How Do You Know if You Have Gonorrhea and Chlamydia

Medically reviewed by Neka Miller, PhD on March 26, 2020. To give y'all technically accurate, bear witness-based information, content published on the Everlywell blog is reviewed by credentialed professionals with expertise in medical and bioscience fields.

---

Both gonorrhea and chlamydia are sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that share a number of similarities. They're both very mutual STIs (commonly transmitted by having unprotected sex with a sex partner). Their symptoms oftentimes resemble each other. And they can both have long-term wellness consequences if they aren't treated. And so what'south the departure between these two?

Go along reading for a closer look at the symptoms of chlamydia vs. gonorrhea, how they can affect your wellness, and how you tin bank check for both STIs with a single chlamydia and gonorrhea test you tin take at home.

What is chlamydia and gonorrhea?

Both gonorrhea and chlamydia are common sexually transmitted infections occurring in men and women. Then how do y'all go gonorrhea and chlamydia? They are transmitted through vaginal, anal, or oral sexual practice with someone who's infected.

Both infections are caused past bacteria—Chlamydia trachomatis in cases of chlamydia and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in cases of gonorrhea.

Although gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted infection, chlamydia has a higher prevalence—with over 1.vii million cases of chlamydia reported in the United states of america in 2017.

Risk factors for getting gonorrhea and chlamydia are often identical and include:

• Having multiple sexual practice partners. Y'all're more likely to exist exposed to someone with a sexually transmitted infection if you have multiple sexual practice partners.
• Unprotected sex. Prophylactic usage during sex substantially reduces the risk of getting a sexually transmitted infection, and so your risk is college if yous have unprotected sex.
• Having other STIs: If you already have a sexually transmitted infection, you can exist at a greater run a risk of getting another STI. For example, if yous contract chlamydia, you could exist more likely to contract gonorrhea.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea symptoms

The symptoms of chlamydia and gonorrhea overlap, so it tin be difficult to differentiate betwixt the two unless you visit your healthcare provider or have a exam for chlamydia or gonorrhea.

The overlapping symptoms for chlamydia and gonorrhea in men and women include:

• A burning sensation during urination
• Abnormal genital or rectal discharge
• Pain in the rectum
• Sore pharynx

With both chlamydia or gonococcal infections (some other proper noun for gonorrhea infections), men might also feel swelling and pain in the testicles and/or scrotum.

In women, both a gonorrhea and chlamydia infection might exist mistaken for a yeast infection. Women may besides experience painful periods, haemorrhage between periods, pain during sexual activity, or abdominal hurting.

Although the symptoms overlap, the belch caused by chlamydia vs. gonorrhea tin can vary slightly. For a chlamydia infection, a adult female'due south vaginal belch might have a strong aroma and xanthous tint. Men might have a cloudy or articulate belch. With gonorrhea, both women and men may experience green, yellow, or white discharge.

If you're a adult female experiencing abnormal vaginal discharge or a man with abnormal penile discharge, exist sure to consult your healthcare provider as presently as possible as this is a mutual sign of an infection.

The wellness complications

If chlamydia and gonorrhea are non treated, serious health complications can develop. Untreated chlamydia and gonococcal infections in women tin can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes. When untreated leaner spread to these areas of the body, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can result. Often, there might non be whatsoever initial symptoms of PID other than pelvic or abdominal pain.

Pelvic inflammatory illness tin can cause long-term impairment to a woman's reproductive organisation. Chronic pelvic pain can be acquired by inflammation of the fallopian tubes and other areas of the reproductive organization. Ultimately, infertility besides as ectopic pregnancy—which occurs when the fertilized egg cannot attain the uterus due to scarring caused by PID—can develop. In pregnant women, PID can likewise lead to premature birth. With both gonorrhea and chlamydia, infections can exist transmitted to the newborn baby during birth as a result of infected vaginal tissue. This tin can lead to infant health complications like eye infections and pneumonia.

Gonorrhea and chlamydia can lead to health issues and complications in men, as well. It is rare for these infections to crusade infertility, though epididymitis—inflammation of the tubes next to the testicles—tin occur when this part of the body has a chlamydial infection or is infected by gonorrhea. This can cause testicular pain and swelling. A prostate gland infection known as prostatitis tin also occur in men if chlamydia and gonorrhea symptoms become untreated. In this case, the bacteria spread to the prostate gland and can brand urination and ejaculation painful. The infection can also cause fevers or pain in the lower back.

When it comes to men, one deviation betwixt chlamydia vs. gonorrhea health complications is that chlamydia can also spread to the urethra. When it does, information technology can cause non-gonococcal urethritis, an infection of the tube that carries the urine, which causes pain, fever, and inflammation.

For both women and men, a gonorrhea and chlamydia infection can develop into forms of arthritis. This is called reactive arthritis, which ways arthritis caused past the body's reaction to the infection. It tin affect joints, the urethra, and the eyes.

If it isn't treated, gonorrhea can also spread through the bloodstream and infect disquisitional parts of the body, similar the center. This kind of gonorrhea infection is called a disseminated gonococcal infection. Disseminated gonorrhea tin can result in symptoms like joint pain, fever, skin rashes, and sores—as well equally severe health complications involving the heart, brain, and/or spinal string.

Because of the take chances of long-term health complications associated with untreated gonorrhea and chlamydia, it'south essential that you seek medical treatment correct away if you've had sexual practice with an infected sexual partner and have tested positive for one or more than of these sexually transmitted infections. If yous think you may accept been infected by a sexual partner, talk with your healthcare provider as before long as possible—and consider checking for STDs with our at-home STD Exam for men or women.

How gonorrhea and chlamydia are tested

Both gonorrhea and chlamydia can be diagnosed with similar methods. A healthcare provider might practise a physical examination to await for symptoms, and they may do a urine test to cheque for the leaner that crusade chlamydia or gonorrhea.

But screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea doesn't have to take place at a clinic. With the Everlywell at-home Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Examination, you can easily check for these STIs from the condolement and privacy of your habitation.

The kit comes with piece of cake-to-follow instructions and everything y'all need to collect your sample at dwelling, and your medico-reviewed results can be conveniently and securely viewed online on your device. Plus, if you receive a positive result after you get tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea with the Everlywell calm exam, you'll accept the opportunity to connect with our independent physician network—and may be prescribed medication to treat the infection.

---

Related content

Gonorrhea: signs and symptoms

How do you become gonorrhea?

What is disseminated gonorrhea?

---

References

1. Chlamydia - CDC Fact Sheet. Centers for Affliction Control and Prevention. URL. Accessed March 26, 2020.

2. Gonorrhea - CDC Fact Sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. URL. Accessed March 26, 2020.

3. New CDC Written report: STDs Proceed to Rise in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. URL. Accessed March 26, 2020.

4. Chlamydia - CDC Fact Canvas (Detailed). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. URL. Accessed March 26, 2020.

5. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) - CDC Fact Canvas. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. URL. Accessed March 26, 2020.

6. Berger RE, Alexander ER, Harnisch JP, et al. Etiology, manifestations and therapy of acute epididymitis: prospective written report of 50 cases. J Urol. 1979;121(vi):750–754. doi:10.1016/s0022-5347(17)56978-five

seven. Sutcliffe South, Nevin RL, Pakpahan R, et al. Prostate interest during sexually transmitted infections as measured by prostate-specific antigen concentration. Br J Cancer. 2011;105(5):602–605. doi:x.1038/bjc.2011.271

viii. Urethritis. StatPearls. URL. Accessed March 26, 2020.

9. Denison HJ, Curtis EM, Clynes MA, et al. The incidence of sexually acquired reactive arthritis: a systematic literature review. Clin Rheumatol. 2016;35(11):2639–2648. doi:10.1007/s10067-016-3364-0

10. Holmes KK, Counts GW, Beaty HN. Disseminated gonococcal infection. Ann Intern Med. 1971;74(half dozen):979–993. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-74-vi-979

colenotney.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.everlywell.com/blog/blog/sti-testing/gonorrhea-and-chlamydia-knowing-the-difference/