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How Can I Get Tested For Chlamydia

Are There Any Benefits To Fully Online Or Online

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There are several benefits to fully online or online-to-lab testing, including:

  • More private. If you dont want anyone to know youre getting tested for an STI or STD, online options tend to offer more privacy.
  • Specific testing options. You can choose to test for a single STI or STD, or do a full panel.
  • More accessible. If its difficult to access a doctor or other healthcare professional, fully online and online-to-lab tests are often a more accessible alternative.
  • Added convenience. Online options tend to take less time than visiting a doctors office or clinic.
  • Less stigma. If youre worried about being judged, or having to talk about your sexual history, online options can help you avoid stigma.
  • less costly. Depending on where you live and the healthcare options available to you, using an online test might cost less than making an appointment with your doctor.
  • Side-step insurance. Some online test providers dont accept health insurance as a form of payment. As a result, your test results wont be reported to your insurance provider or added to your medical records.

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Std Testing Doesnt Replace Discussion

People often wonder whether they have to tell current/future partners that they might have been exposed to an STD. Whether the question is modified by âWhat if we only had oral sex?â or âWhat if it didnât last long?â the answer is usually the same. These are discussions that everybody should be having before they have sex.

Most people donât come to sexual relationships completely inexperienced. Therefore, talks about testing and safe sex arenât just appropriate but smart.

Still, sometimes the discussion can be difficult. Thatâs why itâs always a good idea to practice safe sex, particularly until youâre reasonably certain of your test results.

Condoms may not be perfect, but latex types still offer protection against STDs.

How Soon Should I Test For Stds After Exposure

Use the table below to determine when you should get tested following exposure to an STD. The first column lists some of the most common types of STDs. The second column has the earliest time that tests offered by myLAB Box could be positive after a potential exposure. Some of the times listed are estimates due to limited data in other cases the window period is simply unknown. The third column tells you how long it could take following initial exposure to test positive for an STD.

For example, say you have been potentially exposed to genital herpes. If you look at the second column, it says you should take your first test 2 weeks from the date of exposure. This is the earliest that genital herpes will be detectable in your system. But according to the third column, it could take as long as 4 months, or 16 weeks, for genital herpes to become detectable in your system. In other words, the incubation period for genital herpes could be anywhere from 2 to 16 weeks following exposure.

This means if your results are negative when you get tested two weeks following exposure, you should get retested after 16 weeks. This way, you can confirm that it was not a false negative caused by testing before the STD was detectable.

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Will The Doctor Be Able To Write Me A Chlamydia Prescription

If you test positive for chlamydia, a PlushCare doctor can write you a prescription for antibiotics. Before writing you a prescription for chlamydia pills, the doctor will order a lab test for you. You will need to test positive for chlamydia before beginning treatment to rule out other conditions. A physician at PlushCare can help provide STD treatment online and help develop a treatment plan for you.

How Can I Get Tested

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To get tested, you can:

  • Ask your doctor to test you.
  • Go to a local clinic or community health center.
  • Go to National HIV and STD Testing Resources to find a testing center near you.
  • Buy a test at a pharmacy and do the test at home.

Many testing centers will do an HIV test for free. Ask if there is a fee before you go for testing. In most states you do not need a parents permission to get tested for HIV. And you can buy the test at the pharmacy without a parent.

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How Soon Can You Get Tested

Like an infections incubation period, the window in which you can get tested for an STD or STI will vary depending on the type of infection youre testing for.

Using the same examples as above, here are some examples of varying STD testing windows:

  • Chlamydia and gonorrhea: Using nucleic acid amplification tests , the general testing window for both chlamydia and gonorrhea ranges between 5 days and 2 weeks. If youve had a known exposure, get tested as soon as possible. If you test within five days of possible exposure and receive a negative result, plan on retesting within one week.
  • HIV: Depending on the type of diagnostic test being used, the testing window can range from 10-90 days.
  • Syphilis: Most tests can detect syphilis within one month after exposure.

What Is Being Tested

Chlamydia is one of the most common bacterial sexually transmitted diseases in the United States and can cause serious complications if not treated. Chlamydia testing identifies the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis as the cause of your infection.

The preferred method for chlamydia testing is the nucleic acid amplification test that detects the genetic material of Chlamydia trachomatis. It is generally more sensitive and specific than other chlamydia tests and can be performed on a vaginal swab on women or urine from both men and women, which eliminates the need for a pelvic exam in women.

Screening for, diagnosing, and treating chlamydia is very important in preventing long-term complications and spread of the infection to others. Chlamydia infections are especially common among people 15 to 24 years of age. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 2.86 million Americans are infected with chlamydia each year and notes that women are frequently re-infected if their partners donât get treatment. The actual number of cases may be higher since many people do not experience any symptoms and do not get tested and diagnosed. Still, over one million new cases are reported each year.

Chlamydia is generally spread through sexual contact with an infected partner. Risk factors include having multiple sex partners, infection with another STD at the same time or previous STD infection, and not using a condom correctly and consistently.

  • Long-term pelvic pain
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    How Will I Get My Results

    Your doctor will call you with the results of your test. Be sure you give your doctor your preferred phone number where you can have privacy, such as a mobile phone number. If you dont want them to leave you a voicemail, be sure you tell them before you leave your appointment.

    A urine test is much faster to analyze. Your doctor should be able to tell you the results on the same day as your appointment. The downside is that urine tests may not be as accurate as traditional swab testing.

    However, urine testing may be more suitable for people assigned male at birth. Its also used for more advanced signs of chlamydia, as your body will have a greater number of bacteria to detect at this stage.

    Do Blood Tests Show Stds

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    Sexually Transmitted Disease TestMost STDs can be detected using a blood test. This test will often be combined with urine samples and swabs for a more accurate outcome. This test is important for those who have more than one sexual partner to ensure that you are not passing along harmful STDs to others.

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    The Incubation Period Has A Role To Play

    Every STIs has an incubation period chlamydia is noexception. This period is a span of time from the moment you are exposed to theinfection to the moment the antibodies start to form.

    Chlamydia tests search for these antibodies, and ifyou dont wait for the incubation to end, there wont be enough antibodies thatwill show up on tests. This will, in turn, result in a false-negative chlamydiatest.

    But, even if you do wait for the incubation to end,you still might not experience symptoms or signs of chlamydia. This is anextremely common problem with STIs, which is why most of them remain undetectedfor a long time.

    To be 100% sure, you are chlamydia-free, you shouldget tested, there is no other way to know if you do carry the infection or not.If you do test positive, you need to repeat the same test 2 weeks after yourtreatment has ended.

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    Who Should Get Tested For Chlamydia

    We recommend getting tested for chlamydia if you:

    • Have had sex with an infected partner
    • Have new or multiple sex partners
    • Show chlamydia symptoms
    • Want to check your status
    • Are entering a new relationship

    How Often Should You Get Tested?

    If you believe you may have been exposed to chlamydia, you should get tested for chlamydia asap. Because certain people are at higher risk of getting chlamydia, the CDC recommends at least yearly testing for the following groups:

    • Sexually active women under 25
    • Women with risk factors like new or multiple sex partners
    • Men who have sex with men

    Pregnant women should test for chlamydia during their first prenatal visit and again during the third trimester if they are under 25 or have risk factors.1

    Getting tested regularly for chlamydia and other common sexually transmitted diseases is important. Untreated chlamydia infection can cause serious health complications like:

    • Increased risk of contracting other sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, if exposed

    What Should You Do If You Test Positive?

    We understand how stressful testing positive can be. The good news is that chlamydia is curable and, if caught early, it wont cause lasting health problems. You should also discuss your status with your sexual partner so they can get tested and treated.

    Read more about our doctor consultation.

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    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 Is Chlamydia Treated

    Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea Urine Test Profile

    Chlamydia can be easily cured with prescription antibiotics. If you are positive, you need to notify your sexual partners so they can get tested and treated. Not getting treated can cause serious health problems, and you may be at high risk for re-infection if infected sex partners arent treated. There are a few different chlamydia pills for treatment options.

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    Im Pregnant How Does Chlamydia Affect My Baby

    If you are pregnant and have chlamydia, you can give the infection to your baby during delivery. This can cause an eye infection or pneumonia in your baby. Having chlamydia may also make it more likely to deliver your baby early.

    If you are pregnant, you should receive testing for chlamydia at your first prenatal visit. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting the correct examination, testing, and treatment. Testing and treatment are the best ways to prevent health problems.

    Why Test For Chlamydia

    Chlamydia is the most commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted infection in the UK. It affects both men and women.

    It often has no symptoms, so you might not know you have it. The only way to find out is to take a test.

    Even if you dont think youve been at risk and you dont have any symptoms, taking a chlamydia test is still a good idea its a simple way to find out how easy it is to get tested.

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    How Does Chlamydia Treatment Work

    Chlamydia treatment works by stopping the bacteria that causes chlamydia from producing an important protein which it needs to multiply. This stops the bacteria from growing and replicating, so your symptoms should improve as your body is cleared of chlamydia.

    The first line treatment for chlamydia in the UK is doxycycline. The usual dose is one tablet to be taken twice daily for 7 days. You can swallow doxycycline tablets whole with water and take them with or without food. You should sit up for about 30 minutes after each dose to prevent symptoms of throat irritation or stomach upset.

    Do You Get Blood Test Results Back Straight Away

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    The results are sent back to the hospital or to your GP Some test results will be ready the same day or a few days later, although others may not be available for a few weeks Youll be told when your results will be ready and how youll be given them Sometimes, receiving results can be stressful and upsetting.

    What are the different types of blood tests?Complete blood count Basic metabolic panel Blood enzyme tests Blood tests to check for heart disease Blood clotting tests, also known as a coagulation panel.

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    Should I Get Tested Even If I Used A Condom

    If you have ever had unprotected sex, or had something go wrong during sex like a burst condom, then you should get tested. You might not have any symptoms, but even if it was a while ago you should still get checked out.

    Can you get an STD from kissing?

    Although kissing is considered to be low-risk when compared to intercourse and oral sex, its possible for kissing to transmit CMV, herpes, and syphilis. CMV can be present in saliva, and herpes and syphilis can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, particularly at times when sores are present.

    Can you catch chlamydia with condom?

    How You Prevent It

    Remember to always practice safer sex and use condoms. This will lower the risk of getting chlamydia or other STIs.

    If you find out that you have chlamydia, your partner need to be told that they could have an infection – even if there aren’t any symptoms. If you have concerns about telling your partner, contact a public health nurse.

    The public health nurse can suggest ways to handle the situation or they will contact your partner for you. Of course, your name will be kept confidential.

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    Letting Your Partner Know You Have An Sti

    If youve been diagnosed with an STI, looking after your health and the health of your sexual partners are two things needed on your to-do list. That means letting them know they may have contracted an STI, so they can get tested and receive treatment. This is known as contact tracing or partner notification.

    While it might seem a little awkward to tell a partner you have an STI, its the right thing to do. It can help prevent you from getting re-infected with the same STI, informs any previous partners youve had sex with so they can get tested and will help stop the rise of STIs.

    Remember, partner notification is not about blaming its about helping people. Most people want to know they are at risk of an STI, so its in both your interests to share what you know. Although it can be stressful to deliver this news, most people will appreciate being told it shows that you care about their wellbeing.

    Who do I need to tell?

    The first thing you need to do is consider which partners past and present should be notified. Speak to your GP or healthcare professional to see how far back in time you should go. It can also depend on what STI youve been diagnosed with.

    As a guide consider these timeframes for the following STIs:

    • chlamydiaup to 6 months
    • gonorrhoeaup to 2 months
    • syphilisup to 12 months
    • HIV3 months before your last negative test

    How do I tell them?

  • Be considerate of privacy – if phoning them, ask if its a good time to talk before giving them the news.
  • How To Get Treated For Chlamydia Online

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    As mentioned above, chlamydia is easy to treat and curable. You should take whatever antibiotic your doctor prescribes and follow their instructions until your infection clears up, which typically takes up to 2 weeks. Do not have sex during the treatment time.

    While going to a doctor for an STI can be intimidating and embarrassing, you can get treatment online. It often circumvents the embarrassment and makes it more like ordering from UberEats. Hereâs how you can get treatment for chlamydia online:

  • Find an online doctor: Itâs crucial that you find a reputable doctor online. Ensure the doctor and practice are legit by verifying credentials and checking online reviews.
  • Schedule an appointment: Once you find a doctor, schedule an appointment and speak with them. Your doctor will ask general questions about your health, medical history, and symptoms. They may require testing to administer a chlamydia prescription online, though that is an easy and discrete process because labs are abundant. Generally speaking, you can get same-day treatment for chlamydia.
  • Choose a pharmacy: Choose a pharmacy for your doctor to send your prescription to. Your medication will generally be able to pick up the same day once the pharmacy receives it.
  • Pick up your prescription: The last step to getting treated for chlamydia online is picking up your medication and following the treatment plan outlined by your doctor. You shoudl be back in tip-top shape within two weeks.
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