Chlamydial Urethritis In Men

Chlamydial Urethritis is a urethral infection which is caused due to bacteria chlamydia, which is transmitted due to inappropriate sexual behavior. Urethra is a tube like structure which is responsible for carrying the urine from the bladder outside of the body. This condition usually causes swelling and inflammation of urethra and is often accompanied by discharge, but as is the case with forms of sexually transmitted infections this infection is more or less asymptomatic. If an infection is diagnosed in an individual then it is advisable that his partner also gets treated.

The root cause of Chlamydial Urethritis is the bacteria Chlamydia Trachomatis. This bacterium gets transmitted from an infected individual through oral, anal, and vaginal sex. This infection can affect both Males and females equally. People more likely to develop this condition are those who have sex with multiple partners. If an individual does not take adequate precautions while having sex also is predisposed to contracting this infection. Studies suggest that this infection is most common in people in the age range of 20-30

Individuals with Chlamydial Urethritis may not have any observable symptoms for several weeks postexposure and most of the time this infection is asymptomatic. Symptoms are usually observed after about three weeks of exposure to the offending bacteria. Some of the symptoms that an individual might experience are:

• Pain or burning with urination
• Itching, swelling, or red discoloration of the penis
• Penile discharge
• Swelling and pain of the testicles
• Difficulty with urination.

Some symptoms of Chlamydial Urethritis in Men may be similar to that of another sexually transmitted infection called gonorrhea and more often than not if an individual has one infection he will also have the other.

In order to diagnose Chlamydial Urethritis, the treating physician will perform a series of tests. A urine specimen will be taken for detailed analysis for the offending bacteria. A culture of the penile discharge if present will also be taken to rule out infection like gonorrhea. These tests will be enough to definitively diagnose Chlamydial Urethritis.

If a diagnosis of Chlamydial Urethritis is confirmed, then the affected individual and the partner both need to be treated with appropriate antibiotics. It is always advisable to treat the partners since it prevents chances of contracting the infection again. Some of the antibiotics used for treatment of Chlamydial Urethritis are:

• Tetracycline
• Azithromycin
• Erythromycin
• Levofloxacin.

In majority of cases, these antibiotics will be prescribed for a week to 10 days, but studies have shown that if azithromycin taken at a high dosage once may be equally effective in treating Chlamydial Urethritis.

Majority of infections resolve within a couple of weeks of starting treatment. It is absolutely imperative that during the entire course of treatment the affected individual should not indulge in any form of sexual activity.

It is absolutely imperative that an individual diagnosed with Chlamydial Urethritis is treated as soon as he starts observing the symptoms, as if left untreated this infection may lead to certain complications to include:

• Pain with infection around the testicles
• Infection of prostate gland
• Urethral stricture.

It is also imperative that people who have sex with multiple partners have regular screenings for sexually transmitted diseases as it may go a long way in preventing infections such as Chlamydial Urethritis.

Sexually active Men can prevent sexually transmitted diseases if they indulge in safe sex which means always using a condom during sex, as much as possible have sex with only one partner and in case if an individual has multiple partners then making sure that he gets regular screenings for sexually transmitted diseases to make sure that he does not get any infections like Chlamydial Urethritis.