What is Chlamydia?
This really is the missionary position of STIs. Very common, easy to catch, easy to spread and easy to cure. Chlamydia is a bacteria that can cause infections in your penis, throat and anus.
Chlamydia can transmit through all kinds of sex including oral sex, fingering, fisting and sometimes just touching infected areas. Chlamydia is a bacteria and can be transferred through any physical contact with an infected site. It is possible to get Chlamydia more than once and in different parts of your body.
Most people do not get any symptoms, but left untreated long-term can cause infertility and in some cases arthritis.
Other guys will feel pain when urinating, experience an itchy or irritated urethra or have white or grey discharge from their penis (especially in the mornings). It can also cause pain in your testicles, anus or even when you orgasm.
Swabs to your throat, anus and a urine sample will be able to test for Chlamydia.
Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics, make sure you also get your partners treated and refrain from any sex for 1 week after taking the medication to prevent reinfection.
If you've got symptoms these should clear up within 1-2 weeks.
If you are living with HIV having Chlamydia can increase the amount of viral load in your semen meaning that it is easier to pass on HIV to someone else.
Where can I test?
If you are a resident of the borough of Greenwich, then you can order a home test kit to test for Chlamydia from this website. These are completely free and you'll get your result by text in five working days of the Lab receiving your samples.
If you are not from one of the above areas, or would prefer to test face-to-face, please visit our Pitstop Clinic or Contact Us for information about other places you can test for Chlamydia.
Learn more about chlamydia
Watch this Gay Men's Health video on chlamydia. It covers its symptoms and gives advise on testing.