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How Do You Test For Chlamydia In Men

What To Keep In Mind

How to use chlamydia rapid test kit / STDrapidtestkits.com

A chlamydia test is one of the important procedures and every sexually active person, especially those who have multiple partners should have themselves tested. Chlamydia can lead to serious health problems if left untreated.

There are various types of sexually transmitted disease and chlamydia is one of the most common not only in the United States but in other parts of the world. Through chlamydia testing, chlamydia trachomatis a bacterium responsible for causing chlamydia can be identified.

If you test positive for chlamydia, it is not only important to begin the course of treatment but it is also important to take measures to prevent the spread of infection to other people. Avoid having a sexual contact until such time that you clear from the infection. Chlamydia can be spread through oral, vaginal, and anal sex. If you are going to make love with your partner, make sure you wear a condom so as not to spread the infection to your partner.

Be very vigilant with the signs and symptoms of chlamydia. Take extra measures to prevent contracting the infection. Unfortunately, not all people who have chlamydia exhibits the signs and symptoms. Some people confused chlamydia with other types of sexually transmitted diseases.

Which is why it is important to have yourself tested, especially if you are sexually active and has multiple partners. Being tested as soon as possible can help detect the presence of infection.

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 don’t 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
  • Infertility
  • It Is Easy To Get Tested For Chlamydia

    Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection that can affect both men and women. While both genders can be affected, the specific effects and method of diagnosis for the bacterial infection differs between male patients and female patients. We looked at the methods used to assist in the diagnosis of chlamydia among men in this post, as well as some particular factors that are unique to a male patient with this condition.

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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.

    What Increases Your Risk

    China Rapid Free Chlamydia Test Kit

    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 Child Abuse and Neglect.

    Also Check: How Long For Chlamydia Results

    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 Chlamydia Be Prevented

    The most reliable ways to avoid infection with chlamydia or any sexually transmitted disease are to abstain from oral, vaginal, and anal sex or to be in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner. People who are sexually active should correctly and consistently use condoms to reduce the risk of infection with chlamydia and other STDs.

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    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.

    How To Test For Chlamydia: Chlamydia Culture

    how to do chlamydia testing at home

    Chlamydia culture is another test used to diagnose for Chlamydia. It is a reliable laboratory test and the Chlamydia test results in this case might be available in up to a week. It is also more expensive than the others. This test is the most uncomfortable and painful as well. In men it consists of taking a swab of cells from the urethra through the opening at the tip of the penis. This is the main reason why most men prefer the urine sample tests even though they are less accurate.

    Based on the Chlamydia test results, the doctor will decide a treatment plan for the both partners. The best thing about this infection is that it can be easily treated with antibiotics. Unless one gets re-infected it does not tend to cause more problems.

    To conclude, a Chlamydia test for men should be ordered as soon as the symptoms have appeared in order to avoid the development of potential complications such as infertility.

    Recommended Reading: How Can A Female Get Chlamydia

    What Happens During A Gonorrhea Test

    If you are a woman, a sample may be taken from your cervix. For this procedure, you will lie on your back on an exam table, with your knees bent. You will rest your feet in supports called stirrups. Your health care provider will use a plastic or metal instrument called a speculum to open the vagina, so the cervix can be seen. Your provider will then use a soft brush or plastic spatula to collect the sample.

    If you are a man, your provider may take a swab from the opening of your urethra.

    For both men and women, a sample may be taken from a suspected area of infection, such as the mouth or rectum. Urine tests are also used for both men and women.

    Some gonorrhea tests can be done with an at-home STD test kit. If your health care provider recommends at-home testing, be sure to follow all directions carefully.

    Your health care provider may order tests for other STDs when you get a gonorrhea test. These may include tests for chlamydia, syphilis, and/or HIV.

    Why Is Azithromycin Not A Chlamydia Treatment Anymore

    The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV recently released guidelines explaining that Azithromycin is no longer an effective treatment for chlamydia. This is because of increasing levels of bacterial resistance to azithromycin. Instead, the recommended first-line treatment is now only doxycycline.

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    What Is Chlamydia Test

    Chlamydia is a type of sexually transmitted disease. It is bacterial in nature and is highly contagious.

    An infected person can spread the infection through unprotected sexual intercourse . Whats alarming is that some people have it without any symptoms at all. Therefore, someone can unknowingly spread it.

    To find out if you have a Chlamydia, you need to undergo a chlamydia test. It is important to detect the presence of chlamydia infection so as to treat the infection right away.

    Chlamydia can be easily treated with antibiotics but if not treated could lead to serious complications.

    Picture 1: A chlamydia test kit which enables you to check if you have a chlamydia infection right in the comfort of home.

    Image Source: ebayimg.com

    Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease and a urine test or cell sample are needed to check for the presence of bacteria causing chlamydia.

    Im Pregnant How Does Chlamydia Affect My Baby

    Fewer Women Are Getting Tested for ChlamydiaHere

    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.

    Also Check: Can I Get Chlamydia Twice

    Diagnostic Tests For Chlamydia In Male Patients

    The process of diagnosing chlamydia in men works slightly different from how the procedure works in female patients. There are certain laboratory tests that a doctor will need to perform on a male patient to determine if they have been infected with chlamydia. Additionally, the doctor will also need to rule out the presence of other sexually transmitted infections. This is critical due to the fact that some of the other STIs that can affect a man may have similar symptoms as chlamydia.

    The first test performed on men who are suspected of having been infected with the chlamydia bacterial infection is a urine sample test. The doctor will ask the male patient to provide them with a urine sample. The sample will then be sent toward a laboratory.

    A scientist at the laboratory facility will analyze the urine sample that was sent to them. This will help them determine if the organism that causes chlamydia is present in the urine of the patient. This may provide an indication of chlamydia urethritis, which means the urethra of the patient has been infected with the bacterial infection.

    If the patient experiences discharge from the tip of their penis, then a swab might also be conducted. This test is called a urethral discharge culture. A technician or a doctor will be able to perform the swab itself.

    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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    Letting Partners Know You Have Chlamydia

    Sexual partners may be infected too. If you have chlamydia, anyone you have had sex with from the last 6 months needs to be informed, tested and treated.

    If they dont know, they could reinfect you or infect someone else if they are not treated. dont receive treatment.

    Most people will appreciate being told they may have an infection and it is an important step in preventing further infection in the community.

    Your local GP and sexual health centre can help you inform your partners and let them know that they need a test. This process is called partner notification. It can be done anonymously, and your confidentiality is always respected.

    You can also anonymously notify your sexual partners of the need to get tested and treated for chlamydia via the Let Them Know website if you feel unable to speak to them personally.

    There are also nurses who can help you anonymously notify your partners. They can be contacted on .

    How Much Does The Test Cost

    How is Chlamydia Spread? Physical Contact With Infected Secretions

    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.

    Recommended Reading: What Is The Test For Gonorrhea And Chlamydia

    Treatment Of Chlamydial Urethritis

    If youre diagnosed with chlamydial urethritis, you and any of your sexual partners must be treated with antibiotics. Its important for your partners to receive treatment, even if they dont show signs of an infection.

    This helps prevent reinfection. Without proper treatment, sexual partners may continue to pass the bacteria back and forth.

    Several antibiotics can eliminate chlamydial urethritis, including:

    CDC notes that a higher dose of 1 gram of azithromycin taken once may also be an effective treatment.

    Most infections will resolve within a week or two. Its important that you abstain from sexual activity for at least seven days after completing a course of antibiotics to prevent reinfection.

    Its important to seek treatment for STDs as soon as symptoms occur. Untreated infections can spread and lead to more serious health complications in men, including:

    • infection and pain near the testicles
    • infertility or sterility
    • stricture, which is a narrowing of the urethra due to inflammation or infection

    Men often dont show signs of infection right away. Regular screenings for STDs can diagnose STDs even if no symptoms are present. This is especially important when changing partners or if you have multiple partners.

    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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    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 .

    How To Treat Oral And Nose Chlamydia

    How Chlamydia Is Diagnosed

    Testing of the nose and oral chlamydia is usually done by swabbing the affected area. If you have developed some sores around the nose or in the throat region, doctors will swab them to collect samples for an oral chlamydia test. These samples are tested to know about the presence of the virus. The great news is that it is possible to treat this STD with the help of some antibiotics. However, if you are infected, it is important to follow some expert rules for your sexual life until the virus is completely out of your body.

    In case if you keep on ignoring the disease symptoms so long, the chlamydia infection may go from mild to severe condition, and it may cause a huge impact on your life. With time it starts causing more damage to the body, and it may be irreversible as well. Hence, it is important to start oral chlamydia medication on time.

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    Does Chlamydia Have A Smell

    The majority of chlamydial infections in women do not cause any symptoms. You can get chlamydia in the cervix , rectum, or throat. You may not notice any symptoms. But if you do have symptoms, you might notice: An unusual discharge, with a strong smell, from your vagina.

    Each Year There Are Approximately 15 Million Cases Of Chlamydia And 350000 Cases Of Gonorrhea Reported To The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention

    However this may not accurately reflect the total number of infected individuals, as most people with these infections have no symptoms and go untested. These bacterial infections are spread through sexual intercourse . This test will not be able to tell you the specific site of the infection, but will detect the infection if present.

    Pregnant women with an active gonorrhea or chlamydia infection at the time of vaginal delivery can spread the infection directly to their children during birth. All sexually active women under age 25 and women over age 25 with risk factors for contracting chlamydia or gonorrhea should get tested every year: risk factors include unprotected sex, new sexual partners, or multiple sexual partners. Men at risk for chlamydia or gonorrhea should get tested each year, and more often as needed: risk factors include having sex with a partner who has chlamydia or gonorrhea, men who have sex with men, unprotected sexual intercourse, and multiple sex partners.

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