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How Early Can You Detect Chlamydia

What Happens If Chlamydia Is Untreated

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If untreated, chlamydia can develop into serious reproductive and other health problems with both short-term and long-term effects. Like the disease itself, the damage is often silent. In women, untreated infection can cause pelvic inflammatory disease . This happens in 10 percent to 15 percent women with untreated chlamydia.

How Do You Catch Chlamydia

You can get chlamydia through:

  • Unprotected oral sex and sex without a condom. You dont even have to experience penetration to get it as you can transmit the bacteria by only touching genitals together.
  • Anal sex can also result in a chlamydia infection.
  • Sharing sex toys.
  • Infected mothers who have the infection might transfer it to their newborn baby during birth. For this reason, all expecting mothers should double-check for chlamydia with their OB-GYN.
  • You can get a chlamydia infection in the eye if infected semen or vaginal fluid gets into your eyes.

You cant catch chlamydia through kissing, hugging, sharing baths, towels, swimming pools, toilet seats, or cutlery.

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 Soon Can You Get Tested For Stds

If you have potentially been exposed to an STD, you may think that getting tested immediately is imperative. But in fact, getting tested too early may lead to inaccurate results. It takes time for your body to recognize and respond to the STD once you are exposed to it. If you get tested before your body has responded to the STD, it will be too early for the test to detect the STD in your system. How long does it take to get an STD? When should you get tested? Heres what you need to know:

Std Testing Doesnt Replace Discussion

Chlamydia pictures female  this clinical slide gallery ...

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.

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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.

Chlamydia Symptoms In Females

Chlamydia symptoms in females are rare. Roughly 7 in 10 women dont experience any symptoms. The infection may be asymptomatic, meaning that people dont know they have it.

If signs and symptoms occur, they usually happen one to three weeks after the exposure, but could start much later. The symptoms are often mild and passing, and easy to overlook.

Some of the potential signs and symptoms of chlamydia include:

  • lower abdominal pain

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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.

When Is It Ordered

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Screening

Because many infected people do not have any noticeable symptoms, a number of health organizations recommend regular chlamydia screening for certain people:

Women

All sexually active women younger than age 25 and sexually active women age 25 and older who are at increased risk should get yearly screening for chlamydia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists . The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American Academy of Pediatrics also recommend routine screening for these women .

Examples of risk factors for chlamydia infection include:

  • Previous chlamydia infections, even if you have been treated
  • Having STDs, especially HIV
  • Having new or multiple sex partners
  • Having a sex partner diagnosed with an STD
  • Using condoms inconsistently
  • Exchanging sex for money or drugs
  • Using illegal drugs
  • Living in a detention facility
  • For pregnant women, the CDC recommends screening for chlamydia during the first trimester or first prenatal visit. For women younger than age 25 or at increased risk of infection, testing is repeated in the third trimester. Pregnant women diagnosed with chlamydia should be retested about 3 months after completing treatment.

    Diagnosis

    Chlamydia testing may also be done when your sex partner has been diagnosed with chlamydia or when you have signs and symptoms of chlamydia.

    For women, if symptoms occur, they may include:

    For men, symptoms may include:

    Also Check: How To Clear Chlamydia Infection

    I Only Slept With Him Or Her Once

    It only takes one time to catch an STI. Of course, the chances are higher if you have multiple partners, but if you sleep with someone without knowing whether they are infected then once is all it takes.

    If you have no symptoms or outward signs of infection, Better2Know would suggest the Full Screen.

    If you have a blemish, spot, lump or blister, we would suggest that you have a Blemish Screen which will take a swab of the area you are concerned about and test for Herpes, HPV and Syphilis.

    If you are female and have unusual discharge or odour, we would suggest a Comfort Screen or female swab.

    I Cannot Really Remember What Happened

    If you do not really know what happened and you have not got any symptoms or outward signs of infection, Better2Know would suggest the Full Screen.

    If you have blemish, spot, lump or blister, we would suggest that you have a Blemish Screen which will take a swab of the area you are concerned about and test for Herpes, HPV and Syphilis.

    If you are female and have unusual discharge or odour, we would suggest a Comfort Screen or a vaginal swab.

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    How Long Should I Wait For Chlamydia To Show On Tests

    There are various chlamydia tests you can undergo to get diagnosed with this infection. Depending on which test you take, the time will vary. There are three ways to get diagnosed for chlamydia, and those are a swab, urine, or blood test.

    For a swab test, the doctor will take a cotton stickto sample the infected fluid or tissue. This sample will then be taken to thelab, where experienced technicians will analyze the growth of the bacteria andsee how much it has developed.

    A urine test is analyzed the same way. The urine isstored in a sealed cup and sent off for testing. If the technicians find anybacteria present in the urine, it will mean youve been infected. A blood test,on the other hand, is a more painful method, but the most reliable one. Theblood sample will be taken to the lab to analyze all the antibodies and seewhether this infection has infected the bloodstream.

    So, the results you will get will depend on the typeof test you selected:

    • Forswab results chlamydia shows up in 2 to 3 days
    • Forblood tests chlamydia can show up instantly if the blood is inspected on site
    • Forurine tests it can take up to 2 or 5 days for chlamydia to show up

    Chlamydia Test For Women

    Do I have CHLAMYDIA? Anonymous Test

    To diagnose the infection, your doctor can use a few different chlamydia tests. Your doctor will likely ask you about your symptoms and why you think you have the infection. When this happens, its important to be as honest as possible.

    Your health care provider will probably use a swab to take a sample from the cervix and send it to a lab to be analyzed. If theres a possibility the bacteria is in your throat or anus, these areas may be swabbed as well. Other tests include a chlamydia urine test to check for the presence of the bacteria.

    Although many physicians do it, a chlamydia test is not automatically done at the time that a Pap test is done.

    For this reason, its important for women, especially sexually active women aged 25 and under, to ask their health care provider whether theyre getting tested for chlamydia every year.

    If you think you may have been exposed to an STD, youll have to ask for a screening.

    Fortunately, chlamydia is easy to treat. If you suspect that you have it, youll need to:

    • See your health care provider immediately before the infection does damage to your reproductive organs.
    • Listen to your doctor and take all of your medicine. Even if your symptoms go away, you should finish your pills.
    • Tell your sexual partner. They should know about the infection so that they too can be tested and treated.
    • Avoid having sexual intercourse until you and your partner have been cured.

    Since chlamydia is a bacteria, your doctor will prescribe you antibiotics.

    Read Also: Can Chlamydia Naturally Go Away

    How Long Will It Take For Chlamydia To Show Up In Women

    Symptoms of chlamydia in individuals with vulvaswill need around 1 to 3 weeks to show up, but sometimes it can take upto a couple of months. The reason for that is the bacteria. Bacteria is aliving organism, which means it will have an incubation period that willpredetermine its effect before the infection becomes a real problem.

    The incubation period will vary depending ondifferent factors like:

    • Howlong does it take for the chlamydia to reproduce
    • Areyou exposed to a lot of bacteria
    • Whereis the bacteria, does it infect the throat, anus, or genitals
    • Isyour immune system well-equipped to protect itself against the bacteria

    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.

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    Can You Get Chlamydia From Drinking After Someone

    The belief that you can catch chlamydia from drinking after someone is a myth. In reality, theres no risk of catching the infection when sharing food, water, or cutlery.

    You can only catch chlamydia during:

    • Unprotected vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
    • Sharing sex toys.
    • Contact with the genitals of an infected partner.

    Urine Tests Vs Swab Tests

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    Urine tests can be used to identify bacterial sexually transmitted infections.

    Chlamydia and gonorrhea urine tests are widely available. Trichomoniasis urine tests are also available, but they are less common.

    It is important to note that the most accurate way of under-going STD testing is via bacterial culture. Bacterial cultures may be taken from using a swab sample. That involved attempting to grow bacteria out of samples that were taken directly from the cervix or urethra.

    Bacterial DNA testing looks for the DNA of the bacteria as opposed to looking for the culture. Urine testing very simple and completely safe. You simply collect your urine sample in a sample jar and either hand it to your healthcare provider or mail it to the laboratory.

    Samples are tested in the laboratory to identify whether it contains bacterial DNA.

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    How Does A Doctor Test For Stds

    Category:

    What procedure will a clinician follow in testing someone for STIs?

    It depends on the infection. When health care providers test for sexually transmitted infections, they usually test for a few different ones. To decide what to test for, providers examine their clients. They talk with them about their visible symptoms, other symptoms they may feel, and what kind of risks they may have taken.

    Depending on whats found during the examination and conversation, the health care provider may take samples of

    • blood to check for CMV , hepatitis, herpes, HIV, or syphilis
    • urine to check for chlamydia and gonorrhea
    • cells to check for BV , chlamydia, gonorrhea, HPV , molluscum contagiosum, or scabies
    • fluid, secretions, or discharge to check for BV, gonorrhea, herpes, HPV, pelvic inflammatory disease, syphilis, or trichomoniasis
    • cells from the cervix for Pap tests to detect changes associated with certain types of HPV that can cause cancer
    • saliva can be used to test for HIV

    Recently, some health officials have called for similar tests on cells collected from the rectum if people have anal sex.

    Most health care providers will not do a screening for sexually transmitted infections unless the client asks. So, dont let embarrassment become a health risk. If youre sexually active, you should ask to be screened for infections.

    How Long Does It Take For Syphilis To Show Up

    This is a sexually transmitted infection that is caused by a bacterium. It starts as a painless sore than usually appears on the genitals, rectum and mouth. This bacteria can remain in the body for years, after the initial infection.

    Syphilis Incubation Period: developing a chancre is the primary stage of this infection. While the average incubation time of syphilis is 21 days, symptoms can appear anytime between 10 and 90 days.

    Syphilis Window Period: 3-6 weeks in general but, most resources recommend getting tested 90 days after exposure.

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    Do Stds Show Up In Routine Blood Tests

    Routine blood tests include complete blood counts , complete metabolic panels , lipid panels, thyroid panels, and enzyme markers. These tests can identify a wide range of health conditions, but they are not designed to test for STDs.

    Routine blood tests may reveal signs of an STD, such as an elevated white blood cell count. But, an elevated white blood cell count can be caused by countless other conditions, so this is not a reliable way to test for STDs.

    Do not assume that your physician is testing you for STDs simply because they have ordered a blood test. STD testing is not included in these routine tests. The bestand onlyway to test for STDs is with an STD test.

    How Long Can You Have Chlamydia Before Transmitting It

    9 Effective Home Remedies for Chlamydia in Men &  Women

    The majority of people who have Chlamydia Infection

    A common sexually transmitted infection caused by bacteria.

    dont experience any symptoms at all. And even if you do have symptoms, they may not show up for anywhere from 1 week to 3 or more months after the infection is first spread to you through sexual intercourse.

    Recommended Reading: Are There Any Home Remedies For Chlamydia

    What Happens If I Dont Get Treated

    The initial damage that chlamydia causes often goes unnoticed. However, chlamydia can lead to serious health problems.

    If you are a woman, untreated chlamydia can spread to your uterus and fallopian tubes . This can cause pelvic inflammatory disease . PID often has no symptoms, however some women may have abdominal and pelvic pain. Even if it doesnt cause symptoms initially, PID can cause permanent damage to your reproductive system. PID can lead to long-term pelvic pain, inability to get pregnant, and potentially deadly ectopic pregnancy .

    Men rarely have health problems linked to chlamydia. Infection sometimes spreads to the tube that carries sperm from the testicles, causing pain and fever. Rarely, chlamydia can prevent a man from being able to have children.

    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.

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