How Long Can You Have Chlamydia Without Knowing Years Or Months
How long can you have chlamydia without knowing is a common question after an unprotected sexual contact.
What is chlamydia infection?
Chlamydia infection, caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, is a common sexually transmitted infection that affects both men and women. In the united stated, more than 1.4 million new cases of chlamydia are detected yearly.
Chlamydia can affect the eyes , the joints, the vagina, anus and the penis. It may sometimes cause infertility if left untreated in men and women.
In women, chlamydia infection can ascend up the genital tracts resulting to pelvic inflammatory disease with symptoms like fever, abdomen pain and difficulty conceiving.
Chlamydia trachomatis infection is transmitted through
- Unprotected anal intercourse
If youve had intercourse with these symptoms, then its likely you have chlamydia. You should inform your doctor ASAP or get a chlamydia test kit to detect chlamydia.
Dont Miss: Cpt Code For Chlamydia Urine Test
How Much Does The Test Cost
The cost of chlamydia testing varies based on many factors. Chlamydia testing may be paid for by health insurance when ordered by a doctor. Because health plans vary, its important for patients to discuss the cost of testing, including any copays or deductibles, with their health plan.
For patients without health insurance coverage, the cost of testing may include the cost of the office visit and sample collection as well as technician fees. Testing may also be available for free or at low cost through community-based organizations and local health departments.
How Do You Test For Male Chlamydia
Early testing and treatment of chlamydia is key. If you’ve recently had unprotected sex with a new partner, with someone you suspect may be infected or if you just haven’t been tested for STIs in a while, you should get tested. You can do this at your local GP or GUM clinic, .
Alternatively, you can order a chlamydia test kit from us and take your test at home and further chlamydia treatment if required. Because chlamydia is highly prevalent among 16 to 25 year-olds, chlamydia tests are now offered at most youth clubs and universities too.
You’ll need to provide a urine sample you may need to refrain from passing urine for about two hours leading up to the test to get an accurate result. If you’ve been engaging in oral or anal sex, you should also get a swab test of your rectum or throat.
If you don’t have much time or would prefer a home test, you can order a chlamydia test kit from us and have it delivered to your UK address within 48 hours. Your sample will be sent to a lab for analysis and youll be contacted with the result within a few days.
Recommended Reading: Can You Cure Chlamydia And Gonorrhea
Symptoms Of Chlamydia In Women:
- Vaginal discharge has increased.
- When urinating, you may experience pain or a burning sensation .
- During intercourse, there is discomfort, and/or there is bleeding after sex.
- Lower stomach aches, especially when having sex.
- Bleeding in between periods and/or larger periods is both possible.
Chlamydia infection can also affect your anus, eyes, and throat. This can cause pain, discharge, or bleeding in the anus, as well as inflammation of the eye in both men and women . In most cases, chlamydia in the throat causes no symptoms.
How Long Does It Take For A Male To Show Signs Of Chlamydia
Symptoms in the penis Symptoms of chlamydia may affect the penis within 13 weeks of the person coming into contact with the infection. In some cases, though, these symptoms can take months to appear. Symptoms of chlamydia in the penis may include: white, cloudy, or watery discharge from the tip of the penis.
Also Check: Can Probiotics Help With Chlamydia
When Should I Get Tested
Don’t delay getting tested if you think you might have chlamydia. Being diagnosed and treated as soon as possible will reduce your risk of developing any serious complications of chlamydia.
You can get a chlamydia test at any time although you might be advised to repeat the test later on if you have it less than 2 weeks since you had sex because the infection might not always be found in the early stages.
You should consider getting tested for chlamydia if:
- you think you could have a sexually transmitted infection
- a sexual partner tells you they have an STI
- you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy
- you’re offered a chlamydia test as part of the NCSP
If you live in England, you’re a woman under 25 and sexually active, it’s recommended that you have a chlamydia test once a year, and when you have sex with new or casual partners.
If you live in England, you’re a man under 25 and sexually active, it’s recommended that you have a chlamydia test once a year if you are not using condoms with new or casual partners.
If you have chlamydia, you may be offered another test 3 to 6 months after being treated. This is because young adults who test positive for chlamydia are at increased risk of catching it again.
Self Checks And At Home Tests
If you think you may have chlamydia, you may want to go over a symptom checklist. Common signs and symptoms of chlamydia may include discharge from the penis or vagina, a burning feeling while you pee, and/or pain in the rectum and/or testicles.
Because many individuals don’t show any symptoms, ordering an at home STI test may be a good first step. You may want to do so if you are nervous to speak with your healthcare provider about your sexual history, the medical office is far, or if it is difficult to get an appointment.
Research done by individuals from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that:
- More people are likely to get tested using at home tests
- The majority of people prefer to take an STI test at home rather than at a medical office
- The majority of healthcare providers surveyed would be willing to use these at home tests in their office as an STI screening tool, which suggests their comparable accuracy to the traditional tests done in medical offices
Another study supports this accuracy claim when vaginal swabs are self collected from assigned females and urine samples are self collected from assigned males.
Keep in mind that these tests are not FDA approved. However, there are companies that have partnered with clinical laboratory improvement amendments, or CLIA certified labs, which meet federal regulations for diagnostic testing. Others also partner with CAP, or college of American Pathologists, certified labs.
Don’t Miss: Is Trich The Same As Chlamydia
How Do You Treat Chlamydia In Men
If you test positive, the chlamydia treatment youll be prescribed is an antibiotic called doxycycline, or an alternative one if youre allergic to this. Its very important that you contact all previous partners and make them aware that they, too, may have contracted chlamydia. If youve been diagnosed with chlamydia, you can order your treatment online from our discreet service and have it delivered.
When Should I Test Again For Chlamydia
Getting retested about three months after treatment for chlamydia is recommended for both assigned males and assigned females. This should be done even if your partner was also treated.
Reinfection is possible, and most cases that are found after treatment are because of this possibility, rather than the failure of the treatment itself.
Pregnant individuals should be retested three weeks after treatment is completed. Pregnant individuals at high risk should also get tested again in the third trimester.
You May Like: Can You Have Chlamydia For Years
During And After The Test
When you have a urine STI test, it is usually during a regular appointment. You will be asked to pee into a sample collection cup or tube. That tube or cup will be given to one of the medical staff.
Your urine sample will then be sent out to a lab or tested at the clinic. You can leave as soon as you are done giving the sample or when your appointment is finished.
This Test Will Tell You Whether Or Not Your Reproductive Or Urinary System Has Been Infected With Chlamydia Or Gonorrhea
Like any Everlywell STI test, our at-home Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Test is delivered in discreet packaging and taken in the privacy of your own home. Once you return your test sample to our lab and your sample is processed, youâll be notified via email when your results are ready. You will then be able to access your results through an easy-to-understand report on our secure online platform.
Also Check: Early Stages Of Chlamydia Male
Chlamydia Can Be Treated And Cured With Antibiotics
Individuals diagnosed with chlamydia should abstain from sexual activity for one week after finishing antibiotics. Keep in mind that it is possible to become reinfected with chlamydia after receiving treatment. This is why it is crucial for partners of those who have chlamydia to also get tested and treated if found positive. Chlamydia often occurs along with gonorrhea . If you have one of these STDs, you might have the other because the risk factors and symptoms are very similar. Getting tested for both is important.
Whether or not symptoms are present, testing or screening for chlamydia can be done as early as 24 hours after exposure. The incubation times vary from person-to-person for the most accurate results, get tested two weeks after initial exposure. If you test positive for chlamydia, it is advised to get retested two weeks after completing treatment to be sure that all of the Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria is cleared from your system.
How Chlamydia Tests Are Carried
The experts will ask you for urine sample and in order to generate best results it is essential to refrain passing urine for at least two hours before taking the test sample. In case you were engaged in anal sex and are now experiences few symptoms of Chlamydia then it is important to visit GP and follow procedures for swab of your throat or rectrum.
These samples will be processed in laboratories and you will get final results within few days. But in case if you cannot wait so long then it is good to order a home Chlamydia testing kit and get it delivered within 48 hours.
Recommended Reading: Why Do I Still Have Chlamydia After Treatment
How Chlamydia Diagnosis Process Is Carried On In Men
Early treatment of Chlamydia is essential to have a healthy life ahead. In case if you had unprotected sex with your recent partner then you must get tested for STIs as soon as possible. This test can be carried out at any local GUM clinic or GP. With improved facilities of digital world, patients can also order Chlamydia test kits to their home from online sources.
Once this test is carried out then depending upon its results further treatment will be carried out. Note that, Chlamydia disease is very common between age groups of 16 to 25 so most of the clinics these days are offering free tests to identify this disease on time. In case if you had oral or anal sex with your new partner who is suspected to be infected then it is good to undergo an oral swab test pr rectal swab test.
How Is Chlamydia Tested
Your doctor may recommend that you undergo a series of tests to determine whether you have a Chlamydia infection. The most successful method is to take a sample from infected regions such as the cervix, urethra, and eye with a cotton swab. In most cases, Chlamydia infection occurs in the cervix, throat, or rectum of women, while it occurs in the urethra, throat, or rectum of men.
The sample is delivered to a laboratory for analysis. The presence of Chlamydia trachomatis can also be determined using a urine sample. The samples can also be collected at home using special home kits, which are available at select labs around the country.
Don’t Miss: Can Chlamydia Cause Hair Loss
How Do They Test For Chlamydia In Individuals With A Vagina
For an endocervical swab, your healthcare provider will insert a speculum, a device that helps keep your vaginal walls open, to view your cervix, or the lower end of the uterus. They will use a thin swab to retrieve a sample from your cervix, which will then be sent to a lab.
Less commonly, a vaginal swab may be done, which requires inserting a swab into the vagina and gently rotating it to collect a sample.
If you aren’t comfortable getting an endocervical or vaginal swab, you can request a urine test. Keep in mind that urine samples tend not to detect chlamydia as accurately as vaginal and endocervical swabs.
Symptoms Of Chlamydial Urethritis In Men
Men with chlamydial urethritis may not show symptoms at all, or they may only start to show symptoms several weeks after exposure to the bacteria. Symptoms of chlamydia and the related inflammation of the urethra usually occur between one and three weeks after exposure to the bacteria.
The signs of infection include:
- painful, swollen testicles
The urethra becomes inflamed during infection, making urinating more difficult. Discomfort in the penis is generally limited to the tip, where the urethra ends.
Symptoms of chlamydial urethritis in men can mimic the symptoms of gonorrhea. Gonorrhea and chlamydia infections often occur at the same time, and anyone infected may require treatment for both STDs.
You May Like: Can I Give My Partner Head If I Have Chlamydia
Recommended Reading: Can You Catch Chlamydia Using A Condom
Should My Partners Be Tested For Chlamydia
If you receive a chlamydia diagnosis, your partners need to be tested, too. Since this bacterial infection is highly contagious, it spreads easily through sexual contact.
You and your partners may need regular testing until the infection fully disappears. In the meantime, its a good idea to use barrier methods during sexual contact, such as using condoms.
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.
Read Also: What Are The Symptoms Of Chlamydia In The Throat
How Does Chlamydia Spread
Chlamydia is spread when a person has unprotected sex with an infected person.
Because chlamydial infection often has no symptoms, many people do not realise they have the infection.
Even if you know a person well, you may not be able to tell they have an STI, because people can look healthy and still have chlamydia.
Remember, you can get chlamydia and other STIs from a new sexual partner who has in the past had sex with someone who is infected.
It can also be spread from a long-term partner who has had sex with other people.
Dont Miss: How To Tell If You Have Chlamydia Or Gonorrhea
How To Help Partners Get Treatment
If you are not sure whether your sexual partner will seek treatment, ask your doctor for extra chlamydia medication . You can give it to them so they can be treated as soon as possible.
This is known as patient delivered partner therapy for chlamydia. Talk to your doctor to see if PDPT is right for you and your sexual partner.
Read Also: How Can Chlamydia Be Cured
Limits Of Urine Tests For Gonorrhea And Chlamydia
In 2018, 1.8 million cases of chlamydia were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in addition to 583,405 cases of gonorrhea. These numbers show an increase of 19% for chlamydia and 63% for gonorrhea since 2014.
Most infections with gonorrhea and chlamydia are asymptomatic. The fact that many people have no symptoms means that the only way to detect and treat these infections is through screening.
In men, these diseases usually infect the urethra, and in women the cervix. However, it is possible to get both of these diseases in the throat, from oral sex. Anal sex can also lead to rectal chlamydia and rectal gonorrhea infections.
Neither rectal nor oral/throat infections will be detected by urine testing. It is therefore important to let your healthcare provider know if you have unprotected oral or anal sex. Testing should be done separately for those sites.
Currently, it is recommended that men who have sex with men undergo urine, throat, and anal screening once a year. Other people who regularly have unprotected oral or anal sex should consider a similar screening regimen. People who only engage in vaginal intercourse can get by with urine testing alone for gonorrhea and chlamydia.
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.
You May Like: What Medicine Is Taken For Chlamydia
When Should I Get Chlamydia Testing
As most people infected with chlamydia do not experience symptoms, doctors rely on screening to detect most cases of chlamydia. Screening guidelines vary based on many factors, including a persons anatomy, health, and sexual practices. Regular screening for chlamydia is recommended for several groups:
Certain factors increase the risk of contracting chlamydia and may affect how often a person should be screened. Risk factors include having:
- Sex with a new partner
- More than one sexual partner or a partner who has sex with mutiple people
- A sex partner diagnosed with an STD
Testing for chlamydia is more frequently conducted in asymptomatic people in settings where infection rates are high, which often includes correctional facilities, adolescent health clinics, the military, and sexual health clinics.
Diagnostic chlamydia testing is recommended for anyone with signs or symptoms of this infection. When symptoms do occur, they may not appear until a few weeks after exposure. Signs and symptoms of chlamydia can vary based on the site of infection but may include:
- Burning during urination
- Abnormal discharge from the vagina, penis, or rectum
- Vaginal bleeding after sex or pain during intercourse
- Pain, tenderness, or swelling in the testicles or scrotum
- Rectal pain