Is There A Test For Chlamydia

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.

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.

When To Get Tested

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How Do I Know If I Have Chlamydia

You cant tell if you have chlamydia just by the way you feel. The only way to know for sure if you have chlamydia is to get tested whether or not you have symptoms.

If youre showing any signs of chlamydia, you should get tested. Testing is also a good idea if youve had unprotected sex or if a partner has chlamydia . In general, people who are sexually active should get tested for STDs, including chlamydia, about once a year. If youre pregnant, get tested for chlamydia at your first prenatal visit. Want to know if you should be tested for chlamydia? Check out this quiz to find out.

Chlamydia testing is pretty easy and painless. The best part about getting tested for STDs? Once you get it over with, it can really put your mind at ease. And if you DO have chlamydia, its best to know right away so you can take medicine and get better as soon as possible.

Is There A Cure For Chlamydia And Gonorrhea

Yes. Chlamydia and gonorrhea can both be cured with the right treatment. If these STDs arent treated, they can cause serious health problems, like making it difficult or impossible for a woman to get pregnant.

If you have an STD, its important to get treatment right away. Its also important to tell anyone youve had sex with that you have an STD so they can get treated, too. This can help protect you from getting infected again.

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What About Rectal And Oral Swabs

Rectal swabs and oral swabs may also be considered for those who have receptive anal sex or unprotected oral sex.

While neither rectal nor oral swabs are currently approved for the detection of chlamydia, research suggests that doing these extragenital tests is important.

For example, a 2017 study found that among men who have sex with men , 13% had a rectal chlamydia infection but only 3.4% had a positive urethral swab. In women in an urban setting in the United States, 3.7% were found to have an extragenital infection. Those under the age of 18 had the highest incidence of extragenital infection.

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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• We offer early detection HIV testing
• All testing done with a simple blood sample, urine sample and/or oral tests that are done by collecting a sample from the back of the throat.
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• We do not accept insurance, however, we do put all the insurance codes on your invoice so you can submit it to your insurance for full/partial reimbursement if it is a covered benefit.

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.

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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 Reliable Are The Tests

While some companies sell kits that are FDA-approved, others claim that although their tests arent FDA-approved, their tests use FDA-approved technology. Most companies partner with laboratories that are certified by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act and accredited by the College of American Pathologists .

If your results are negative, it doesnt necessarily mean youre STD-free. Incubation periods vary for STDs, so if youve recently been exposed, it may mean that the STD cant be detected yet. This is one reason why its important to test for STDs regularly.

Companies remind patients that tests are meant to provide information and education, not to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Tests shouldnt replace a consultation with a healthcare provider. Its recommended that you share your results with your doctor to obtain medical advice and treatment.

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When Is It Ordered

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:

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:

How Will I Get My Results

It can take a few days to get your results from a swab test, similar to a Pap smear test in women. If youre a woman, you may also be able to obtain an at-home kit to do the vaginal testing on your own.

Your doctor will call you with the results of your test. Be sure you give your doctor your preferred phone number where you can have privacy, such as a mobile phone number. If you dont want them to leave you a voicemail, be sure you tell them before you leave your appointment.

A urine test is much faster to analyze. Your doctor should be able to tell you the results during the same day as your appointment. The downside is that urine tests may not be as accurate as traditional swab testing.

However, urine testing may be more suitable for men. Its also used for more advanced signs of chlamydia, as your body will have a greater number of bacteria to detect at this stage.

You can obtain a chlamydia test from:

• your primary doctor
• a home testing kit and service

find affordable testing

There are clinics that can perform chlamydia testing at a low cost. In some cases, you may obtain testing free-of-charge. You can find a clinic through the American Sexual Health Associations free locator here. All results are confidential.

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Who Needs To Get Tested For Chlamydia And Gonorrhea

The recommendations for getting tested for chlamydia and for gonorrhea are the same.

For women:

• If you’re age 24 or younger and having sex, get tested once every year
• If you’re age 25 or older, get tested if you have more than 1 sex partner, a new sex partner, or a sex partner with an STD

For men:

• Talk with a doctor to find out if you need to get tested for chlamydia, gonorrhea, or other STDs

Benefits And Downsides Of At

There are pros and cons of testing for chlamydia at home. Individuals deciding whether or not to use an at-home test to detect this common infection may find it helpful to consider both sides of this approach.

Benefits of at-home chlamydia testing include:

• Accessibility: Using an at-home test kit to screen for chlamydia is convenient, providing consumers with all of the supplies needed to self-collect samples from home. This approach is especially useful in settings in which physician-ordered STD testing is unavailable.
• Private sample collection: At-home chlamydia tests allow people to collect samples of urine or other body fluids privately and in the comfort of their home. For some, this at-home sample collection may feel less invasive.
• Straightforward pricing: While doctor visits, sample collection fees, and other costs associated with physician-ordered testing can add up quickly, at-home testing offers clear and simple pricing.
• Comprehensive testing options: When purchasing an at-home chlamydia test, consumers are often given the choice of combining chlamydia testing with other STD tests. Testing for other STDs can often be performed on the same sample used for chlamydia testing.

Potential drawbacks of at-home chlamydia testing include:

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Will Std Testing Companies Bill My Insurance

The answer to this question will vary from company to company but generally speaking, most of the biggest names in the industry will not bill your insurance for their at-home STD tests. On one hand, this means that you will have to pay for everything out of pocket. On the other hand, this also means that your STD testing is extremely private because it is off the books.

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.

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Clinical Specimens For Ct Testing

In principle, all relevant clinical materials can be analyzed by NAATs, including urethral, cervical, vulvo-vaginal, anorectal and ocular swabs, first void urine , sperm or tissues. FDA -cleared commercial NAATs are approved for first void urine, urethral and cervical swabs, and most of them also for vaginal swabs . Non-invasive specimens are preferred materials, in particular for screening of asymptomatic persons. FVU and urethral swabs from male patients are equivalent with respect to performance of CT NAATs. Collection of urine, however, is much better accepted and therefore the recommended sample type in men . As the concentration of chlamydia sharply decreases during urination, it is important to use the first portion of micturition . In contrast, the chlamydia concentration in women with urogenital infection is comparatively higher in genital swabs than in urine . A study analyzing urine, vaginal and cervical swabs taken simultaneously from asymptomatic women showed that the NAAT detection rate was highest in self-collected vaginal swabs . Therefore, vaginal swabs are the recommended sample type for women. Endocervical swabs may also be used, especially when a pelvic examination is indicated. FVU is less appropriate for CT testing in women, and when used for screening by NAAT, it should be considered that the detection rate is up to 10% lower compared to vaginal and endocervical swabs .

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.

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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.

Rules For Successful Treatment

The patient should make sure that the doctor is informed if the patient is pregnant or has any allergies. These conditions influence the choice of the medicine prescribed. No matter which antibiotic the patient takes treating chlamydia the following points should be remembered:

• The treatment of all partners on the infected person is obligatory
• Abstain from sex contacts during the treatment and until the negative result on chlamydia test is received
• It is unadvisable to interrupt the course of antibiotics treatment as it will result in the necessity to start again from the beginning. Although the symptoms may disappear, the infection may still remain in the body
• It is necessary to get tested after 34 months after the end of the treatment to make sure the infection is no longer in the body.

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In Men Untreated Chlamydia Can Lead To:

• Epididymitis painful inflammation of the inner structures of the testicles, which may cause reduced fertility or sterility. A rare complication of Epididymitisis reactive arthritis, which causes pain in the inflamed joints that can be disabling
• Prostatitis
• Occasionally, Reiters syndrome
• Urethritis inflammation of the urethra with a yellow discharge appearing at the tip of the penis. Untreated urethritis results in narrowing of the urethra which leads to painful urinating and can cause kidney problems