infected. The only way to know for sure that you are a carrier—that you have been infected and can spread the disease to others—is through testing.

There are serious side effects to chlamydia even though most people do not even realize they have it. According to the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, chlamydia infections can progress to serious health problems that typically damage the reproductive organs.

If left untreated in women, this disease can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes, causing permanent damage. This damage can lead to chronic pelvic pain, and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancies. This is one of the reasons why chlamydia testing is so important. If a woman plans on having children at any time during her life, testing for a chlamydia infection should be administered as often as necessary.

In men complications do exist, however, they are not as serious as in women. In men, a chlamydia infection can sometimes spread to the epididymis, causing pain, fever, and rarely sterility. If a man is engaging in unprotected sex, he should get to a NYC certified STD clinic in order to not pass on a disease he may not even realize he has.

The following are the symptoms that both men and women should be aware of that may indicate they have contracted this disease and are in need of testing…

In Women
Painful urination
Abdominal pain
Lower back pain
Nausea
Fever
Painful sexual intimacy
Spotting between periods

In Men
Penis discharge
Painful urination
Itching at the tip of penis
Painful or swollen testicles