Does Chlamydia Make You Bleed?

If you’re worried about contracting an STD from a partner, you probably have several questions about common symptoms to watch for and whether you should get tested. One typical question is: “Does chlamydia make you bleed?” The short answer is that chlamydia can make you bleed from the vagina or anus if you have symptoms at all and if your symptoms are more severe.

Chlamydia trachomatis is the bacterium that causes chlamydia infections. Most chlamydia infections are asymptomatic, but some patients experience symptoms so mild that they don’t realize the signs as an STD. In rare cases, symptoms can include spotting between periods, abdominal pain, a burning sensation during urination, and other symptoms. Learn more in this article about the signs of chlamydia.

How Chlamydia Affects the Body

Men are at less risk for contracting chlamydia from unprotected sex with women. Higher-risk groups include women, men who receive anal sex, and underserved communities of non-Hispanic black Americans. It's important to remember, however, that no demographic is immune, so be sure to get tested if any of the below symptoms sound familiar.

The CDC recommends annual testing for sexually active women between ages 15 and 25 and for women over 25 with other risk factors, such as having a sex partner with an STI or having new or multiple sex partners.

Common Symptoms of Chlamydia

So, what are common chlamydia symptoms in men and women, and does chlamydia make you bleed? Infected patients can transmit chlamydia through unprotected oral, vaginal, or anal sex. Symptoms may vary based on biological sex and the location of the infection.

Common symptoms in women include:

• Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
• Yellow or other colored discharge (different from normal)
• Pain during sex
• Spotting between periods
• Increased urgency to urinate
• Pain or burning during urination
• Pus in the urine
• Lower abdominal pain
• Worsened period symptoms
• Itching or burning around the vagina

Common symptoms in men include:

• Pain or burning during urination
• Pus or mucus-like discharge from the penis
• Pain or swelling in one or both testicles

Symptoms of rectal, oral, or eye infection include:

• Rectal pain, bleeding, or discharge
• Sore throat
• Conjunctivitis leading to redness, swelling, and eye discharge

The good news for most is that these symptoms are extremely rare, and most people present with asymptomatic chlamydia. Unfortunately, many won’t get tested for chlamydia because they don’t realize they have an infection. Testing for chlamydia often involves a simple, non-invasive urine test, and you might even be able to get same-day STD testing, making it easy to get fast results if you’re worried about contracting chlamydia.

Chlamydia Symptoms in Women

But if chlamydia is often asymptomatic, is it really that important to diagnose it and get chlamydia treatments for you and your partner? While the symptoms are often nonexistent or mild, untreated chlamydia infections can lead to lifelong complications in your sexual and reproductive health. Chlamydia infections can cause:

• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). This condition can lead to scarring of the uterus and fallopian tubes, ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and chronic pelvic pain.
• Fitz-Hugh-Curtis Syndrome. This condition causes inflammation in the stomach lining and tissues around the liver, signified by lower back pain, fever, and chills.
• Fetal Chlamydia Conjunctivitis. If you’re pregnant and give birth while you have an active chlamydia infection, your baby could contract chlamydia from the birth canal and develop eye infections or pneumonia.
• Increased Risk of Contracting HIV. Any active infection can reduce your immune function and increase your risk of contracting other STDs, including HIV. Additionally, the behaviors you or your partner(s) engage in could lead to infection with multiple STDs.

The good news is that with a proper diagnosis, you and your partner(s) can take antibiotics to treat chlamydia. But how do you know it’s chlamydia and not something else?

Other Conditions With Similar Symptoms

Gonorrhea is another STD with similar symptoms to chlamydia. Like chlamydia, it often appears without symptoms. If a patient develops symptoms, chlamydia symptoms may appear within a few weeks of the initial exposure, while it can take much longer for gonorrhea symptoms to appear.

Similar symptoms between chlamydia and gonorrhea include:

• Frequent, painful urination
• Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
• Unusual coloring of vaginal discharge
• Rectal pain, bleeding, or discharge
• Pain during intercourse

Both chlamydia and gonorrhea infections that aren’t treated can lead to PID, scarring of the reproductive organs, and other complications. Luckily, patients can take a round of antibiotics and abstain from sexual contact until finished with their antibiotics to treat chlamydia and gonorrhea. If you contracted the STD from a regular sex partner, you should also have them receive treatment to prevent re-infection.

Normal vs. Abnormal Symptoms

Because chlamydia symptoms are often mild, many women don’t realize when they have an infection (if they have symptoms at all). So, when should you contact your doctor? While spotting between periods happens to most women occasionally, if you have vaginal bleeding between periods or after intercourse frequently, you should contact your doctor for an examination.

Additionally, while most women have a vaginal discharge and can develop a smell from sweat and humidity throughout the day, changes in your discharge or excessive vaginal odor could indicate an infection.

Treatment and Prevention

If you notice any of the above symptoms, you have options for getting tested. You can get a rapid STD test to test for chlamydia alone or get a 10-panel STD test to test for a wide range of the most common and dangerous STDs, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, syphilis, hepatitis, and HIV.

Chlamydia medication typically involves a round of antibiotics to treat the infection. Common chlamydia treatments include:

• Doxycycline over seven days
• Azithromycin in a single dose (often the better choice for pregnant patients)

Your doctor might prescribe other antibiotics for your chlamydia infection, but doxycycline and azithromycin are the most common. Recent research has shown that mycoplasma, another bacterial infection common with chlamydia, is becoming resistant to azithromycin, leading to a move away from this drug as a preferred chlamydia treatment drug. However, pregnant patients should not take doxycycline. Ask your doctor about other options if you have chlamydia and are pregnant.

Your doctor may also prescribe a second dose of antibiotics to bring to your partner for expedited partner therapy (EPT). A single dose for you and your partner is usually enough to clear the infection for a negative result on a follow-up test.

While taking your antibiotics, you and your partner should not have sex, or the antibiotics may not be effective due to re-infection. Both of you should re-test in three months to confirm you are both negative for chlamydia.

Consulting With a Doctor

Speaking with your doctor about your risk factors and behaviors can be intimidating, embarrassing, or uncomfortable. However, analyzing your risk, getting tested, and treating for any STDs (including chlamydia) is essential to your reproductive health and overall well-being.

If you suspect you’ve been exposed to or contracted chlamydia or another STD, contact your primary care provider or visit a clinic specializing in STD testing and treatment. Speaking with a medical professional about your concerns can help you identify risky behaviors, test for STDs, and treat any current infections.

Get Results Fast With Same-Day STD Testing

Does chlamydia make you bleed as a regular symptom? While it can, it isn’t a typical symptom most patients experience with a chlamydia infection.

If you’re concerned about contracting chlamydia, contact us at Rapid STD Testing. We have over 2,500 testing centers nationwide. Use our find a lab tool to find a clinic near you, or order tests for your next screening.