How To Do A Chlamydia Test

November 5, 2021

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How to use chlamydia rapid test kit / STDrapidtestkits.com

Your instant Chlamydia test can also be arranged via Better2Knows online booking system. Simply select the orange button at the top of the screen. If you have any additional questions regarding STIs or Better2Knows private sexual health testing services, you can contact our sexual health advisors using the number listed above.

How Do You Get Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection. The bacteria are usually spread through sex or contact with infected genital fluids .

You can get chlamydia through:

unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex
sharing sex toys that are not washed or covered with a new condom each time they’re used
your genitals coming into contact with your partner’s genitals this means you can get chlamydia from someone even if there’s no penetration, orgasm or ejaculation
infected semen or vaginal fluid getting into your eye

It can also be passed by a pregnant woman to her baby.

Chlamydia cannot be passed on through casual contact, such as kissing and hugging, or from sharing baths, towels, swimming pools, toilet seats or cutlery.

What Does The Chlamydia Test Involve

The recommended tests for chlamydia are simple, painless and generally very reliable.

They involve sending a sample of cells to a laboratory for analysis. You don’t necessarily have to be examined by a doctor or nurse first and can often collect the sample yourself.

There are two main ways the sample can be collected:

using a swab a small cotton bud is gently wiped over the area that might be infected, such as inside the vagina or inside the anus
urinating into a container this should ideally be done at least 1 hour after you last urinated

Men will usually be asked to provide a urine sample, while women will usually be asked to either swab inside their vagina or provide a urine sample.

The results will normally be available in 7 to 10 days. If there’s a high chance you have chlamydia for example, you have symptoms of the infection or your partner has been diagnosed with it and you’ve had unprotected sex with them you might start treatment before you get your results.

What If My Results Are Positive

The Everlywell Chlamydia & Gonorrhea test includes an easy-to-understand lab report. But if you’re not sure how to read your chlamydia test results, your healthcare provider can help.

A positive STI test result can be unsettling, but you arenât alone: with the Everlywell Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Test, you have the opportunity to speak with a physician in our network to discuss your results further if you test positiveâand you may be prescribed medication.

If your chlamydia test is positive, STI testing is recommended for your sex partner . If they are infected and don’t receive treatment, they can pass the chlamydial infection back to you.

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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Men May Experience The Following Symptoms:

pain when peeing.
discharge from the tip of the penis .
pain in the testicles
burning or itching in the genital area.

Remember: most people have no symptoms, so if you notice any of the above, get a full sexual health check at your local GUM/STI clinic.

The best way to make sure you dont get chlamydia is to use condoms.

Heres How The Average At Home Chlamydia Test Works:

Once you order a chlamydia test online, you can expect an average of 5 business days to receive your test. Its important to note that in most cases, chlamydia will not be detectable for two weeks after you have had unprotected sex with a suspected infected partner.

When you receive your at home chlamydia test, you will need to closely follow the instructions as outlined by the provider. The majority of tests will require you to simply collect a urine sample, some tests will also require you to take a swab sample.

After you have collected your sample following the instructions as outlined by the provider, you simply mail your sample back to the laboratory using the self addressed envelope enclosed in the package.

On average, it takes three business days to receive your test results from your provider, however, the waiting times will depend on the provider of the test.

In general, the at home STD test provider will offer support and guidance once the test results are available, particularly if you have an out of range or abnormal result. This will of course depend on the provider. Find out which at home STD test providers do and dont offer ongoing support here.

Also Check: Chlamydia And Gonorrhea Test Kit

Can Chlamydia Be Cured

Yes, chlamydia can be cured with the right treatment. It is important that you take all of the medication your doctor prescribes to cure your infection. When taken properly it will stop the infection and could decrease your chances of having complications later on. You should not share medication for chlamydia with anyone.

Repeat infection with chlamydia is common. You should be tested again about three months after you are treated, even if your sex partner was treated.

How Important Is It To Get Tested

How to use an iCare Chlamydia test kit – by LT Labs

Yes, don’t avoid it you shouldnt avoid testing just because its a hassle or you dont want to pay for a home test kit. A lot of people who have a chlamydia infection dont get any symptoms at all. However, if this is left untreated, you can develop long-term complications. These complications include:

Spread of chlamydia to other parts of the body

Infertility because of damage to the reproductive system

Pelvic inflammatory disease , a condition that causes pain and inflammation around the pelvis

Reactive arthritis, which is painful and swollen joints as a direct result of chlamydia

Going to a clinic is still a good option staff at GP practices and sexual health clinics are discreet and professional. Some sexual health clinics even say that you can use a false name if you are very worried about confidentiality they would rather you give a false name than not go at all! Also, sexual health clinics cannot share your medical records with your GP without your permission.

If you are worried about testing you can make an appointment to speak to a GP about it. They can advise you on the best course of action, answer any questions you might have, or provide some reassurance.

Can You Get Tested For Chlamydia For Free

Yes, you can two types of services can offer free chlamydia testing, your GP and a sexual health clinic . Getting tested is a simple process.

Make an appointment with your GP practice or a sexual health clinic

At your appointment, the healthcare professional may ask you some questions, for example about your sexual partners and methods of contraception

To test for chlamydia, men are asked to give a urine sample

To test for chlamydia, women are asked to give a swab

The sample is sent to the lab to see whether a chlamydia infection can be found

Once the results come back, you are either told that the test came back negative or invited to go back to the clinic to receive treatment

Who is eligible? any UK resident can get tested for chlamydia on the NHS for free.

For people under the age of 16 there might be other issues that you are worried about. If you want a chlamydia test and you can show that you understand what this treatment involves, a doctor is not obliged to share this information with your parents. If you are worried about this, we recommend that you make an appointment with your GP to talk through this matter.

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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.

Check for infection in a newborn whose mother had a chlamydia infection at the time of delivery.

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Can Chlamydia Affect My Fertility

A chlamydia or gonorrhea infection may cause inflammation or scarring of the reproductive organs. Sometimes, this may lead to infertility . Both men and women can experience fertility problems after a chlamydia infection. Your risk of infertility increases if you delay treatment.

Women with untreated gonorrhea or chlamydia can also develop a condition known as pelvic inflammatory disease . PID sometimes causes your reproductive organs to swell, triggering chronic pelvic pain and making it difficult to conceive.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea can also trigger early laborâand pregnant women with chlamydia can spread the infection to their babies during delivery .

Prompt treatment reduces your risk of complications, as undiagnosed chlamydia may put your health at risk. Regular STI testing can help with early diagnosis of the infection, and most people who receive treatment for chlamydia make a full recovery.

Learning more about the different types of STDs someone can getâlike chlamydiaâcan help you care for your sexual health. To easily check for chlamydia from the comfort of home, simply collect a urine sample and send it to a lab with prepaid shipping using the Everlywell at-home Gonorrhea and Chlamydia test kit.

What Does The Test Result Mean

A positive test indicates you have an active chlamydia infection that requires treatment with antibiotics.

A negative test means only that there is no evidence of infection at the time of the test. If you are at an increased risk, it is important that you have screening tests performed yearly to check for possible infection, especially since re-infection is common, particularly among teenagers.

If you are infected, your sexual partner should be tested and treated as well.

What Other Stis Should I Get Tested For

Better2Knows instant Chlamydia test can be combined with instants tests for a variety of other STIs including: HIV, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Herpes 1 and 2. This will provide a more comprehensive picture of your sexual health. If you are unsure which instant STI testing option to select, Better2Knows Patient Services team are highly trained to help you select the instant test or screen you need.

What Does The Test Measure

Chlamydia testing looks for evidence of infection with the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. There are several types of tests that can be used to detect chlamydia, including molecular testing, also called Nucleic Acid Amplification Test , and cell culture.

NAAT is the preferred method for detecting a chlamydia infection. This type of test detects the genetic material of Chlamydia trachomatis. It can be performed using a urine sample or swab of fluid taken from a site of potential infection such as the urethra, vagina, rectum, or eye.

Traditionally, NAAT takes a day or more to provide results, but there have also been rapid chlamydia tests developed using NAAT methods. Rapid chlamydia tests can often provide a result within 30 to 90 minutes. Rapid chlamydia tests are typically performed on urine samples or swabs of fluid taken from the vagina or cervix.

Although much less commonly used, cell cultures can help diagnose a chlamydia infection. Chlamydia cell cultures may be used in children with a suspected chlamydia infection, when evaluating potential infections in the anus or rectum, and when initial treatment for chlamydia is unsuccessful. In these cases of treatment failure, doctors may use a cell culture to help understand which treatments may be most effective for an individuals infection.

Other types of chlamydia tests are available but are rarely used given the accuracy and availability of NAAT.

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.

Questions For Your Doctor About Test Results

Chlamydia testing in a pigeon done with a quick test from AvianLabs.com

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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How Do You Test For Oral Chlamydia

This test does not check for oral chlamydia . But, we also offer an Oral Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea Test, which can detect chlamydia in the mouth and throat.

The Oral chlamydia and Gonorrhoea Test is easy to use and is between 91% and 100% sensitive at picking up infections. You take the test using an oral swab which you then send off in the post.

How To Get Tested

Chlamydia testing is usually ordered by a doctor. In people without symptoms, a doctor can evaluate their risk and suggest an appropriate screening schedule. If a patient has symptoms of this infection, a doctor will order testing to diagnose or rule out chlamydia.

Testing for chlamydia can be conducted at a hospital, doctors office, health clinic, or community health program.

Also Check: Can Chlamydia Be Spread By Kissing

When Should You Take An At Home Chlamydia Test

You should make at home STD testing part of your regular health screening. In simpler terms you should be undergoing sexual health screening on an annual basis. You should consider sexual health screening on a more regular basis if you fall under the following categories, as there is a greater associated risk of contracting an STD if:

You are aged 25
You have sex with multiple partners
You have had unprotected sex
You have a partner who has told you theyve recently tested positive for chlamydia
You have a history of STDs or you are currently in treatment for a previous STD
You are entering a new sexual relationship
You are experiencing symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease
You have received a notification from a previous partner that they have chlamydia

Learn more about the symptoms of chlamydia in men and the symptoms of chlamydia in women.

How Is Chlamydia Tested For In Women

For women, the Superdrug home test kit is a vaginal swab test, which looks a little bit like a long cotton bud. You insert the swab into your vagina and rotate it for 10 to 15 seconds. When you have got your sample, place the swab into the tube provided. Then simply fill out your details and send your sample back to us. You get your test result within 2 to 3 days after we get your sample in the post.

Women can also get tested for chlamydia with a urine test, but results are less accurate than a swab test.

Recommended Reading: Chlamydia And Trichomoniasis At The Same Time

Symptoms Of Chlamydia In Men And Women

What symptoms will you experience if you have chlamydia?

This depends on whether you are a female or male. Lets take a look at both symptom types for each respective gender:

Chlamydia Symptoms in Women

Vaginal discharge that is abnormal and may be accompanied by a strange odor

Chlamydia Symptoms in Men

Burning or itching around the penal opening
Swelling or pain around the testicles
Clear or cloudy discharge which forms around the tip of the penis

If you have any of these symptoms, its time to order an at home Chlamydia test. These tests are taken in the comfort of your home, and offer the utmost in privacy and confidentiality. You can be treated for this disease, but it requires that you take action immediately, especially if youre a woman.

Women who are currently pregnant or become pregnant and have chlamydia can pass the disease onto their child. If you seek treatment that is successful, your child will not have this disease. Disease will be contracted during childbirth itself, and can cause:

Eye infections
Pneumonia

Complications do occur during childbirth in some cases. If you are pregnant, you should be tested for chlamydia at your very first prenatal visit. Getting tested is the smart choice for any mother to be, and this is essential if you have more than one sex partner and you engage in unprotected sex.

If you are suffering from any of the symptoms listed above, its time to get tested.

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