This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

Chlamydia is common, treatable and often silent. Most people who have it feel nothing at all, which is why testing matters more than watching for signs. This guide explains the symptoms of chlamydia, who should be tested, how the test works, what treatment looks like, and where to get tested in Boston, including free and low-cost options.

It is written for everyone, whatever your gender, orientation or relationship status. Chlamydia is a bacterial infection, and getting tested for it is a routine part of looking after your health.

In this guide

Symptoms of chlamydia, and why many people have none
Who should be tested, and how often
How chlamydia testing works
Is chlamydia curable? Treatment explained
Partners, retesting and prevention
Chlamydia testing and care in Boston
Common questions

Key takeaways

The CDC says most people with chlamydia have no symptoms, so a test is the only way to learn about an infection.
Testing is simple. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), often done with a urine sample or a swab.
Chlamydia is curable. A clinician prescribes antibiotics, and the CDC says treatment cures the infection.
The CDC recommends retesting about three months after treatment, because repeat infections are common.
Partners need care too. In Massachusetts, state law supports expedited partner therapy for chlamydia, which lets a clinician provide treatment for partners.
Boston has free and low-cost testing. Several clinics are listed below, and the CDC's GetTested directory can help you find more.

Symptoms of chlamydia, and why many people have none

Chlamydia is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. The CDC describes it as the most commonly reported bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the United States. It spreads through vaginal, anal or oral sex, and it can pass from a pregnant person to a baby during birth.

The most important fact about the symptoms of chlamydia is that there are often none. The CDC says most people with chlamydia do not have symptoms. That is true for people of every gender. It also means a person can have the infection and pass it on without knowing.

Symptoms people may notice

When symptoms do appear, the CDC says they may take weeks to show up after exposure. They can be mild and easy to mistake for something else. Only a test can tell what is causing them.

People with a vagina or cervix may notice:

An unusual vaginal discharge
A burning feeling when urinating
Pain during sex
Bleeding between periods or after sex
Lower belly pain

People with a penis may notice:

A discharge from the penis
A burning feeling when urinating
Pain or swelling in one or both testicles

Anyone can have the infection in the rectum. When it causes symptoms, they can include rectal pain, discharge or bleeding. Infection in the throat usually causes no symptoms, according to the CDC.

Every symptom on these lists can also come from other causes, including urinary tract infections, other STIs and unrelated conditions. A symptom does not confirm a chlamydia infection, and having no symptom does not rule one out. A clinician can examine you and order the right test.

Why silent infections still matter

An infection that causes no symptoms can still cause harm if it goes untreated. The CDC says untreated chlamydia in women can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes, a condition called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can lead to long-term pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and difficulty getting pregnant.

In people with a penis, the CDC says chlamydia can cause epididymitis, an inflammation near the testicle that causes pain and swelling. Untreated infection can also raise the chance of getting HIV if exposed. In pregnancy, chlamydia can be passed to a newborn during delivery and may cause an eye infection or pneumonia.

These outcomes are the reason clinicians recommend routine testing. They are also the reason treatment is worthwhile. The CDC says that when chlamydia is found and treated, these complications can usually be avoided.

Rectal and throat infections

Chlamydia can live in more than one part of the body, depending on the type of sex a person has. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend testing at the sites of contact. For example, someone who has receptive anal sex may be offered a rectal swab. Someone who has oral sex may be offered a throat swab for gonorrhea, though the CDC guidelines do not recommend routine throat testing for chlamydia.

If you are not sure which tests apply to you, say what kinds of sex you have had. A good clinician will not judge. They just need the information to choose the right samples.

Who should be tested, and how often

Because chlamydia is so often silent, major health bodies recommend screening: testing people who feel fine. Two sources set most of the guidance, the CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

Yearly screening recommendations

The USPSTF recommends screening for chlamydia in sexually active women who are 24 years or younger. It also recommends screening in women 25 or older who are at increased risk, for example because of a new partner or more than one partner. The CDC guidelines recommend yearly testing for sexually active women under 25 and for older women with risk factors.

For men who have sex with men, the CDC recommends testing at least once a year at each site of sexual contact. The CDC says people with multiple or anonymous partners may benefit from testing more often, such as every three to six months. The guidelines also recommend regular testing for people with HIV, based on their sexual activity.

For transgender and gender diverse people, the CDC guidelines advise screening based on current anatomy and sexual behavior, not on gender identity alone. A person with a cervix, for instance, may follow the same guidance as other people with a cervix. A person with a penis who has sex with men may follow the guidance for men who have sex with men. A clinician who is experienced in this area can help sort out what fits.

Pregnancy

The CDC and USPSTF recommend chlamydia screening for pregnant people who are under 25, and for older pregnant people at increased risk. If a pregnant person is treated, the CDC recommends a follow-up test about four weeks later to confirm the infection is gone, and another test within three months.

Other reasons to get tested

Beyond routine screening, a clinician may recommend a test if you:

Have symptoms that could point to an STI
Have a partner who has been diagnosed with chlamydia or another STI
Are starting a new relationship and want to know where you both stand
Have had a different STI recently
Are starting or continuing HIV prevention care such as PrEP, which usually includes regular STI testing

Many people simply want to know. That is a fine reason. If you are unsure whether testing is right for you, a clinician or the Mayor's Health Line (617-534-5050) can talk it through. The Mayor's Health Line is a free, confidential, multilingual service that provides health information and referrals, according to the City of Boston.

How chlamydia testing works

The test for chlamydia is quick and, for most people, painless. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend nucleic acid amplification tests, known as NAATs, as the preferred way to detect chlamydia. A NAAT looks for the genetic material of the bacterium, which makes it very good at finding infection.

What samples are used

The sample depends on your anatomy and the kind of sex you have. The CDC says options include:

Urine. A first-catch urine sample is the usual choice for people with a penis.
Vaginal swab. The CDC says a vaginal swab is the preferred sample for people with a vagina, and that it can be collected by the patient in a private space or by a clinician.
Rectal swab. Offered when the rectum may have been exposed.
Throat swab. Sometimes offered for other infections, depending on the clinic's approach.

A pelvic exam is not required for a chlamydia test. If a clinic suggests a different sample from the one you expected, you can ask why.

Getting results

Turnaround varies by clinic. Fenway Health says its results take three to five business days. For other clinics, ask when you check in how and when you will hear back. If you have not heard by the date you were given, call the clinic and ask. A missing call is not a sign that the result is negative.

The window period

People often ask how soon after sex a test will work. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) do not set one fixed window period for chlamydia in the way they do for some other infections. If you are asking because of a recent exposure, tell the clinician when it happened. They can decide whether to test now, treat based on exposure, or test again later. This is a decision a clinician can make with you, since it depends on your situation.

Confidentiality and cost

Testing at a clinic is confidential. Under Massachusetts law, M.G.L. c. 111, s. 119, venereal disease reports and records are not public. They may be disclosed only on a judicial order or to officials whose duties entitle them to see them. Clinicians report certain infections to public health authorities under state rules (M.G.L. c. 111, s. 111). The Massachusetts Legislature's text does not list which diseases are covered, so ask your clinic what it reports and how.

For cost, several Boston clinics offer free testing, and others use a sliding scale. The Boston section below has details.

Is chlamydia curable? Treatment explained

Yes. Chlamydia is curable. The CDC says it can be cured with the right antibiotics, prescribed by a clinician. That is good news, and it is the main reason not to put off testing.

What chlamydia treatment involves

Chlamydia treatment is a course of antibiotics that a clinician prescribes after a positive test or, in some cases, after a known exposure. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) set out the recommended and alternative regimens that clinicians follow. Which medicine is right depends on your health, other medicines you take, allergies and whether you are pregnant. For that reason, treatment details, including how much to take and for how long, come from your clinician and your pharmacist, not from a general article.

Some practical points from the CDC:

Take the medicine exactly as prescribed, even if you feel fine.
Do not share your medicine with anyone, and do not use leftover antibiotics.
Tell the clinician if you are or might be pregnant, since this can change which medicine is used.
Ask your clinician when it is safe to have sex again. The CDC advises people to avoid sex until treatment is finished and until their partners have been treated, to prevent passing the infection back and forth.

Antibiotics cure the infection, but they cannot reverse damage that has already happened, such as scarring from PID. That is another reason finding it early helps.

After treatment

Most people do not need a follow-up test right away to confirm the cure, according to the CDC. The exception is pregnancy, where a follow-up test is recommended about four weeks after treatment. A follow-up visit is still a good time to ask questions, discuss prevention and arrange a retest in about three months.

If symptoms continue after treatment, tell your clinician. Ongoing symptoms can come from a new infection, from a different cause, or from something that needs another look.

Chlamydia and other infections

People who have chlamydia sometimes have another STI at the same time, and the CDC encourages testing for others, including gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV, depending on your situation. Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection that is also curable with clinician-prescribed treatment. HIV is not curable, but it is treatable, and it is one of the reasons many clinics offer a full panel when you come for chlamydia testing.

Doxy-PEP: a newer option to discuss with a clinician

In 2024, the CDC issued guidance on doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis, often called doxy-PEP. It is a clinician-prescribed antibiotic taken after sex to lower the chance of getting certain bacterial STIs. The CDC's 2024 guidance recommends that clinicians discuss doxy-PEP with gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and with transgender women, who have had a bacterial STI in the past 12 months. It is not a replacement for regular testing.

Doxy-PEP is a conversation to have with a clinician about whether it fits your health and history. Fenway Health lists doxy-PEP among its services.

Partners, retesting and prevention

Treating one person is only part of the picture. If a partner is not treated, the infection can come back. Care for partners and a retest later are both part of the plan.

Telling partners

The CDC recommends that anyone diagnosed with chlamydia let their recent sex partners know so they can be tested and treated. For chlamydia, the CDC guidelines advise reaching partners from the 60 days before symptoms began or before the test was done. If there were no partners in that period, the guidelines say to reach the most recent partner.

This can feel awkward. It helps to keep the message short and free of blame: you tested, you were found to have a common and curable infection, and you wanted them to be able to get care. Many people find a calm, factual tone makes the conversation easier. A clinic can also help you plan what to say.

Expedited partner therapy in Massachusetts

Expedited partner therapy, or EPT, lets a clinician give a patient treatment or a prescription to pass to partners, sometimes without the partner being examined first. The CDC supports EPT for heterosexual partners of people with chlamydia where state law allows it.

In Massachusetts, M.G.L. c. 111, s. 121B directs the Department of Public Health to issue regulations that let clinicians prescribe and dispense drugs to partners of patients diagnosed with chlamydia or other STIs that are suitable for EPT under national standards. The CDC's page on the legal status of EPT in Massachusetts cites 105 CMR 700.003(J), effective July 1, 2011, and lists chlamydia as the infection covered. Based on that source, EPT in Massachusetts applies to chlamydia.

EPT does not replace a partner seeing a clinician. A partner who is pregnant, has symptoms, has allergies or has other health concerns should be seen in person. Ask your own clinician how EPT works at their practice.

Retesting at three months

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend that anyone treated for chlamydia be retested about three months after treatment. The reason is not that treatment fails. It is that reinfection is common, often because a partner was not treated or a new partner has the infection. If you cannot get a test at three months, the CDC advises testing whenever you next visit a clinician in the 12 months after treatment.

Lowering the chance of getting chlamydia

There are several ways to lower the chance of passing or getting chlamydia, according to the CDC:

Using condoms or dental dams correctly every time you have sex
Getting tested regularly, and asking partners about their testing
Having a mutually monogamous relationship in which both partners have tested negative
Finishing treatment, and waiting until partners are treated before having sex again

No prevention method works every time, which is why regular testing remains useful even for people who use condoms. Condoms lower the risk, and a test checks for what slips through.

Chlamydia testing and care in Boston

Boston has a good range of places to get tested. Some are free, some use sliding scale fees, and several take walk-ins. The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) is the city's health department, and its page on getting tested for STIs is a good starting point. For a broader look at prices and options, see our guide to STD testing in Boston, where to get tested and what it costs.

What the local numbers show

CDC county data, as republished by Boston 25 News and Stacker in March 2024, put Suffolk County's chlamydia rate for 2021 at 807.8 cases per 100,000 people, which was 6,230 cases. That was the highest of any county in Massachusetts. The same source gave a gonorrhea rate of 298.0 per 100,000, or 2,298 cases.

Two cautions about these figures. Suffolk County is larger than the city of Boston, so they are not city-only numbers. And they come from a news outlet republishing CDC data, not from a BPHC report. Counts also depend on how many people are tested, so a high number partly reflects active testing. Check the Boston Public Health Commission or the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for newer figures.

Boston clinics for chlamydia testing

These are options that offer STI testing in and around Boston. Services, hours and fees can change, so call before you go. You can also browse more places through the CDC's GetTested directory. Our local testing list collects these in one place.

Clinic	Address and phone	Cost and access
Boston STD Clinic (Boston Medical Center)	725 Albany St., 9th Floor, Suite 9C, Boston, MA 02118. 617-414-2803	The clinic's page says routine testing for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and hepatitis C is free, with cost assistance for people without insurance. Appointments by phone or MyChart for established patients. The page does not say whether walk-ins are accepted.
Fenway Health Sexual Health Clinic	Ansin Building, 1340 Boylston Street, 4th floor, Boston, MA 02215. 617-267-0159	Walk-in, first come first served: Tuesday 1 to 7 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday 3 to 7 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to noon. Monday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment only. Check-in closes 30 minutes before the end time. Fenway bills insurance if you have it, and says uninsured patients can be seen free through grant funding. Its page is aimed at gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, transgender and gender diverse people, and their partners.
X-Clinic at Codman Square Health Center	637 Washington St., Dorchester, MA 02124. 617-822-8350	Sliding fee scale, and the clinic accepts all insurance. It says it provides testing and treatment regardless of citizenship status. Express visits for people without symptoms or a known exposure are walk-in during operating hours. Codman's pages list different schedules, so call to confirm hours.
TrueCare@MAC testing (Multicultural AIDS Coalition)	9 Palmer Street, Roxbury, MA 02119. 617-442-1622	Free testing, with or without an appointment. Testing hours listed include Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday from 12:30 to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Boston Public Health Commission (CDC GetTested listing)	774 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118. 617-534-3976	The CDC directory lists free chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis C testing. It does not list hours and says they may change, so call first.
Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, Greater Boston Health Center	1055 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215. 617-295-7235	The CDC directory lists an appointment as required, a sliding scale, and acceptance of insurance, Medicaid and Medicare. Hours are not listed.
DotHouse Health	1353 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA 02122. 617-288-3230	The CDC directory lists a sliding scale and acceptance of Medicaid and Medicare, with services in English, Portuguese and Spanish. It lists an appointment as required, while Codman's resource list mentions walk-in testing through urgent care. Call to confirm.

The Boston Medical Center clinic and the Boston Public Health Commission listing are different providers, even though both are on Albany Street. Make sure you have the right address before you travel.

If you are under 18

Massachusetts law lets a minor who reasonably believes they are at risk of exposure through sexual activity consent to care to diagnose or treat the infection without a parent's consent. This comes from M.G.L. c. 112, s. 12F, as published by the Massachusetts Legislature. The law says the minor's records are confidential between the minor and the clinician, with an exception if the minor's life or limb is seriously endangered. The City of Boston tells people age 13 or older that they can get a confidential STI test without parental permission. Codman's X-Clinic also says teen testing there is confidential.

If you do not have insurance

Not having insurance does not have to stop you from being tested. Boston Medical Center, Fenway Health, TrueCare@MAC and the Boston Public Health Commission listing all describe free testing in the sources above, and several others use sliding scales. Codman's coverage help line is 617-822-8162 for questions about insurance. If a price matters to you, ask what the visit will cost before you are seen, including any separate laboratory bill. Fenway Health notes, for example, that patients with insurance are responsible for any charges from the outside lab.

Getting started

Pick a clinic from the table, or search the CDC GetTested directory.
Call to ask about hours, walk-ins and cost.
Tell the clinician what kinds of sex you have had so the right samples are collected.
Ask how and when you will get your results.
If you are treated, ask about telling partners and about a retest in about three months.

If you are not sure where to begin, the Mayor's Health Line (617-534-5050) offers free, confidential health information and referrals in many languages. The Boston Public Health Commission's Infectious Disease Bureau can be reached at 617-534-5395.

Common questions

Is chlamydia curable?

Yes. The CDC says chlamydia is curable with antibiotics prescribed by a clinician. You can get it again after being cured, which is why partner care and a retest in about three months matter.

Can chlamydia go away on its own?

The CDC recommends treatment for every chlamydia infection and does not advise waiting. Because untreated infection can lead to complications such as PID, a clinician should guide care.

Can I get chlamydia more than once?

Yes. Being treated does not make you immune. The CDC's advice to retest after about three months exists because repeat infections are common.

Can chlamydia be passed through oral sex?

Yes. The CDC says chlamydia can be passed through oral, vaginal or anal sex. Infection in the throat is less common, and it usually causes no symptoms.

Does a negative result mean I am in the clear forever?

A negative result tells you about the sample taken that day. If you have a new partner or a new exposure, ask a clinician when to test again. Many people follow the yearly or more frequent schedule described above.

Can chlamydia affect fertility?

The CDC says untreated chlamydia can lead to PID in women, which can cause long-term pelvic pain and difficulty getting pregnant. Early testing and treatment lower that risk. If you have questions about your own fertility, a clinician can talk through your situation.

Will my parents find out if I get tested?

Under M.G.L. c. 112, s. 12F, records of a minor's care for this purpose are confidential between the minor and the clinician, with the narrow exception noted above. If you are worried about billing or insurance statements, ask the clinic how they handle them before your visit.

Is it safe to be tested while pregnant?

Yes. The CDC and USPSTF recommend chlamydia screening for certain pregnant people, and treatment during pregnancy uses medicines chosen by your clinician for that purpose.

Chlamydia: Symptoms, Testing and Treatment in Boston