Can you get chlamydia from oral sex?

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection that can cause you serious health problems if not treated early. While penetrative sex is one way to get chlamydia, there is confusion about the chances of getting chlamydia from oral sex.

STDs are generally transmitted through the genital areas. But getting chlamydia from oral sex generally affects the throat. Although the chances of getting chlamydia from oral sex may be small, the possibility still exists and should be taken care of. Read on to learn what chlamydia is, chlamydia symptoms, and how to prevent chlamydia from oral sex.

What is chlamydia?

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection (STD) caused by a bacterium called chlamydia trachomatis. “In the early stages, this disease has no symptoms, but in the long term it can cause problems. Chlamydia can occur due to unprotected sex,” says obstetrician-gynecologist Dr Rohan Palshetkar.

It doesn’t have to be penetrative sex. Even skin-to-skin contact can spread chlamydia. Thus, oral and anal sex can lead to chlamydia. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that while chlamydia can give you a throat infection, it is less common than a genital area infection.

Chlamydia symptoms

What makes chlamydia a scary infection is that it has almost no symptoms. “In men, there are generally no obvious symptoms. In men, it could present as pain during urination, yellow or green discharge from the penis, pain in the lower abdomen or testicles and sometimes, bleeding,” says Dr Palshetkar.

And in women, symptoms take weeks to appear. Symptoms can be painful sex, vaginal discharge, burning during urination, abdominal pain. “It can even spread to the fallopian tubes and lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, leading to future infertility,” explains Dr. Palshetkar.

Getting chlamydia through oral sex will lead to a throat infection. Symptoms can be as basic as a sore throat, cough and fever.

What is oral sex?

Oral sex is a sexual activity that involves stimulating a partner’s genitals, anus, or other erogenous zones using the mouth, lips, or tongue. “It can involve various techniques such as fellatio (oral stimulation of the penis), cunnilingus (oral stimulation of the vulva) and anilingus (oral stimulation of the anus),” explains sex expert Niyatii N Shah.

The bottom line is that unsafe oral sex can give you STDs and STDs.

Read also: Is oral sex safe? The answer will positively shock you!

How can you get chlamydia from oral sex?

There are a few scenarios where it becomes very easy to get chlamydia from oral sex. According to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Preventionyou can get chlamydia if any of the following apply:

• If your partner’s penis is infected with chlamydia
• If you have an infected vagina or urinary tract
• If your partner has an infected rectum, more research is needed into this
• If you have chlamydia in the throat and have oral sex

How is chlamydia diagnosed?

If you have engaged in penetrative or oral sex and think you may have contracted an STD, it is very important to consult a doctor. “Screening and diagnosis are usually very simple. A swab or a urine test can be done for culture and the bacteria can be identified,” explains Dr Palshetkar. A urine sample won’t help if you think you got chlamydia from oral sex. So here, a throat swab would work. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved this test. The throat already has a lot of bacteria. So, detecting chlamydia may not be very easy or effective.

How to treat chlamydia?

Treatment for chlamydia is simple. “In most cases, antibiotics are the treatment of choice. Once diagnosed, your gynecologist will prescribe oral or intravenous antibiotics that should treat the infection immediately,” says Dr Palshetkar. Other than that, you should avoid both penetrative and oral sex for at least a week or until your dose of antibiotic is finished. You’re more prone to getting chlamydia if you’ve had it once, so be careful.

One point to note is that the risk of getting chlamydia from oral sex and ending up with a throat infection is that it makes you more susceptible to getting HIV infection. CDC.

What are the risks of oral sex?

1. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STDs)

In addition to chlamydia, there is a risk of transmission of other STDs such as herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, HPV (human papillomavirus) and HIV. “These diseases are transmitted through saliva, semen or vaginal fluids (considering oral sex),” says Shah.

2. Genital warts

Genital warts are usually spread through skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity with an infected person. “This can include vaginal, anal, or oral sex, as well as genital-to-genital contact,” says Shah.

3. Pain or irritation

Aggressive or prolonged oral sex can cause pain or irritation in the mouth, throat or genital areas. “Bacteria from the mouth or other parts of the body can potentially cause infections in the genital or anal areas if proper hygiene is not followed,” says Shah.

4. Transmission of other infections

Although less common, other infections can theoretically be transmitted through oral-anal contact (anilingus).

How to prevent chlamydia from oral sex?

1. Get in touch

Talk openly with your partner about your sexual history, STD screening, and any concerns you may have about STDs. Mutual honesty and openness can help create a safer sexual environment.

2. Use protection

Consider using barriers such as condoms or dental dams during oral sex. Condoms can be used to cover the penis, while dental dams (or even condoms that open) can be used to cover the vulva or anus. This helps reduce the risk of transmitting STDs.

3. Regular testing

Get tested for STDs regularly, especially if you have multiple sexual partners or engage in high-risk sexual behavior. Regular check-ups allow for early detection and treatment of STDs, which can help prevent further transmission.

4. Limit sexual partners

Limiting the number of sexual partners and choosing partners who have been tested for STDs can help reduce your risk of exposure to infections.

5. Have safer sex

In addition to using barriers, practicing other safer sex methods such as avoiding contact with open sores or lesions and maintaining good oral hygiene can help reduce the risk of STDs during oral sex.

6. Be aware of symptoms

Pay attention to any unusual symptoms such as sores, itching or discharge in the genital area or mouth. If you develop symptoms, seek medical attention immediately for evaluation and treatment.

7. Consider vaccination

Vaccines are available for some STDs such as HPV (human papillomavirus) and hepatitis B. Consider getting vaccinated to protect against these infections.