Can A Period Cause Swelling In The Vagina
How this works. Is this cause for concern? Vaginal swelling may happen from time to time, and its not always a cause for concern. Periods, pregnancy, and intercourse can all cause swelling in the vaginal area, including the vaginal lips . Sometimes, swelling may be the result of another condition, disease, or disorder.
Where Can I Get A Test
There are a number of services you can go to. Choose the one you feel most comfortable with.
A chlamydia test can be done at:
- a genitourinary medicine or sexual health clinic
- your general practice
- contraception and young peoples clinics
- some pharmacies.
Abortion clinics, antenatal services and some gynaecology services may also offer a chlamydia test.
In England, if youre a woman aged under 25 years old, you may be offered a chlamydia test as part of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme when you visit some service for other reasons, for example at a pharmacy or your GP.
The NCSP aims to identify people without symptoms to reduce the complications of untreated infection. If chlamydia is not treated, it can cause health complications, especially in women. Untreated chlamydia in women can cause pain in the pelvis, ectopic pregnancy and infertility .
If you are a woman aged under 25 years old and you are offered a chlamydia test as part of the NCSP you should consider taking it.
In many areas, free home self-sampling tests for chlamydia are available to order online. This is where you take your own sample and send it to be tested. See www.nhs.uk
Its also possible to buy a chlamydia test to do at home. The accuracy of these tests varies. Some types are very accurate when carried out according to the instructions, others can be less reliable. If you buy a testing kit make sure you get advice from a pharmacist or your doctor.
What Causes Chlamydia
Its caused by bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis.
In people with chlamydia, the bacteria are most commonly found in the cervix and urethra . The bacteria can also infect the throat and rectum .
Anyone whos sexually active can get chlamydia and pass it on. You dont need to have lots of sexual partners.
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What To Think About
Some people who have chlamydia may also have gonorrhea. In that case, treatment includes antibiotics that kill both chlamydia and gonorrhea. For more information, see the topic .
Reinfection can occur. Symptoms that continue after treatment are probably caused by another chlamydia infection rather than treatment failure. To prevent reinfection, sex partners need to be evaluated and treated.
Repeated chlamydia infections increase the risk for pelvic inflammatory disease . Even one infection can lead to PID without proper treatment. Make sure to take your antibiotics exactly as prescribed. Take the full course of medicine, even if you feel better in a couple of days.
Some doctors recommend retesting 3 to 12 months after treatment to reduce the risk of complications from reinfection.
If you have chlamydia, your doctor will send a report to the state health department. Your personal information is kept confidential. The health department may contact you about telling your sex partner or partners that they may need treatment.
How Do You Know When Chlamydia Is Gone
The only way to be fully sure that your chlamydia has cleared is to get re-tested following treatment. The infection should be cleared 7 days after you have started your course of antibiotics.
Finishing the entire course of antibiotics is very important or you could be at risk infecting your partner and/or becoming reinfected.
The antibiotics that are used to treat chlamydia are generally very effective. Research shows that doxycycline is practically 100 percent effective in eliminating chlamydia, with slightly lower curation rates for azithromycin.
The most common reasons why chlamydia treatment can fail is not taking the full course of antibiotics, and not abstaining from sex during the recommended time. Its very important to finish your course of antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor, even if youre no longer experiencing symptoms before you finish the medication.
It is equally important that both you and your partner are treated for chlamydia before you have sex again to lower the risk of re-infection, as well as waiting the recommended time period.
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How Is It Treated
Antibiotics are used to treat chlamydia. It’s important to take all of the medicine as directed. Otherwise the medicine may not work. Both sex partners need treatment to keep from passing the infection back and forth.
As soon as you find out you have chlamydia, be sure to let your sex partners know. Experts recommend that you notify everyone you’ve had sex with in the past 2 months. If you have not had sex in the past 2 months, contact the last person you had sex with.
Having a chlamydia infection that was cured does not protect you from getting it again. If you are treated and your sex partner is not, you probably will get it again.
Some people who have chlamydia also have other STIs, such as .
Finding out that you have an STI may make you feel bad about yourself or about sex. Counseling or a support group may help you feel better.
Std Testing And Treatment
People are often embarrassed about getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases. They do not want to ask a primary care doctor to test for diseases, so many choose to go to urgent care. Urgent care offices are discrete, making it easier to get the testing and treatment. Also, people do not need to make an appointment at an urgent care office.
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How Long Should I Wait For Chlamydia To Show On Tests
There are various chlamydia tests you can undergo to get diagnosed with this infection. Depending on which test you take, the time will vary. There are three ways to get diagnosed for chlamydia, and those are a swab, urine, or blood test.
For a swab test, the doctor will take a cotton stickto sample the infected fluid or tissue. This sample will then be taken to thelab, where experienced technicians will analyze the growth of the bacteria andsee how much it has developed.
A urine test is analyzed the same way. The urine isstored in a sealed cup and sent off for testing. If the technicians find anybacteria present in the urine, it will mean youve been infected. A blood test,on the other hand, is a more painful method, but the most reliable one. Theblood sample will be taken to the lab to analyze all the antibodies and seewhether this infection has infected the bloodstream.
So, the results you will get will depend on the typeof test you selected:
- Forswab results chlamydia shows up in 2 to 3 days
- Forblood tests chlamydia can show up instantly if the blood is inspected on site
- Forurine tests it can take up to 2 or 5 days for chlamydia to show up
Treatment For Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Patients who have a bacterial STD such as gonorrhea or chlamydia will receive a prescription for antibiotics. It is critical to follow the instructions so the antibiotics kill the infection. Patients should undergo a second round of testing three months after finishing the antibiotics to ensure the infection did not reappear. If it reoccurs, patients must undergo a second round of treatment.
Genital herpes is a viral STD and cannot be cured. However, antiviral drugs limit the number of outbreaks and also reduce the symptoms. These drugs also make infected patients less likely to pass the disease to sexual partners. Antiviral drugs do not completely eliminate the risk, though, so safe sex is necessary.
HIV is also a virus, but instead of antiviral drugs, the doctor will likely treat it with antiretroviral therapy. The patient will take a series of HIV medications. The medications reduce symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. Antiretroviral therapy also reduces the risk of transmitting the disease to others, although it is still possible.
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What Other Problems Can Chlamydia Cause
In women, an untreated infection can spread to your uterus and fallopian tubes, causing pelvic inflammatory disease . PID can cause permanent damage to your reproductive system. This can lead to long-term pelvic pain, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. Women who have had chlamydia infections more than once are at higher risk of serious reproductive health complications.
Men often donât have health problems from chlamydia. Sometimes it can infect the epididymis . This can cause pain, fever, and, rarely, infertility.
Both men and women can develop reactive arthritis because of a chlamydia infection. Reactive arthritis is a type of arthritis that happens as a âreactionâ to an infection in the body.
Babies born to infected mothers can get eye infections and pneumonia from chlamydia. It may also make it more likely for your baby to be born too early.
Untreated chlamydia may also increase your chances of getting or giving HIV/AIDS.
How Can Chlamydia Be Prevented
Latex male condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of getting or giving chlamydia.53 The surest way to avoid chlamydia is to abstain from vaginal, anal, and oral sex, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected.
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Im Pregnant How Does Chlamydia Affect My Baby
If you are pregnant and have chlamydia, you can pass the infection to your baby during delivery. This could cause an eye infection or pneumonia in your newborn. Having chlamydia may also make it more likely to deliver your baby too early.
If you are pregnant, you should get tested for chlamydia at your first prenatal visit. Testing and treatment are the best ways to prevent health problems.
Essential Facts About Chlamydia
Chlamydia often causes no symptoms in the short term, but it can have serious health consequences if it goes untreated.
If youre sexually active, you should know about chlamydia, a common sexually transmitted bacterial infection. These 10 facts will bring you up to speed on whos at risk, why regular screening is so important, and how to avoid getting chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections .
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What Is Sexual Health
As defined by the World Health Organization , sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled.
Obviously, theres a lot more to sexual health than keeping yourself free from disease and infection. Still, not having an STD or STI an infection caused by bacteria or a virus is an important component of your overall sexual pleasure and wellbeing, as well as your physical and emotional health. In this article, well be focusing on the physical aspect of sexual health.
When To Go To Urgent Care For Pregnant Women
Save your visits to the OB-GYN for later-stage pregnancy questions or for longer-term health planning like your pregnancy plan. Urgent care centers are your best option for immediate womens health care from highly-trained professionals, on your schedule. See our prices on co-pays and same-day visits, with and without insurance.
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What Increases Your Risk
Risk factors for getting chlamydia include:
- Having unprotected sex .
- Having more than one sex partner.
- Having a high-risk partner or partners. This includes people who have more than one sex partner or sex partners who have chlamydia.
- Starting sexual activity before age 18.
Any child with chlamydia needs to be seen by a doctor to determine the cause and to assess for possible sexual abuse. For more information, see the topic .
How Does Chlamydia Affect Pregnancy
For pregnant women, chlamydia may lead to premature birth, or babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Premature birth is the most common cause of infant death and can lead to long-term health and development problems in children.
Babies born to mothers who have chlamydia can get:
- Infections in their eyes, called conjunctivitis or pinkeye. Signs include discharge from the eyes and swollen eyelids. The signs most often show up within two weeks after birth.
- Pneumonia. Signs include congestion, cough, and rapid or labored breathing, although these are not always present. Signs most often show up one to three months after birth.
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Chlamydia Treatment Dos & Donts Why Visit Urgent Care Clinic
Chlamydia is a curable sexually transmitted disease. However, if left untreated, it can create serious health complications. It can even make you infertile. So, why let a curable disease do irreparable damage to your body?
STD testing is the only way to find out whether you are infected with chlamydia or any other infection.
Now, thats where people falter. They hesitate to undergo a test. Some people wait for symptoms, when the truth is that most STDs do not produce symptoms, including chlamydia. You may or may not experience symptoms. The best thing to do is visit your nearest urgent care clinic and ask for a test, if doubtful about exposure.
Chlamydia treatment is available on the same day of testing. It takes just 10 minutes of your time to confirm about your sexual health. Dont let a sexually transmitted infection mar your healthy body or your happy lifestyle.
Also, if you overlook symptoms or procrastinate in testing, you might spread the infection to your partner. If you are pregnant, you may spread the infection to your newborn.
Your Regular Medical Practitioner
If you have a regular medical practitioner, she should be your first choice for STD care. This is because your practitioner knows your health history. That makes her the best person to choose the right treatment options for you. You probably don’t even need to see your gynecologist or urologist. Most regular medical practitioners should be able to test and treat you for the majority of common sexually transmitted diseases. If you have doubts, call the office and ask before scheduling your appointment. If nothing else, they can refer you to an appropriate location for testing.
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How Do I Pay For My Chlamydia Test
If you have insurance, your visit and chlamydia testing may be covered by your insurance plan. You may have to pay a copay and/or a deductible. If you dont have insurance, to view the price to see a UHealth Jackson Urgent Care doctor. There will be an additional fee from the lab that tests your specimen. This bill is separate from the UHealth Jackson Urgent Care office.
Can Chlamydia Be Cured
Yes, chlamydia can be cured with the right treatment. It is important that you take all of the medication your doctor prescribes to cure your infection. When taken properly it will stop the infection and could decrease your chances of having complications later on. You should not share medication for chlamydia with anyone.
Repeat infection with chlamydia is common. You should be tested again about three months after you are treated, even if your sex partner was treated.
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Why Is Sexual Health Important
Anyone who is sexually active should be concerned about their sexual health. Left unchecked, STDs can wreak havoc on your reproductive system. This is true for both men and women.
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control reported that about 24 thousand women become infertile each year due to STDs. Typically, contracting an STD isnt enough to cause infertility or other reproductive health issues. Its when a sexually transmitted disease isnt treated that the risk of reproductive damage becomes a problem. This points to just how important it is to get tested regularly, especially when you have a new sexual partner or have multiple sexual partners. Early detection is the best way to prevent an STD from impacting your future health.
What Happens If You Dont Get Treated For Chlamydia
Even though chlamydia is common and doesnt usually cause any symptoms, it can become a big deal if its not caught and treated early.
Chlamydia can spread to your uterus and fallopian tubes if it goes untreated for a long time. This can cause you to have pelvic inflammatory disease . PID can cause permanent damage that leads to pain, infertility, or ectopic pregnancy. So getting tested regularly for chlamydia really lowers your chances of getting PID.
If you have a penis, a chlamydia infection can spread to your epididymis if its left untreated, and can cause chronic joint pain. Rarely, it can make you infertile.
Having chlamydia may increase your chances of getting or spreading HIV.
If you have chlamydia during your pregnancy and dont treat it, you can pass it to your baby when youre giving birth. Chlamydia can also cause eye infections and pneumonia in newborns, and it also increases the risk of delivering your baby too early.
Testing and treatment for chlamydia is quick, easy, and the best way to avoid all of these problems.
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