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How To Test Yourself For Chlamydia At Home

How Can You Test For Chlamydia At Home

how to do chlamydia testing at home

Sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia are a serious problem for many countries, only in the UK, more than 200,000 individuals tested positive for this infection. With more than 127 million newly reported cases in 2016, chlamydia is the topmost prevalent STIs in the world. But, the real problem is that chlamydia often doesnt show any symptoms, so people might be infected without even knowing it.

Are At Home Std Tests Accurate

Yes, theyre highly accurate. At-home testing technology is as accurate as the tests ordered by doctors during a traditional visit, which isnt a surprise since the tests are designed and analyzed by certified diagnostic labs. In fact, as long as you follow the instructions properly, some at-home testing can actually produce more accurate results.

  • At-home tests use the same collection methodologies.
  • At-home test samples are processed in the same kind of labs as in-lab tests and held to the same rigid quality standards.
  • The best at-home test kits are very trustworthy. They and their components are either FDA-approved or considered by the FDA to not require redundant approval because the tests and components were designed by certified medical labs for accuracy.
  • Whether testing at home or in the lab, the accuracy of results depends on proper administration of the test.
  • Reliable results also require that we understand window periods of different STDs. If we dont understand window periods, its more likely for us to be misled even by highly accurate tests. See the testing FAQ section in this guide for more information about testing windows.

How Often Should I Get Tested For Stds

Periodic testing is vital for all sexually active people. The CDCs advice about how frequently we get tested varies by type of infection and sexual behavior. If you are sexually active but havent been tested for a while, sooner is better. Here is a handy chart breaking down their advice about the minimum amount of testing.

Bear in mind that this is the minimum frequency testing more frequently is always a good thing. If you have any unusual or unpleasant symptoms, you should get tested as soon as possible, regardless of when you previously tested.

Syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV

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When Should I Get Tested

Dont 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
  • youre pregnant or planning a pregnancy
  • youre offered a chlamydia test as part of the NCSP

If you live in England, youre a woman under 25 and sexually active, its 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, youre a man under 25 and sexually active, its 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.

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Am I At Risk For Chlamydia

Chlamydia Test Cassette  COVID

You may face an increased risk of chlamydia if you have unprotected sex or have multiple sex partners. However, there are other risk factors besides these, so talk with your healthcare provider if you want to know more about your risk and what it could mean for your sexual health. And donât forget: when it comes to prevention and risk-reduction, regular STI screening can be a great place to start.

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Overall Ratings For Std Testing

Winner: Everlywell

From a pure cost perspective, Everlywell has some of the lowest prices out there. They also have a membership program that allows you to take almost any test on their site each month for just $24.99. LetsGetChecked is a close runner up here they offer subscription services with progressive savings, and our readers can use the promo code INNERBODY30 to take 30% off any order.

Why Do People Choose To Pay For Testing

Some people prefer to pay for a home chlamydia test kit. This has a few advantages:

  • No appointment you dont need to book an appointment in a GP or sexual health clinic. This means that some people find it easier to fit around their schedule
  • No face-to-face you dont need to have a face-to-face consultation if you prefer not to. This means that getting a home kit can be more discreet than going to a sexual health clinic
  • Discreet if you have a home test kit sent to your door it will be in discreet packaging and you won’t need to go into a clinic

Our service at Superdrug Online Doctor, you can buy a range of chlamydia test kits which comes in a discreet packaging and includes a prepaid envelope for you to send to our partner laboratory. These include:

  • Other test kits that include chlamydia tests

The chlamydia test itself is exactly the same whether you buy a home test kit or get tested in a clinic.

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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.

Are There Any Benefits To Fully Online Or Online

How to use chlamydia rapid test kit / STDrapidtestkits.com

There are several benefits to fully online or online-to-lab testing, including:

  • More private. If you dont want anyone to know youre getting tested for an STI or STD, online options tend to offer more privacy.
  • Specific testing options. You can choose to test for a single STI or STD, or do a full panel.
  • More accessible. If its difficult to access a doctor or other healthcare professional, fully online and online-to-lab tests are often a more accessible alternative.
  • Added convenience. Online options tend to take less time than visiting a doctors office or clinic.
  • Less stigma. If youre worried about being judged, or having to talk about your sexual history, online options can help you avoid stigma.
  • less costly. Depending on where you live and the healthcare options available to you, using an online test might cost less than making an appointment with your doctor.
  • Side-step insurance. Some online test providers dont accept health insurance as a form of payment. As a result, your test results wont be reported to your insurance provider or added to your medical records.

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Ethnobotanical & Traditional Medicine As Drug Leads

The World Health Organization has indicated that approximately 80% of the worlds population still relies primarily on plant-based traditional medicines for their primary healthcare needs . It has also been estimated that 74% of pharmaceutically active plant derived compounds were discovered after investigations based on ethnobotanical traditions , and plant materials are now present in, or have provided models for approximately 50% of all modern pharmaceuticals . Both trachoma and chlamydial infections have been commonplace throughout history and found in many parts of the world. In response to this, a wide range of botanical treatments have been developed to treat these conditions. By investigating traditional therapies, sources of potentially active compounds can be identified from ingredients, and in some cases, insight into basic chemical composition can be obtained through consideration of traditional extraction means and modes of delivery.

When Should You Test Yourself For Stds

STDs, also called sexually transmitted infections , are very common. According to the statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , nearly 20 million are diagnosed with STDs each year, and most of them are between the ages of 15-24.

Doctors suggest that you should get tested if you are sexually active and have had unprotected sex. Also, if one partner suspects that they may have an STI, it’s a good idea for both partners to get tested.

People who engage in high-risk sexual behaviors, such as having sex with multiple anonymous partners, having sex with sex workers, and using intravenous drugs are at a high risk of contracting an STI.

These infections, if left untreated, can impact pregnancy, cause long-term complications, and increase the risk of additional STIs, malignancies and infertility in both men and women.

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When Should I Do A Home Test For Chlamydia

If you had unprotected intercourse not too long ago or you are worried your partner might have carried an infection, then you should get tested. The best time to do a test kit for chlamydia is two weeks after youve been exposed.

Gonorrhea and chlamydia need around two weeks to show up on test results, but for any other infection, like HIV, for example, you will need around four weeks.

Chlamydia is easy to detect and treat, so its crucial that you get tested as much as you can. The best way to know for sure if you are carrying the infection is by getting tested every 3 to 12 months. If you have a history of STIs, you should get tested more often.

How Accurate Are At

Our Chlamydia Test Kits  Freetest.me

Most at-home tests are processed at certified laboratories, so as long as your sample was collected and preserved correctly until it was processed and then analysed at a CLIA-certified laboratory, your at-home test results should be comparable to what you would receive otherwise.

A 2015 review looked at 2,100 studies comparing the sensitivity and specificity of at-home vs. physician ordered chlamydia and gonorrhea tests. Sensitivity refers to a test’s ability to determine a positive result and specificity refers to the tests ability to determine a negative result. The study determined that the tests had sufficient sensitivity and specificity.

The quality of the lab results depend mainly on the quality of sample collection. The likelihood of a contaminated or unusable sample is higher in home-collection compared to physician collected samples.

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Are Free Chlamydia Tests As Reliable As Paid Ones

Yes, if they’re done correctly free tests are a safe and reliable method of testing as long as they are carried out properly. In fact, the free test kits in clinics and the paid home test kits are exactly the same. If you get tested for chlamydia in a GP or sexual health clinic, they will either do the test for you or give you clear instructions on how to do it yourself.

The tests are quite accurate but, its not 100% guaranteed. False test results are usually caused by a mistake when taking the sample or even in the lab. This risk can be lowered if you follow either instructions given by your doctor or on the home test kits.

What’s makes them less accurate? factors such as drugs or alcohol should not make the result of your chlamydia test less accurate. Being on your period also should not make the result of the test less accurate.

If you are worried about a false result you can do the chlamydia test twice. If you get two results that are the same, then the result is almost guaranteed to be accurate. If you get tested for chlamydia at a GP or sexual health clinic, however, you are normally only offered one test.

Whole Beans And Grain

It might be difficult to understand why beans and grain can make a contribution to treatment process of how to treat chlamydia but beans and grain are the generous supply of fiber so it helps to hasten the recovery and treatment. Therefore, they are highly recommended diet for anyone that gets chlamydia.

Learn more: Benefits of beans

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What Does The Test Measure

Most at-home chlamydia testing detects evidence of the genetic material, known as DNA or RNA, of the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. These test kits allow individuals to collect their own samples of body fluid and return them to a laboratory for a type of analysis called nucleic acid amplification testing .

The NAAT detects genetic material of the bacteria and can be conducted on a variety of samples, including urine, a throat swab, or a swab of fluid taken from the urethra, vagina, or rectum.

When To See A Doctor

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

If a person has symptoms of chlamydia after testing and treatment or thinks that they have come into contact with chlamydia again, they should see their doctor.

Females are less likely than males to have symptoms of chlamydia, so testing is especially important for them.

The recommend chlamydia testing every year for the following groups of people:

  • sexually active females under the age of 25 years
  • females over the age of 25 years who have new or multiple sexual partners
  • anyone with a sexual partner who has an STI
  • sexually active gay and bisexual males

Pregnant women should have a chlamydia test early on in their pregnancy.

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How To Choose The Right Test For You

With dozens of at-home testing kits available, it can be hard to choose the right test. After all, what does a good at-home STD testing kit look like? What should it entail? What do you need?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Your needs will vary, depending on your situation and circumstances. Whats more, they may change over time.

Use this chart to help determine which test is right for you.

Your situation
X X

You should also make sure a test is approved by the Food and Drug Administration . To determine if a product is FDA approved, check the FDAs website.

Why Get Tested For Stis At Home

  • Convenient. There’s no trip to the doctor’s office required. You can complete your sample at a time that works best for you.
  • Confidential. You can take your test from the privacy of your own home. The shipping package does not say Planned Parenthood.
  • Safe. Taking your test at home keeps you and our staff safe by reducing the number of people in our health centers.
  • Accurate. The test results are just as reliable as getting tested in-person.
  • Affordable. It costs the same as getting tested in person. STI testing is covered under most health insurance plans. Uninsured? We have a sliding fee scale and other special programs that could make your testing cost less.

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How Soon Can You Get Tested For An Sti

Credit: samritk Shutterstock

Thankfully, most STIs can be very easily treated but it all hinges on you taking the test first. You should never feel embarrassed about taking care of yourself, but if the idea of taking a trip to the clinic makes you flush, you can test yourself at home.

If you have unprotected sex, you’ll probably want to get tested ASAP to find out about any infections early. But while this is obviously a good attitude to have, you’re actually better off waiting a couple of days before first getting tested.

It can take a while for STIs to show up on test results as they all have different window periods .

For some STDs, it can only take a couple of days to show up on a test, but for others, it can take weeks or even months. It’s best to take an STD test a few days after having unprotected sex, and then again a few weeks later.

How long you should wait to get tested for STIs and STDs?

Here’s a list of the main STIs and how long it can take each one to show up on a test:

  • Chlamydia Up to two weeks
  • Gonorrhoea Up to two weeks
  • HIV Four weeks

What Happens If Chlamydia Goes Untreated

Can You Test Yourself For Chlamydia At Home

If a person is not treated for chlamydia, complications may occur. Women frequently develop pelvic inflammatory disease . PID can cause infertility , chronic pelvic pain, tubal pregnancies, and the continued spread of the disease. In men, untreated chlamydia can cause urethral infection and complications such as swollen and tender testicles. Chlamydia infection during pregnancy may result in premature rupture of membranes, preterm delivery and possible tubal pregnancy in a small percent of women. In addition, chlamydia can cause conjunctival and pneumonic infection in the newborn. Persons with a chlamydia infection have an increased chance of getting other infections such as gonorrhea or HIV.

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How To Test For Chlamydia

You can use an at-home chlamydia test or get tested at a clinic. A chlamydia test kit like the Everlywell test requires a urine sample you collect with materials included with the kit. You then send the sample to a lab and get secure, online results a few days later. Screening at a clinic may require a urine sample or oral and/or rectal samples collected with a swab . How you get your results will depend on the clinic you go to.

Hereâs how to test for chlamydia at home using the Everlywell Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Test kit:

  • Register your kit online. Use the unique ID included inside your kit and go to www.everlywell.com/register. Write your date of birth and the sample collection date on the transport tube provided by the kit.
  • Collect your sample by urinating into the specimen collection cup thatâs included with the kit.
  • Use the pipette to place the sample into a transport tube, and put the tube into the biohazard bag .
  • Place the bag into the shipping envelope , apply the prepaid shipping label, and place your envelope in the mail. Your sample will then arrive at a laboratory, where it will be analyzed for chlamydia and gonorrhea.
  • Just days later, youâll be notified that your results are ready. You can privately view your results online on our secure platform.

Taking a chlamydia test at home is a great way to skip the trip to your doctorâs office âand, instead, check for chlamydial infections from the comfort and privacy of your home.

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