How Do Doctors Test Males For Chlamydia

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.

Should I Get A Chlamydia Test

It can be a good idea to screen for chlamydia and other STIs if youâre considering having sexual intercourse with a new partner. If you believe you have been exposed to chlamydia or are experiencing symptoms , consider screening for infection by visiting a local clinicâ âor take a chlamydia test at home.

Also, according to the CDC, if you’re a sexually active woman younger than 25, you should test for chlamydia and gonorrhea at least once a year . You should also get tested yearly if you’re 25 or older and have risk factors like new or multiple sex partners. The CDC also recommends annual gonorrhea and chlamydia testing for gay and bisexual men.

How Do I Know If I Have Chlamydia

You cant tell if you have chlamydia just by the way you feel. The only way to know for sure if you have chlamydia is to get tested whether or not you have symptoms.

If youre showing any signs of chlamydia, you should get tested. Testing is also a good idea if youve had unprotected sex or if a partner has chlamydia . In general, people who are sexually active should get tested for STDs, including chlamydia, about once a year. If youre pregnant, get tested for chlamydia at your first prenatal visit. Want to know if you should be tested for chlamydia? Check out this quiz to find out.

Chlamydia testing is pretty easy and painless. The best part about getting tested for STDs? Once you get it over with, it can really put your mind at ease. And if you DO have chlamydia, its best to know right away so you can take medicine and get better as soon as possible.

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Std Testing: How Do Doctors Test Women For Stds

Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding STDs means that too many people dont get prompt testing and the appropriate treatment. In fact, sometimes it even discourages people from getting tested at all.

STD testing is something that youll need to speak to your doctor about. Read on to learn more about it, including when you should go, what tests are available, and how the tests work.

If youre sexually active, its good to get STD testing on a regular basis. Its particularly important to talk to your doctor about STD testing if:

• You are beginning a new relationship
• You and your partner are considering having sex without condoms
• Your partner has multiple sexual partners or has cheated on you
• You are having sex with multiple partners
• You are experiencing symptoms and signs that suggest you may have a sexually transmitted infection

If youre in a mutually monogamous, long-term relationship and both you and your partner were tested for STDs before entering the relationship, then you may not require regular STD testing.

But the reality is that most people dont get STD testing before they enter relationships, long term or otherwise. If you fall into this group, its a good idea to consider STD testing to rule out the possibility that youre carrying an undiagnosed STD that isnt producing symptoms.

Below weve compiled guidelines for some of the most common STD tests:

How Does Lab Test Work

Lab test is a process of finding which things irritate your body or which things we have to give for bettering our self. Like in this case for this infection, this is a sexual transmission infection so for check it we have to do test the sample of our body and check it where of this is going,

So for men we take urine for testing and for woman we take swab for testing,

• They check all the things of your body.
• They do many hidden test for related your body.
• If significant things available then its marked in report of your body.
• Gives solution and suggestion related to your body.

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What To Think About

• If a chlamydia infection is suspected, do not have sexual intercourse until the test results have come back. If you have a chlamydia infection, do not have sexual intercourse for 7 days after the start of treatment. Your sex partner should also be treated for a chlamydia infection so that you don’t get reinfected and so that others don’t get infected.
• Only one laboratory test is needed to diagnose chlamydia. Your doctor can choose which test to use.
• Screening for and treating chlamydia can help prevent pelvic inflammatory disease . To learn more about the treatment of a chlamydia infection, see the topic Chlamydia.
• Other sexually transmitted infections may be present at the same time as chlamydia. So it is important to be tested and treated for all STIs. Chlamydia as well as other STIs can also increase the chance of getting human immunodeficiency virus . An HIV test may be offered at the same time as a test for chlamydia or other STIs.

Which Std Tests Should I Get

If you are sexually active, getting tested for STDs is one of the most important things you can do to protect your health. Make sure you have an open and honest conversation about your sexual history and STD testing with your doctor and ask whether you should be tested for STDs. If you are not comfortable talking with your regular health care provider about STDs, there are many clinics that provide confidential and free or low-cost testing.

Below is a brief overview of STD testing recommendations. STD screening information for healthcare providers can be found here.

You can quickly find a place to be tested for STDs by entering your zip code in the form below.

Find an STD testing site near you.

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Get The Facts About Men And Stds

At any given time there are about 50 million men living with an STD in the United States, many of who are unaware of their condition due to the absence of signs and symptoms. This makes the STD testing process particularly tricky for men, as they often do not know they are infected and need to be treated. If a male does show signs and symptoms of an STD, then the type of test needed to cure the STD is dependent on the type of infection being tested for. The main three testing methods are urine sample, body fluid sample, and/or blood sample. The turn around time for results depends on the infection being tested for.

Some of the most severe STDs do not show any signs or symptoms, yet put a person at risk of severe illness and spreading their infection. Whether you are experiencing symptoms or not, if you are a sexually active male with multiple sex partners or if you are unsure about your sexual health, it is always a good idea to get routine STD screenings every 3 to 6 months.

What Are The Prominent Chlamydia Symptoms In Men

Actually, no one can easily ensure that his body has some trouble due to the silent infection because its symptoms are rarely reflected. But once if they start occurring then they can be easily noticed even within few weeks. Medical doctors say that symptoms of Chlamydia in men can be random and infrequent so most of the time patients are not able to know if they are in contact with the infection.

Some of the most common signs of Chlamydia in men include:

• Very small cloudy or clear Chlamydia discharge in men from penis tip.
• It can cause painful urination.
• Leads to itching and burning sensation around penis openings.
• Swelling and pain in the area surrounding testicles.

Major symptoms of Chlamydia are observed for genitals but in few cases it can affect rectum, eyes and throat. Note that, the actual effect varies with type of transmission. Few uncommon symptoms of chlamydia in men can include:

• Throat infections.
• Rectal bleeding, discharge or pain.

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How Is Chlamydia Treated

Your healthcare practitioner will prescribe antibiotics to treat chlamydia. Antibiotics can cure your infection, but damage from the infection may sometimes be permanent. If symptoms do not resolve after a few days, consult your healthcare provider. You should refrain from having sex until you have completed your treatment and should be re-tested three months after treatment.

Questions For Your Doctor About Test Results

It can be helpful to bring questions to your doctor to learn more about your chlamydia test results. Helpful questions may include:

• What is my chlamydia test result?
• Did my test check for any other STDs?
• Do I need any treatment based on my results?
• How can I talk to my sexual partners about chlamydia?
• When should I be tested for STDs and how often?

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What Are The Signs Of Chlamydia Or Gonorrhea

Many people who have chlamydia or gonorrhea dont have any signs or symptoms. When there are symptoms, chlamydia and gonorrhea cause very similar things.

Women with symptoms may have:

• Abnormal discharge from the vagina
• Burning when they urinate
• Bleeding between periods

Men with symptoms may have:

• Abnormal discharge from the penis
• Burning when they urinate
• Painful or swollen testicles

Why It Is Done

A test for chlamydia is done to:

• See whether symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection are caused by a chlamydia infection.
• Check people who are at high risk for being infected with chlamydia. A chlamydia infection does not always cause symptoms. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends checking for chlamydia for:
• All sexually active women age 25 or younger.
• Women and men with high-risk sexual behaviours.
• All pregnant women in the first trimester and again in the third trimester if high-risk sexual behaviours are reported. Treating a pregnant woman who has a chlamydia infection can prevent an infection in her newborn.

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If You Have Further Questions Contact Your Ob

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FAQ071

Copyright 2021 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. All rights reserved. Read copyright and permissions information.

This information is designed as an educational aid for the public. It offers current information and opinions related to women’s health. It is not intended as a statement of the standard of care. It does not explain all of the proper treatments or methods of care. It is not a substitute for the advice of a physician. Read ACOGs complete disclaimer.

Frequently Asked Questionsexpand All

• What is a sexually transmitted infection ?

  A sexually transmitted infection is an infection spread by sexual contact. There are many STIs. This FAQ focuses on chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. These STIs can cause long-term health problems and problems during pregnancy. Having an STI also increases the risk of getting human immunodeficiency virus if you are exposed to it.

• What is chlamydia?

  Chlamydia is the most commonly reported STI in the United States. Chlamydia is caused by a type of bacteria, which can be passed from person to person during vaginal sex, oral sex, or anal sex. Infections can occur in the mouth, reproductive organs, urethra, and rectum. In women, the most common place for infection is the cervix .

• What are the risk factors for chlamydia?

  The following factors increase the risk of getting chlamydia:

• Having a new sex partner

• Having more than one sex partner

• Having a sex partner who has more than one sex partner

• Having sex with someone who has an STI

• Having an STI now or in the past

• Not using condoms consistently when not in a mutually monogamous relationship

• Exchanging sex for money or drugs

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How Chlamydia Is Diagnosed

There are a number of different, reliable tests for chlamydia. In addition to tests that a healthcare provider would use in a medical office or clinic, there are now some good test kits you can use at home. The tests rely on several different methods.

Some older tests involve obtaining some of the chlamydia bacteria and growing them in a culture. Today, healthcare providers prefer newer DNA tests, often called NAATs .

Some tests that work for both men and women use a urine sample. Others use secretions from the genitals or other infected areas of the body, such as the rectum. While the CDC recommends testing of genital secretions, screening a urine sample is less invasive and more practical for many primary-care physician offices.

Women under age 25 ought to be tested every year for chlamydia whether or not they have any symptoms. In women, tests often involve the insertion of a cotton swab into the vagina to obtain secretions.

Vaginal swab is the preferred method, says Dombrowski. You dont have to have a whole pelvic exam.

If you are pregnant, you should be screened for chlamydia during your first prenatal visit. If you are pregnant and younger than 25, or if you are pregnant and have a new sex partner or multiple partners, you should also be screened again in your third trimester. Its important to catch and treat chlamydia in a pregnant woman to prevent transmission to the baby. In newborns, the illness can cause serious harm or death.

The First Step Towards Getting Tested

Speak up! Many men may assume that a simple visit to your doctor for a physical exam is enough to detect an STD it is not. Doctors do not automatically test for STDs unless the patient makes it known that they are unsure about their sexual health.

Talk to your doctor about your concerns and tell him or her that you would like to be tested. You will be asked a series of routine questions to determine which STD test is right for you always answers these questions honestly. This is not the time to hold anything back. If you are experiencing symptoms, say what they are and how they feel. The more open and honest you are about your sexual history and symptoms, the better chance you have of getting the correct testing and your health under control.

If you would rather not have this conversation with your doctor, you can order an STD testing panel online. Once youve ordered the tests, you only need to make a quick trip to a local STD testing center. You dont need to make an appointment and you can be in and out quickly and get your results back in only a few days.

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Chlamydia Cdc Fact Sheet

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease that can be easily cured. If left untreated, chlamydia can make it difficult for a woman to get pregnant.

Basic Fact Sheet | Detailed Version

Basic fact sheets are presented in plain language for individuals with general questions about sexually transmitted diseases. The content here can be syndicated .

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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Types Of Sti Tests And Exams That May Be Done:

Pelvic Exam: There are two parts to a pelvic exam.

• Speculum exam. A speculum is placed into the vagina and gently opened. Swabs are taken from the vagina or cervix and sent to the lab for STI testing.
• Bimanual exam. This is done to check your uterus , fallopian tubes, and ovaries. The health care provider will place two gloved, lubricated fingers into your vagina, and will gently press on your lower belly with the other hand. You may feel pressure, but it shouldn’t be painful.

Urine tests: You will be asked to pass urine into a cup. The tests are most accurate if you have not passed urine for 1-2 hours before giving the urine sample.

Swab tests: Swab tests are done with a sterile q-tip that is sent to the lab for testing. Swabs may be taken from the vagina, cervix, penis, throat, anus, or skin.

Blood tests: Both syphilis and HIV testing are done on blood samples. HIV testing is done in two ways.

Where Can I Get Tested And Treated For Chlamydia

You can be tested and treated for chlamydia at most places that provide healthcare, including private doctors offices, hospital clinics, STI clinics, family planning health centers, and health departments. If you are less than 25 years old and have ever had sexual intercourse, talk to your health care provider about getting tested for chlamydia at least once a year and more often if you have any new sexual contacts , or you have had chlamydia or other STIs before.

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