Chlamydia - So what can I do?
If we are going to look at all the options then the most successful way to avoid catching chlamydia is to not have sex at all – known as abstinence.
This is because unless they have been tested at the right times then you can’t know if your partners are infected or not.
I appreciate that this is not necessarily the most desirable way to go about things and so the next most important thing you can do is to always use a condom when having sex.
Use condoms for all types of sexual contact, even if penetration does not take place.
Condoms work by stopping blood, semen and vaginal fluid, which can all contain chlamydia or other STIs, from passing from one person to another.
Don’t rely on your partner to have condoms – there is no shame in carrying your own and shows you care about your own health.
Remember that most methods of birth control won’t protect you from chlamydia and other STIs.
The contraceptive pill, injections, implants, intrauterine devices (IUDs), diaphragms, and spermicides will not protect you from infections and so you will still need to use condoms.
Most ways to prevent catching infections work best when used together. No single strategy can protect you from every type of STI.
There are lots of urban myths about how to avoid catching infections, like washing your genitals before sex, peeing straight after sex, douching after sex, or washing your genitals
with vinegar after sex. If you think any of these are useful then think again – none will work.
On top of all these things it is vital that you get tested regularly, especially if you have several partners.
The best way is to have a full check up every 6 months or so at a specialised sexual health clinic, but free Chlamydia testing is now available online
from freetest.me and I strongly recommend that you get it done. It’s easy, involving either taking a vaginal swab for women, or giving a pee sample for men.
The results are quick and accurate and the treatment is also very simple should your result come back positive.
Remember that in many cases chlamydia causes no symptoms and so you may have no idea that you are infected.
The damage it can cause if left is considerable and irreversible in many cases. Don’t let it get you.