What are chlamydia, how do we recognize them and how do we treat them?

Chlamydia infection is one of the most common venereal diseases. However, there are many types of chlamydia and some of them manifest as infections of the respiratory tract, eyes or other organs in the body.

Western medicine is often unable to cope with them, and even Chinese medicine often finds chlamydia a problem. Or rather, treating them is a long haul.

Chlamydia are microscopic organisms that parasitize inside living cells. Although they resemble viruses in size, they are classified as bacteria. Unlike normal bacteria, they acquire energy and reproduce only inside host cells. They survive inside the cell in a non-infectious form and can either cause the cell to disintegrate, releasing themselves into the environment, or remain inside the cell and release themselves through exocytosis.

Types of chlamydial infections

Chlamydial infections are often difficult to diagnose correctly because of their similarity to other infections. The most important types of chlamydia include:

Chlamydia trachomatis, which cause problems of the urogenital tract ,
Chlamydia pneumoniae, which causes lung problems
Chlamydia psittaci, which is primarily an animal pathogen but can also be transmitted to humans.

Chlamydia transmission

The most common modes of transmission of chlamydia:

Sexual transmission: mainly Chlamydia trachomatis, which is the most common sexually transmitted infection.
Droplet infection: transmission through saliva, talking or contact with contaminated objects.
Contaminated objects: Towels, bed linen or public showers.
Transmission at birth: An infected mother can infect her newborn.
Transmission from animals: Chlamydia psittaci is transmitted through animal droppings or feathers.

Manifestations of chlamydial infections

Urogenital infections

Chlamydia trachomatis is transmitted by sexual, anal and oral contact. People aged 15-30 years are most at risk. This infection is often asymptomatic, which complicates its diagnosis and treatment. In men, it manifests itself as inflammation of the urethra with symptoms such as burning during urination and discharge. In women, the infection is manifested by discharge, pain on intercourse and off-cycle bleeding.

Respiratory tract infection

Chlamydia pneumoniae is a common cause of lung disease. Symptoms include an irritating cough, headache, fatigue and increased temperature. The infection can run the course of a common cold or flu, but can also lead to more serious conditions such as bronchitis or pneumonia.

Psittacosis

Psittacosis, caused by Chlamydia psittaci, is an infection that people can get from birds, especially parrots and pigeons. Symptoms include a dry cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, fatigue, muscle and headaches, and sometimes nausea and diarrhea. Infection can be as mild as a cold or as severe as pneumonia.

Complications of chlamydial infections

If the infection is not recognized and treated in time, it can lead to serious complications. Chlamydia can spread to other organs and cause:

Reactive arthritis: Inflammation of the joints that affects the lower extremities.
Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: After an untreated respiratory infection.
Eye infections: Can lead to blindness.
Sterility: The most common complication in both men and women.
Myocarditis and meningitis: Rare but serious complications.
Autoimmune diseases: e.g. multiple sclerosis, thyroid involvement or chronic fatigue syndrome.

How does traditional Chinese medicine treat chlamydia?

Here it depends on the stage of infection.

Acute phase of chlamydia infection

If the phase of infection is acute, and especially if a person perceives any symptoms, then the problem is solved on the basis of the diagnosis of symptoms.

Urogenital infections

is treated as a hot or rather moist heat in the urogenital tract. Mostly on the basis of insufficiency of Spleen Qi. Typical manifestations are discharges, often yellow, itchy and smelly. There may also be itching without discharge.

Chinese medicine remedies could include:

vital sponge Coriolus
Recipe Si Miao San (Four Wonders)

For lung infections

This is again a weakening of the Lung Qi, followed by an attack of wind heat or toxic heat.

Among Chinese medicine remedies, one could use the following:

Vital Mushroom Coriolus
Recipe Shuang Huang Lian Tang (Silver Breath)
Qing Zao Jiu Fei Wan recipe (Dry Spring)

This procedure is especially suitable in the early stage of chlamydial infestation.

Chronic chlamydial infection

More often than not, we approach treatment when chlamydia is already nicely established in our body and waiting for an opportunity when the body becomes weak (through stress, overwork), our immunity weakens, and it ceases to control the chlamydia. They then "start to claim our energy", which we can recognise by the typical symptoms, which are mostly similar to those mentioned above in the acute phase, but not so dramatic. They fall into a category we refer to in Chinese medicine as "hidden pathogens" (this includes chronic Lyme disease or chronic yeast infections).

Treatment, of course, depends on the symptoms. Sometimes the above remedies can be used. But what is most important at this time - a vigorous strengthening of the immune system, so that the body can bring these pathogenic microorganisms back under its control.

Usually a combination of three means is recommended:

mushroom Coriolus - this is a mushroom that stimulates the immune system dramatically. Of the vital mushrooms, it is the most powerful killer of anything that does not belong in the body. Including chlamydia, both pulmonary and vaginal. Especially for vaginal chlamydia, but also for lung chlamydia, we give Coriolus to partners!
The Polyporus fungus is a fungus that stimulates the immune system and removes moisture from the body. The point is that not only do we need to get rid of the chlamydia, we need to get rid of the food. And that, according to Chinese medicine, is moisture. The same way we do with yeast infections, for example.
Herbal recipe MyRemover 2 which is effective in destroying not only chlamydia, but also yeast (candida), but also other chronic infections and inflammations caused by EB viruses, herpes viruses, etc... It is also suitable for roaches, tapeworms or roundworms.

How long does the treatment take

As with other "hidden pathogens", treatment takes months, sometimes a year or more. However, the patient must see a steady improvement in his condition. Sometimes it is like a seesaw. For a while the person is completely free of symptoms and difficulties, but then, usually after some weakening, the symptoms return again. It takes a lot of patience!

A word in conclusion

Untreated chlamydial infections are dangerous because of the long-term tissue damage they can cause. In women, they can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and complications during pregnancy, while lung infections can cause chronic respiratory disease, pneumonia and exacerbation (significant worsening) of chronic diseases such as COPD.

Infections weaken the immune system, increase the risk of other infections such as HIV, and are associated with extrapulmonary (extrapulmonary) complications, including atherosclerosis.

Early diagnosis and treatment are key to preventing these complications, and asymptomatic courses of infections often lead to their overlooked transmission to others.

Author:Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapist

Milan Schirlo

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