Self Swabs Vs Other Types Of Samples
Urine tests work really well for a number of STDs. However, they’re fundamentally more effective for testing for an infection in or around the penis because urine passes through the penile urethra, but not the vagina or the cervix. A vaginal swab may be a more effective option than a urine test.
However, sometimes a urethral swab is the most reliable option. And the thought of having a healthcare provider take a vaginal or urethral swab can be quite off-putting for some. Many people, given the option, would prefer to take those samples themselves. This may be particularly true for individuals with a history of sexual trauma or those with gender dysphoria that makes genital exams uncomfortable.
You might wonder whether self-swabs are as effective as healthcare provider-collected swabs for detecting STDs. By and large, the answer seems to be yes.
A number of studies have found that people are more willing to get STD tests if they can take their swabs themselves. This is true for people of a variety of ages and sexes. It’s also true for not just vaginal and urethral swabs but also rectal and throat swabs. It’s both easy to do and easy to do right.
Important Things To Remember About Sample Collection
When providing a urine sample for chlamydia testing, make sure you havent urinated for at least one hour prior to collecting the sample.
Furthermore, you are advised to avoid wiping or cleaning your genitals prior to collecting your sample and ensuring that you collect the initial stream of urine in your sample.
Chlamydia Gonorrhea On The Rise Following Pap Smear Guideline Change In Ontario
Women patients within the St. Michaels Hospital system in Toronto have been 50 percent less likely to get screened for sexually transmitted diseases following changes made to Cancer Care Ontarios cervical cancer test guidelines in 2012, a new study says. The researchers obtained this result after examining patient charts across five primary care locations one year before and one year after the rule change.
Chlamydia is the most commonly reported bacterial STD in Canada, followed by gonorrhea, the researchers observed. Prevalence for both infections is highest among women between the ages of 15 and 24, with rates steadily increasing. The consequences of these infections may be serious, increasing the risk of not only chronic pelvic pain but also ectopic pregnancy and infertility.
In the past, a woman visiting her doctor to get a Pap smear gave the physician a chance to discuss sexual health and offer STD screening tests. Before 2012, the guidelines recommended women begin annual Pap smears within three years of becoming sexually active and then, after three consecutive normal results, the recommendation was a test every two to three years until age 70.
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Whats The Difference Between A Pelvic Exam And A Pap Test
During a pelvic exam, your healthcare provider examines and feels the uterus, ovaries and other parts of the female reproductive system. This examination helps your provider identify infections, problems and certain types of cancer . Your provider may also perform STD tests during a pelvic exam. A pelvic exam doesnt always include a Pap smear.
What Does An Abnormal Pap Smear Mean
If your Pap smear results come back abnormal, this means that the test detected abnormally shaped cells in your sample. Abnormal Pap tests are common and are often the result of a cervical or vaginal infection unrelated to cervical cancer.
However, your healthcare provider may order additional testing to confirm the possibility of cervical cancer or remove cancerous cells. These additional tests may include the following:
- Reflex testing – This refers to using an HPV test after an abnormal Pap smear result . An HPV test checks for the presence of human papillomavirus , which is a kind of sexually transmitted infection certain types of HPV are associated with a high risk of cervical cancer.
- Colposcopy – A minimally invasive procedure where the healthcare provider administering the test uses a magnifying device to take a closer look at your cervix. If abnormal cells are found during a colposcopy, then a biopsy can be performed to determine whether these cells are cancerous or precancerous.
- Biopsy – A small sample of tissue is removed from the cervix. A pathologist then checks this tissue under a microscope to rule out the possibility of cancer.
- Conization – and LEEP are procedures that remove abnormal tissue from the cervix. They ensure that no cancerous cells are in the cervix while removing any precancerous cells that are found.
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They Only Test For Some Genital Stis
Different genital STIs are tested for through different means.
- Chlamydia and gonorrhea are tested through a urine sample.
- Hepatitis, herpes , HIV, and syphilis are tested for with a blood sample.
- Human papillomavirus , HSV, trichomoniasis , molluscum contagiosum, and scabies are tested for through cell-scraping, either by swapping the affected area or by swapping a visible sore or wart.
To get tested for all of these genital STIs, youd need to get a blood, urine, and swab test.
And you also need to explicitly tell your doctor that youd like to get tested for all STIs, including herpes, HPV, and HIV.
Same goes for pubic lice and scabies, which womens health expert Dr. Sherry A. Ross, author of She-ology and She-ology, The She-quel, says most doctors wont test for unless theres reason to believe you have it .
doesnt recommend it for those without symptoms. Why?
According to the CDC, diagnosing genital herpes in someone without symptoms has not shown any change in their sexual behavior nor has it stopped the virus from spreading.
They also add that its possible to receive a false-positive result.
HIV testing is often left out for folks who arent deemed as higher risk. According to the , higher risk groups include anyone who has:
Unfortunately, many doctors dont have the necessary conversations to determine whether someone is at high risk or not. This ultimately means that fewer people get tested than should be.
They Wont Test For Nongenital Stis Unless You Explicitly Ask
Thats right, nongenital STIs are a thing!
STIs can show up in mucosal surfaces such as the mouth, lips, throat, or the anus, says board certified urologist and female pelvic medicine specialist Dr. Michael Ingber, with The Center for Specialized Womens Health in New Jersey.
The most common ones are oral herpes or herpes of the nose, condyloma which can show up in the anus, and throat gonorrhea and chlamydia, he says.
Most doctors wont do a throat or anal swab unless you tell them the specific sex acts that youve been engaging in and ask to be tested.
For anal, vaginal, and oral sex between two folks with penises, or between one person with a penis and one person with a vagina, latex condoms are the best way to help prevent STI transmission during sexual activity, says Ross.
However, they arent 100 percent protective against infections.
Any STIs that can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact such as HSV, HPV, and trich can still be transmitted by any area not covered by the condom, explains Goodman.
The same goes for any accidental skin-to-skin contact before the barrier was put in place.
Any STI transmitted through bodily fluids like HPV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV, and hepatitis B can be transmitted through any bodily fluid exchange that might have occurred before the condom was donned.
For instance, if the tip of a penis with pre-cum rubbed up against a vulva or anus prior to the condom going on, STI transmission can have occurred.
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What Is The Treatment For Blood In Urine
Firstly, recognizing the cause of blood in urine is vital and the treatment will be prescribed to cater to the type of infection.
If the blood in urine is caused due to STDs like chlamydia and gonorrhea, it can be treated using antibiotics and antiviral drugs like Azithromycin and Ceftriaxone. It is very important to consume all the antibiotics prescribed by the physician even after you do not experience any symptoms.
A periodic STD testing regimen is important for everyones sexual health.
Sample Collection Handling And Shipment
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Chlamydia Vs Gonorrhea: Symptoms Test & Treatment
03 Aug 2021
Written by Andrea Pinto on August 4th, 2021
Chlamydia and gonorrhea are both common sexually transmitted infections that affect many people around the world. And although these two conditions share some similarities, there are also differences between chlamydia vs. gonorrhea that can help us distinguish between them.
Read on to discover the main differences between chlamydia vs. gonorrhea.
Testing Yourself For Stds At Home Or At The Healthcare Providers Office
Monique Rainford, MD, is board-certified in obstetrics-gynecology, and currently serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Yale Medicine. She is the former chief of obstetrics-gynecology at Yale Health.
Concern about having a pelvic exam can make some people reluctant to seek out testing for a sexually transmitted disease . While having pelvic exams is a necessary part of the recommended screening for cervical cancer, there are several other options for STD testing, including self STD testing, and you can do it at your healthcare providerâs office.
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Testing Yourself For Stds At Home Or At The Healthcare Provider’s Office
Monique Rainford, MD, is board-certified in obstetrics-gynecology, and currently serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Yale Medicine. She is the former chief of obstetrics-gynecology at Yale Health.
Concern about having a pelvic exam can make some people reluctant to seek out testing for a sexually transmitted disease . While having pelvic exams is a necessary part of the recommended screening for cervical cancer, there are several other options for STD testing, including self STD testing, and you can do it at your healthcare provider’s office.
Learn More About Your Pap Smear Results
In many cases, abnormalities found in Pap smear results are mild. Only further testing can determine if your abnormalities are because of a more serious condition.
If you’re losing sleep over your Pap smear results, dont delay scheduling an appointment at one of our offices in Oak Park, Illinois, or North Riverside, Illinois.
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Just How Is Chlamydia Spread Can A Pap Smear Detect Chlamydia
You can obtain chlamydia by having genital, anal, or oral sex with someone who has chlamydia.
If your sex partner is male you can still obtain chlamydia even if he does not have an orgasm.
If youve had chlamydia and also were dealt with in the past, you can still get contaminated once more. This can happen if you have unprotected sex with somebody that has chlamydia.
If you are expecting, you can provide chlamydia to your child throughout childbirth.
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What Should I Expect During A Pap Smear
Pap smears take place at a healthcare providers office. The test takes a few minutes. It isnt painful, but you may feel some discomfort. During the procedure, your healthcare provider:
- Inserts a speculum into the vagina. You may feel a bit of pressure. This metal or plastic device holds the vagina open so your provider can see the cervix.
- Uses a small brush or spatula to gently scrape cells from the cervix .
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Std With Blood In Urine Chlamydia
Chlamydia is one of the highest reported sexually transmitted infections in the U.S. The microbes sometimes create an infection in the urethra which can cause a urinary tract infection . Chlamydia can cause pain and discomfort during urination such as a burning sensation while urinating and a urge to urinate frequently.
In women, untreated chlamydia infection could travel from the cervix to the fallopian tubes, which can then cause more noticeable symptoms of chlamydia including heavy periods, itching, swelling in the vulva, dysuria, and vaginal discharge.
If the symptoms are ignored, then the infectious bacteria can cause serious damage to the kidneys and urinary tract. Ultimately, leading to permanent kidney problems that can take the life-long cost for treatment.
Which Stds Are Tested For During A Well
Aside from HPV being tested for if abnormal cells were seen and a Pap smear was conducted, other sexually transmitted infections or diseases can be tested for during your visit to the OB/GYN. Typically, STD tests are not conducted unless specifically asked for, and there are different tests for different STDs, so in order to get tested for multiple STDs, you will have to provide a blood and urine sample. Sometimes STDs signs and symptoms of STDs are obvious and your doctor will test you for specific STDs based on signs they see. For example, trichomoniasis is often accompanied by foul-smelling, yellow or green discharge, and genital herpes outbreaks are characterized by lesions or sores on or near the genitals. That being said, most cases of STDs are asymptomatic, meaning no signs or symptoms are present.
If you want to have an HIV test done at your well-womans exam, ask for it. Ask for all the STD tests you wish to have done to be completed. If you havent been tested in the past, it is important to get tested for as many common STDs are you can. Your doctor will be able to test you for HIV, hepatitis B and C, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia, syphilis and herpes type 1 and type 2 if you ask. They should also be able to test you for hepatitis A if you request it.
Other significant reasons to get tested for multiple STDs include:
Medically Reviewed byWilliam Terranova MD onSeptember 8, 2018
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How Do Doctors Test For Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis can be diagnosed by looking at a sample of vaginal fluid for women or urine for men under a microscope. If the parasite can be seen under the microscope, no further tests are needed. If this test isnt conclusive, tests called rapid antigen tests and nucleic acid amplification may be used.
What To Do If Pap Smear Is Abnormal
Having a pap smear is to find out if something is going on in your cervix, but it doesnt tell you what is happening if the test is abnormal. Your doctor at All Womenâs Care will want to schedule a follow up to find out what the results mean. The majority of women do not need special testing or treatment the follow-up pap smear is common practice.
It is acceptable to wait and perform a second pap smear, as minor cell changes usually do not become more severe during a short period of time. Watchful waiting is common when a pap smear comes back abnormal, especially if it is your first one.
Your doctor may request a second pap smear as a way of ruling out errors in the test and see if there are signs of HPV DNA. This second test will tell the doctor if you have HPV and that it is the reason your pap smear test came back abnormal. This second test can even alert the doctor if you have one of the specific strains of HPV , which causes cervical cancer.
The next step may be to order a colposcopy however, not every abnormal pap smear means a colposcopy is needed. In younger women, especially, this test is seldom used as their risk of cervical cancer is very low. In cases of younger women , a second pap smear is generally requested with six months of the abnormal one to determine if the results will still be abnormal.
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Comparing Urine Sti Tests To Other Sti Tests
Some people still question whether urine testing is as effective at detecting bacterial STI like chlamydia and gonorrhea. These questions usually focus on the efficacy of the tests in women. Why?
The most common site of female infection is not on the pathway that urine travels out of the body. In contrast, urine passes through the most common site of infection , in men.
A 2015 review that examined 21 studies on the relative effectiveness of using different types of samples to detect chlamydia and gonorrhea found that:
- For chlamydia testing in women, the sensitivity and specificity were 87% and 99%, respectively, for urine samples compared to cervical samples.
- For chlamydia testing in men, the sensitivity and specificity were 88% and 99%. respectively, for urine samples compared to urethral samples.
- For gonorrhea testing in women, the sensitivity and specificity were 79% and 99%, respectively, for urine samples compared to cervical samples.
- For gonorrhea testing in men, the sensitivity and specificity were 92% and 99%, respectively, for urine samples compared to urethral samples.
By and large, these results are relatively consistent across studies. Interestingly, self-collected vaginal swabs were closer in effectiveness to cervical swabs than urine testing. For some women, those may be a more acceptable alternative to a pelvic exam if urine testing isn’t available.