About half of men with chlamydia never develop noticeable symptoms, which is why the infection spreads so easily and often goes undetected. When symptoms do appear, they tend to be mild and easy to dismiss, but leaving chlamydia untreated can lead to painful complications. Here’s what to look for.
The Most Common Symptoms
The hallmark signs of chlamydia in men involve the urethra, the tube that carries urine out through the penis. The most frequent symptoms are a burning or stinging sensation when you urinate and discharge from the tip of the penis. The discharge can range from clear and watery to cloudy or slightly thick. Some men also notice itching or irritation around the opening of the penis.
These symptoms are often mild enough that they’re easy to brush off as a minor irritation. They can come and go, which sometimes gives the false impression that the problem has resolved on its own. It hasn’t. The infection remains active and transmissible until it’s treated with antibiotics.
When Symptoms Appear
Chlamydia symptoms typically show up one to three weeks after exposure, though this timeline varies. Some men don’t notice anything for several weeks, and as noted, roughly 50% never develop symptoms at all. That gap between infection and symptoms (or the complete absence of symptoms) is the main reason chlamydia is so commonly passed between partners without either person knowing.
Rectal Symptoms
Men can also get chlamydia in the rectum, either through receptive anal sex or, less commonly, through spread from another infected site. Rectal chlamydia often causes no symptoms at all, but when it does, the signs include rectal pain, unusual discharge, and bleeding. These symptoms can be subtle enough to overlook or mistake for something else entirely, like hemorrhoids.
Throat Infections
Chlamydia can infect the throat through oral sex. Pharyngeal chlamydia rarely causes noticeable symptoms. When it does, a mild sore throat is the most common complaint, but it’s easily mistaken for a cold or allergies. Because of this, throat infections are almost always caught through routine screening rather than symptom-driven testing.
How Chlamydia Differs From Gonorrhea
Chlamydia and gonorrhea produce similar symptoms, and it’s not possible to tell them apart based on how they feel. That said, there are general patterns. Gonorrhea tends to come on faster, often within five days of exposure, and produces thicker, cloudier, or even bloody discharge. Chlamydia discharge is usually lighter and more watery, and the overall symptoms tend to be milder. Gonorrhea is also more likely to cause obvious, hard-to-ignore symptoms, while chlamydia frequently flies under the radar.
Since both infections can occur at the same time, most STI panels test for both simultaneously. You can’t reliably self-diagnose based on symptoms alone.
Complications From Untreated Chlamydia
The biggest risk of untreated chlamydia in men is epididymitis, an infection of the coiled tube that sits behind each testicle and stores sperm. This causes pain and swelling on one side of the scrotum that develops over days. The swelling typically starts at the back of the testicle and can spread to the testicle itself and the spermatic cord above it. Some men also develop a fluid buildup around the testicle called a hydrocele, which makes the scrotum feel heavy. Acute epididymitis lasts up to six weeks and can become a recurring problem if the underlying infection isn’t cleared.
A less common but notable complication is reactive arthritis, a condition where the immune system’s response to the infection triggers inflammation in other parts of the body. The classic pattern involves joint pain and stiffness (especially in the knees, ankles, and feet), red or irritated eyes resembling pink eye, and urinary symptoms. Some men experience heel pain, lower back pain, or blurred vision. Reactive arthritis can develop weeks after the initial infection, sometimes even after the chlamydia itself has been treated.
How Testing Works
The standard test for chlamydia is a nucleic acid amplification test, which detects the genetic material of the bacteria. For most men, this is done with a simple urine sample. You’ll be asked to collect the very first part of your urine stream in a cup, and you’ll need to avoid urinating for about two hours beforehand to ensure an accurate result.
If you’ve had anal or oral sex, your provider may also swab the rectum or throat. Some clinics offer the option to do rectal swabs yourself, which tends to be more comfortable. Results typically come back within a few days. Because chlamydia is so often asymptomatic, routine screening is recommended for sexually active men who have new or multiple partners, regardless of whether symptoms are present.