How To Test For Chlamydia
You can use an at-home chlamydia test or get tested at a clinic. A chlamydia test kit like the Everlywell test requires a urine sample you collect with materials included with the kit. You then send the sample to a lab and get secure, online results a few days later. Screening at a clinic may require a urine sample or oral and/or rectal samples collected with a swab . How you get your results will depend on the clinic you go to.
Hereâs how to test for chlamydia at home using the Everlywell Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Test kit:
- Register your kit online. Use the unique ID included inside your kit and go to www.everlywell.com/register. Write your date of birth and the sample collection date on the transport tube provided by the kit.
- Collect your sample by urinating into the specimen collection cup thatâs included with the kit.
- Use the pipette to place the sample into a transport tube, and put the tube into the biohazard bag .
- Place the bag into the shipping envelope , apply the prepaid shipping label, and place your envelope in the mail. Your sample will then arrive at a laboratory, where it will be analyzed for chlamydia and gonorrhea.
- Just days later, youâll be notified that your results are ready. You can privately view your results online on our secure platform.
Taking a chlamydia test at home is a great way to skip the trip to your doctorâs office âand, instead, check for chlamydial infections from the comfort and privacy of your home.
When To Test For Std
Many STDs can cause serious health complications, and itâs possible to have an STD without experiencing any warning signs or symptoms. As a result, testing is the only way to know for sure whether or not you have an STD that may require treatment and potentially be spread to a partner. Generally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends annual testing for sexually active men and women, particularly for those who have multiple partners or new partners.
Home Remedies For Chlamydia
There are several home remedies for chlamydia and a number of websites claim that these home remedies can cure chlamydia. While some of the home remedies have been shown to have antibacterial properties, antibiotics are the only proven cure for chlamydia. It isnt worth the risk of infertility or illness to not treat chlamydia.
If you experience symptoms, some of these home remedies may be effective for symptom relief, but they cannot cure the infection itself.
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What Should I Expect During A Chlamydia Test
Your provider gives you a clean cup and asks you to urinate in it. Follow your providers instructions carefully when collecting a urine sample. Youll need to collect the urine as soon as it starts to come out .
Instead of a urine sample, your provider might collect a sample of secretions from your genitals or anus. They gather this sample by rubbing a cotton swab on the inside of your vagina, penis or anus. If your provider suspects that you have a chlamydia infection in your eye, they will collect a fluid sample from your eye.
If youre using an at-home chlamydia test, you will collect the sample yourself. Be sure to follow the instructions on the test kit carefully.
Address Chlamydia Naturally At Lifeworks
If you are looking for a more natural approach to treating chlamydia or other sexually transmitted diseases, consider coming to LifeWorks Wellness Center. We offer alternative and complementary approaches to getting well and try to avoid the unnecessary use of antibiotics where possible.
We look forward to working with you to develop a plan specifically designed to meet your needs and get you on a path to better health, naturally and holistically.
To discuss your health issue or to schedule an appointment, call us at our Clearwater clinic at or submit an online patient inquiry.
References
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Treating Chlamydia During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, alternative treatment considerations may be required.
It is necessary to treat chlamydial infections in pregnant women to prevent them passing C. trachomatis to their babies during delivery. Generally, a single dose antibiotic will be prescribed and if this cannot be tolerated alternatives may be recommended.
Doxycycline, levofloxacin, ofloxacin, and erythromycin should not be used in pregnancy or when a woman is breastfeeding. Follow-ups and repeat testing approximately 3 weeks after treatment has been completed will be necessary. This is because chlamydia cure rates in pregnant women are generally lower than non-pregnant ones. Further follow-up is required at around three months.
Who Does Chlamydia Affect
Anyone whos sexually active can get chlamydia. The bacteria that causes chlamydia gets transmitted through vaginal fluid and semen, which means that people of all genders who have sex can become infected with chlamydia and infect their partners, too. If youre pregnant and have chlamydia, you can pass it on to your newborn.
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Why Should I Get Tested
Almost all STIs go undetected. Even though chlamydia can be easily treated, due to the lack of visible symptoms, the younger population often ignore it or have no idea they have it. Individuals who often change partners are exposed to chlamydia and other STIs as well, such as gonorrhea and syphilis.
If left untreated, its incredibly easy to transmit this infection onto your partner and cause numerous problems that can later affect your health.
What Do I Need To Know If I Get Treated For Chlamydia
If youre getting treated for chlamydia:
- Take all of your medicine the way your nurse or doctor tells you to, even if any symptoms you may be having go away sooner. The infection stays in your body until you finish the antibiotics.
- Your partner should also get treated for chlamydia so you dont re-infect each other or anyone else.
- Dont have sex for 7 days. If you only have 1 dose of medication, wait for 7 days after you take it before having sex. If youre taking medicine for 7 days, dont have sex until youve finished all of your pills.
- Get tested again in 3-4 months to make sure your infection is gone.
- Dont share your medicine with anyone. Your nurse or doctor may give you a separate dose of antibiotics for your partner. Make sure you both take all of the medicine you get.
- Even if you finish your treatment and the chlamydia is totally gone, its possible to get a new chlamydia infection again if youre exposed in the future. Chlamydia isnt a one-time-only deal. So use condoms and get tested regularly.
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How Is Chlamydia Diagnosed
Unfortunately, symptoms of chlamydia rarely occur and that means you can live undiagnosed for a long time. If you have had unprotected sex of any kind, you can be at risk for chlamydia. There isnt a way to guarantee you will be safe from chlamydia, however you can reduce your chance of infection if you are properly using a condom during sex.
Its important to know that chlamydia doesnt only occur in the cervix or urethra. Eye infections, epididymitis, and throat infections can occur as well. Chlamydia isnt spread through any one sexual activity, oral sex and anal sex can also lead to chlamydial infection. Reinfection is also possible so it is important to participate in regular sexually transmitted diseases screenings, especially if you are engaging in high-risk sexual activity such as unprotected sex.
Symptoms of chlamydia can include abnormal vaginal discharge, burning when urinating, pain or swelling of the testicles, and rectal pain. If you suspect you may have contracted chlamydia or if you are showing symptoms of chlamydia you should contact your primary care doctor, urologist, or OBGYN immediately for testing. Your doctor will likely swab the urethra or cervix for lab analysis. They may also request a urine sample that they will test for both chlamydia and gonorrhea.
How To Get Rid Of Chlamydia In Children
As mentioned, children catch Chlamydia eye infection and pneumonia from their mother or the environment. Antibiotics are the first options in these cases. However, it requires longer treatment period than adults.
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Treatment Of Uncomplicated Chlamydia Infections
Once a chlamydia infection has been confirmed through a positive test result, a doctor will generally prescribe an antibiotic. These may include azithromycin as a single dose therapy or doxycycline for an extended period . Both the infected person and their sexual partner should take this medication to prevent reinfection.
It is essential to take these antibiotics as directed, and where applicable, finish the course. Stopping antibiotics prematurely can cause them to be ineffective, lowering cure rates.
While the above are generally the preferred first-line treatment options, alternatives may be considered by your prescribing doctor in certain circumstances. These may include:
- Ofloxacin
Treatment is the same for both HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals.
What Should I Do If I Think I Have Chlamydia
If you think you have chlamydia, you need to see your doctor immediately and have a chlamydia test. You may have another STD with similar symptoms, and your doctor needs to know the exact STI you have so that you can get the best treatment.
Chlamydia tests involve collecting a urine sample or swabbing the affected area. Your doctor will send the specimen to a lab for testing to see if you have chlamydia or another type of STI.
If your test is positive for chlamydia, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic immediately.
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How Do I Know If I Have Chlamydia
If you suspect you have chlamydia, your doctor may want to test cervical or penile discharge or urine using one of several available methods.
In most cases of chlamydia, the cure rate is 95%. However, because many women don’t know they have the disease until it has caused serious complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease, sexually active women under age 25 and others at higher risk should be tested for chlamydia once a year during their annual pelvic exam even if they dont have symptoms.
Pregnant women should also be tested as part of their routine lab work.
What Does Chlamydia Look Like
Since chlamydial infections are often asymptomatic, it may not be possible to spot these. When symptoms are evident, the most obvious sign is abnormal discharge from the penis or vagina.
Right: Watery penile discharge experience in males with Chlamydia.Left: Chlamydia cervicitis as seen during Pap smear
Chlamydia may also cause conjunctivitis, in adults due to contact with infected fluids and in infants due to infection being passed from their mothers during delivery.
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Possible Treatment For Chlamydia
As per medical professionals, Chlamydia can be easily treated with the help of antibiotic therapy. These antibiotics can be assigned for the 7-day course with a single dose per day. It is essential to stay away from sexual activity for these 7 days so that infection can be controlled with ease and your partner does not get infected with it.
The commonly known antibiotics for this chlamydia in women treatment are Doxycycline and Azithromycin but professionals may also recommend few other antibiotics for this treatment. In case if the lady affected with Chlamydia is pregnant that few other antibiotics can also be used as like ethyl succinate, erythromycin, and amoxicillin but pregnant ladies should not consume doxycycline. It is also essential to make your partner aware about the disease and bring him to the medical professional to undergo important tests.
Is Chlamydia Dangerous
If Chlamydia is not diagnosed and treated properly, it could lead to some hidden dangers. In the female, the bacteria cause inflammation in the genital area, then makes its way to the uterus and fallopian tube. This situation is one of the main reasons for ectopic pregnancies and infertility. In India, scientists also found the association between Chlamydia infection and infertility rate in women . In some severe cases, pelvic inflammatory disease can occur, which requires longer treatment period and surgery.
In the male, although complications of Chlamydia is less common, there are still risks of epididymis inflammation . However, whether Chlamydia causes infertility in male remains unclear.
Chlamydia eye infection in newborn children usually happens two to three weeks after childbirth. It can heal without treatment but sometimes leads to vision impairment.
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How Is It Transmitted
Chlamydia is most commonly transmitted through unprotected vaginal, gay or straight, or penile, gay or straight, penetration. It can be transmitted when the mucous membranes come into contact with infected bodily fluids. This includes saliva, urine, and faeces as well as ejaculate and vaginal discharge in the case of chlamydia in women.
Is Relying On Home Remedies To Treat Chlamydia A Good Idea
Relying on home remedies to cure chlamydia is not a good idea. Doing so increases your risk of health complications and passing the infection on to your sex partners. The only way to cure chlamydia is with antibiotics. However, if youre suffering from the symptoms of chlamydia, natural remedies may provide relief until you can get an STD test and see a doctor.
You can also use the home remedies for chlamydia to supplement your antibiotic treatment. For example, you could soak in a tea tree oil bath every night or take an echinacea supplement each morning. Pay close attention to correct dosages to prevent unwanted side effects.
Again, we want to emphasize this: You should never rely on home remedies alone to cure chlamydia. They wont work, and the infection can significantly damage your reproductive system if you dont treat it.
Remember, chlamydia is often asymptomatic. If you have unprotected sex with one or more sex partners, you should get regular STD tests. At Rapid STD Testing, we offer a full10-panel STD test you can order right now on our website. Then, visit one of our convenient locations to give a quick specimen, and youll have confidential results in one to three days.
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This article is not medical advice. It is intended for general informational purposes and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your physician or dial 911.
Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections
A sexually transmitted infection is an infection thats spread through sexual contact. This includes skin-to-skin contact.
In general, STIs are preventable. Almost 20 million new STI cases are diagnosed each year in the United States, according to the .
Being mindful of sexual health and protection may help many avoid these infections.
The only guaranteed method to prevent STIs is to abstain from all sexual contact. However, when engaging in sexual activity, there are steps to limit the risk of STIs.
Effective STI prevention begins before any sexual activity. Here are some steps you can take to reduce your STI risk:
- Talk honestly with potential partners about both of your sexual histories.
- Get tested, along with your partner, before having sex.
- Avoid sexual contact when under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Get vaccinated against the human papillomavirus , hepatitis A, and hepatitis B .
- Consider pre-exposure prophylaxis , a medication that someone who is HIV negative can take to reduce their risk of contracting HIV.
- Use barrier methods every time you engage in sexual activity.
Having a conversation about sexual health with your partner is key, but not everyone with an STI knows they have one. Thats why its so important to get tested.
If you or your partner has an STI diagnosis, talk about it. That way you can both make informed decisions.
Using barrier methods can lower your risk of contracting STIs. These methods can include:
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Why Is Treatment Of Chlamydia Important
When treated early, chlamydia does not cause any long-term complications. Left untreated, serious and permanent damage can occur.
It may lead to pelvic inflammatory disease . This is when female reproductive organs, found in your pelvis, become inflamed. PID may cause ectopic pregnancies , infertility or chronic pelvic pain.
If not treated, chlamydia can spread to testicles, leading to pain and swelling. Chlamydia may occasionally cause infertility in men. Sometimes chlamydia may trigger a condition called Reiterâs disease which causes inflammation of your eyes, skin and joints.
Chlamydia can be passed from mother to baby during birth. The baby may subsequently develop eye and/or ear infections or pneumonia.
What Are The Risks Of Chlamydia Infection
Untreated chlamydia can lead to many serious health conditions.
Women can develop pelvic inflammatory disease. This can lead to pelvic pain, complications with pregnancy, and fertility difficulties. Sometimes women become infertile from the effects of untreated chlamydia.
Men may develop inflammation of their testicles from untreated chlamydia and may also experience fertility issues.
Babies who acquire chlamydia during childbirth can develop pink eye and pneumonia. Its important for women to be treated for chlamydia during pregnancy to avoid spreading it to an infant.
Sexual behavior of any kind puts you at risk of contracting chlamydia. Some ways to reduce your chances of getting chlamydia include:
- refraining from sexual activity
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