What’s It Like To Attend Sexual Health Services
We have teamed up with local charity Enable Ability to develop videos and virtual tours to help people with learning disabilities to access Sexual Health Services.
Videos are available below and via the What’s it like? App which uses immersive technology to help people who live with anxiety to access places and services, offering virtual tours and video walk throughs.
Each video provides information about sexual health clinics in Portsmouth, Southampton, Basingstoke and Isle of Wight and provide information about what to expect when you attend an appointment for contraception or sexually transmitted infections advice and support.
I Was Treated For Chlamydia When Can I Have Sex Again
You should not have sex again until you and your sex partner have completed treatment. If your doctor prescribes a single dose of medication, you should wait seven days after taking the medicine before having sex. If your doctor prescribes a medicine for you to take for seven days, you should wait until you have taken all of the doses before having sex.
How Can I Prevent Chlamydia
Itâs easier to prevent an STI like chlamydia than it is to treat it:
- Donât have more than one sex partner at a time. The safest sex is with one partner who has sex only with you. Every time you add a new sex partner, you are being exposed to all of the infections that all of their partners may have.
- Use a condom every time you have sex. Latex and polyurethane condoms keep out the viruses and bacteria that cause STIs.
- Be responsible. Donât have sex if you have symptoms of an infection or if you are being treated for an STI.
- Wait to have sex with a new partner until both of you have been tested for STIs.
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How Do We Test At The Doctor
At The Doctor, we get to know you. We encourage patients to be honest, upfront, and out about all issues from sexuality, to mental disposition, to sexual activity. We want to know you so that we can help you stay healthy and active.
We run a no judgement zone type of clinic where you can be yourself, own your sexuality, and feel comfortable telling us how you engage sexually.
Based on that sexual history, well identify the type of STI testing you need to make sure we test and treat appropriately. Thats the kind of approach that only comes from a practice that truly understand you and your lifestyle.
Causes Of A Positive Chlamydia Test
Certain situations can give false positive result on a blood test. Presence of antibodies against the bacteria may not always indicate a current infection. It can indicate a previous infection but cannot determine if the patient has infection at the time of the test. This may give a false positive result on the test.
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Can I Take The Test At Home
Tests are available to detect chlamydia at home. Most at-home chlamydia tests are self-collection kits, which allow you to obtain a swab or sample of urine at home and return it to a laboratory by mail. If an at-home chlamydia test returns positive results, a doctor may suggest confirmation testing with a laboratory-based method.
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Increased Risk Of Getting Hiv
Having an STI can make it more likely for you to get HIV, or give HIV to someone else.
Getting frequent infections with syphilis, gonorrhea, and herpes can also make you more likely to get HIV in the future. This happens because HIV and STIs share similar risk factors. Also, having a sore from an STI can allow HIV to enter your body more easily.
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How Is The Test Used
Chlamydia testing is used to screen for and diagnose sexually transmitted infections caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis.
Testing for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae is often done at the same time since the infections caused by these two bacteria can have similar signs and symptoms. These bacteria may be acquired at the same time, and you may have infections with both. A definitive diagnosis is important since the two infections require different antibiotic treatment.
Repeat testing is recommended to ensure that treatment has been effective. This is done about three months after you have completed treatment.
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How Long Does It Take To Show Up In The Throat
Symptoms of chlamydia in your throat are typically caused by having oral sex with someone whos contracted the infection.
Its much less common to notice throat symptoms, but they may still appear after a week or so, up to a few months or longer.
STI tests that look for chlamydia arent always done on the throat since its an area that does not carry the infection often. Ask your doctor for a throat swab or other chlamydia test if you think youve been exposed through oral sex.
Here are the most common symptoms of chlamydia in both people with penises and people with vulvas.
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What Is A Full Check
A full check-up is offered to people who have symptoms and we will test for most STIs, including HIV. We will take a small blood sample and ask you about your sexual history and any risks you may have taken. This check-up also includes an examination.
Please check our clinic finder to find where we offer this service. To book an appointment, please call the service on the number below.
We also diagnose and treat some genital infections that are not sexually transmitted, like thrush or bacterial vaginosis , for example.
Some people just want advice. Whatever your needs, we are a service that pays particular attention to the needs of each individual.
What Happens During A Chlamydia Test
If you are a woman, your health care provider will use a small brush or swab to take a sample of cells from your vagina for testing. You may also be offered the option of testing yourself at home using a test kit. Ask your provider for recommendations on which kit to use. If you do the test at home, be sure to follow all the directions carefully.
If youre a man, your health care provider may use a swab to take a sample from your urethra, but it is more likely that a urine test for chlamydia will be recommended. Urine tests can also be used for women. During a urine test, you will be instructed to provide a clean catch sample.
The clean catch method generally includes the following steps:
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Infant Pneumonia Caused By C Trachomatis
Chlamydial pneumonia among infants typically occurs at age 13 months and is a subacute pneumonia. Characteristic signs of chlamydial pneumonia among infants include a repetitive staccato cough with tachypnea and hyperinflation and bilateral diffuse infiltrates on a chest radiograph. In addition, peripheral eosinophilia occurs frequently. Because clinical presentations differ, all infants aged 13 months suspected of having pneumonia, especially those whose mothers have a history of, are at risk for , or suspected of having a chlamydial infection should be tested for C. trachomatis and treated if infected.
Diagnostic Considerations
Specimens for chlamydial testing should be collected from the nasopharynx. Tissue culture is the definitive standard diagnostic test for chlamydial pneumonia. Nonculture tests can be used. DFA is the only nonculture FDA-cleared test for detecting C. trachomatis from nasopharyngeal specimens however, DFA of nasopharyngeal specimens has a lower sensitivity and specificity than culture. NAATs are not cleared by FDA for detecting chlamydia from nasopharyngeal specimens, and clinical laboratories should verify the procedure according to CLIA regulations . Tracheal aspirates and lung biopsy specimens, if collected, should be tested for C. trachomatis.
Treatment
Erythromycin base or ethylsuccinate 50 mg/kg body weight/day orally divided into 4 doses daily for 14 days
Azithromycin suspension20 mg/kg body weight/day orally, 1 dose daily for 3 days
What Is The Treatment For Chlamydia
Since its a bacterial infection, chlamydia is treated with oral antibiotics. Depending on the severity of the infection, youll need to take your prescription for 5 to 10 days. Be sure to finish the entire prescription. Just because your symptoms improve, doesnt mean the infection has fully cleared.
Youll also need to avoid all sexual activity during the course of your treatment until the infection clears up. This will reduce the risk of reinfection or transmitting the infection.
Due to the prevalence of chlamydia, its important to get annual tests if you:
- are under the age of 25 and are also sexually active, especially if youre female
- have sex with multiple partners
- have a history of STIs, or are treating another type of STI
- dont use condoms regularly
- are male and you have sex with other men
- have a partner who has told you theyve recently tested positive for chlamydia
You may need to get tested more often than once a year.
If youre pregnant, youll need to get a chlamydia test during your first prenatal appointment. Your gynecologist or midwife may also recommend another test later in your pregnancy if you have any of the above risk factors.
Chlamydia can cause complications in pregnant women, but also lead to problems at birth, such as pneumonia and eye infections.
After youve had chlamydia, you should get retested
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What Do The Results Mean
A positive result means you have been infected with chlamydia. The infection requires treatment with antibiotics. Your health care provider will give you instructions on how to take your medicine. Be sure to take all the required doses. In addition, let your sexual partner know you tested positive for chlamydia, so he or she can be tested and treated promptly.
Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.
How Does A Chlamydia Test Work
The most commonly used type of chlamydia test is called a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test . A NAAT detects the DNA of the bacteria that cause the chlamydia infection. You provide a sample of urine. Or your provider collects a sample of secretions from the vagina or urethra . The lab tests the sample for signs of the bacteria.
Less often, providers use a cell culture to test for chlamydia. Your provider swabs your vagina, urethra or anus to collect a sample of fluid and cells. They send the cells to a lab to test. If bacteria are present, they will grow, which indicates an infection. Providers may choose this type of chlamydia test to detect infections in the anus. Or they may use a cell culture to see how chlamydia treatments are working.
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Is There Anything Else I Need To Know About A Chlamydia Test
Chlamydia testing enables diagnosis and treatment of the infection before it can cause serious health problems. If you are at risk for chlamydia due to your age and/or lifestyle, talk to your health care provider about getting tested.
You can also take steps to prevent getting infected with chlamydia The best way to prevent chlamydia or any sexually transmitted disease is to not have vaginal, anal or oral sex. If you are sexually active, you can reduce your risk of infection by:
- Being in a long-term relationship with one partner who has tested negative for STDs
- Using condoms correctly every time you have sex
Sexually Transmitted Infection Tests
Many sexually transmitted infections can be diagnosed using a blood sample. These tests are often combined with urine samples or swabs of infected tissue for more accurate diagnoses.
The following STIs can be diagnosed with blood tests:
Blood tests arent always accurate right after contracting an infection. For an HIV infection, for example, you may need to wait at least a month before a blood test can detect the virus.
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What If My Results Are Positive
The Everlywell Chlamydia & Gonorrhea test includes an easy-to-understand lab report. But if you’re not sure how to read your chlamydia test results, your healthcare provider can help.
A positive STI test result can be unsettling, but you arenât alone: with the Everlywell Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Test, you have the opportunity to speak with a physician in our network to discuss your results further if you test positiveâand you may be prescribed medication.
If your chlamydia test is positive, STI testing is recommended for your sex partner . If they are infected and don’t receive treatment, they can pass the chlamydial infection back to you.
What Can A Blood Test Tell You
As you can see, there are many answers to the question What can a blood test tell you? depending on what test you or your doctors are choosing. If you have a disease or disorder in your family history, a blood test can help you be more informed about your health. Routine blood tests are a great way to be a step ahead of any health issue.
Are you hoping to get a blood test? Contact us today to make an appointment.
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How To Get Tested For Chlamydia
If you’re wondering how to test for chlamydia safely, here are several ways you can do so. Depending on your medical history and health concerns, your healthcare provider may suggest more than one test to see if you have a sexually transmitted infection. A panel might require a blood sample, genital swab, or urine sample.
While chlamydia isn’t a bloodborne disease, blood tests can determine whether you have chlamydia antibodies, which can reveal current or past chlamydia infections.
A penile or vaginal swab is another method your healthcare provider may use to test for STIs. For this type of test, your doctor uses a cotton swab for specimen collection.
Can you test for chlamydia through urine? The answer to this question is âyes,â and itâs quite a common testing method. In fact, you can use a urine sample to test for chlamydia at home. With the Everlywell Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Test, you simply urinate in a collection cup and place your urine specimen in the mail. Your sample is then tested in a CLIA-certified laboratory. The lab that tests your sample uses molecular testing techniquesâknown as nucleic acid amplification testsâwhich identify the DNA of gonorrhea and chlamydia in your sample.
A Word From Same Day Std Testing
At Same Day, its our mission to provide safe, reliable, and confidential STD testing options for all who need them. One of our dedicated staff members will walk you through the testing process and answer any questions you may have both before and after the tests. Contact us here at to schedule an appointment or, to get tested today, simply find a facility near you and visit us. Were ready and waiting to help you.
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When Do Stis Show In Tests
The ‘window period’ is the length of time it can take between catching an infection and when it will show in a test. The window period for the most common STI tests are:
- Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea – Up to 2 weeks
- HIV – 45 days or 90 days, depending on the type of test. Your test provider will be able to give you this information.
- Syphilis – 12 weeks
If you are in any doubt about when to test you should do a test now and another test at a later date. The nurse or doctor will discuss this with you.Following an assessment you will be asked to provide:
- a urine sample or a vaginal swab for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea
- a blood test for HIV and Syphilis
- a blood test for Hepatitis B and C, for people in higher risk groups
If you have symptoms you will require an examination.
We can diagnose some conditions at the clinic, but most tests need to be sent to the laboratory so you may receive results at a later date. If this is the case we will inform you if either you or your partner need to arrange treatment.
Urine Testing Vs Bacterial Culture
Urine testing is currently primarily used to detect bacterial STDs. Chlamydia and gonorrhea urine tests are widely available. Trichomoniasis urine tests are also available, but they are less common.
The gold standard for diagnosing bacterial STDs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, used to be bacterial culture. That involved attempting to grow bacteria out of samples that were taken directly from the cervix or urethra.
These days, bacterial DNA testing is considered a better option. It works differently than bacterial culture. Instead of trying to grow bacteria, these tests just look for bacterial DNA. This can be done using a process called ligase chain reaction or with other DNA amplification techniques.
These types of testing are sensitive to even very small amounts of bacterial DNA. Even better, they do not require a live bacterial sample. As such, they can be run on urine samplesnot just urethral or cervical swabs.
For most people, the thought of a getting gonorrhea urine test or chlamydia urine test is a lot less intimidating than the thought of needing a physical exam.
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