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Where Do I Get Tested For Chlamydia

Is There Anything Else I Need To Know About A Chlamydia Test

I Got STD Tested For The First Time | Health

Chlamydia testing enables diagnosis and treatment of the infection before it can cause serious health problems. If you are at risk for chlamydia due to your age and/or lifestyle, talk to your health care provider about getting tested.

You can also take steps to prevent getting infected with chlamydia The best way to prevent chlamydia or any sexually transmitted disease is to not have vaginal, anal or oral sex. If you are sexually active, you can reduce your risk of infection by:

  • Being in a long-term relationship with one partner who has tested negative for STDs
  • Using condoms correctly every time you have sex

What Does A Positive Chlamydia Test Result Mean

If the test is positive, the lab detected the bacteria that cause chlamydia. This means you have a chlamydia infection and will need treatment . You will also need to notify your sexual partners, so they can get tested, too.

After finishing treatment, you will need additional follow-up chlamydia tests. You may need another test three weeks after treatment and possibly another test three months later. Ask your provider when you should get a follow-up test.

How Long Does A Chlamydia Test Take

You will receive the result of your instant Chlamydia test just 10 minutes after providing your sample. After your trained doctor has completed the analysis of your sample, you will be given a signed and completed copy of the Better2Know Rapid Test Results Report. This will detail your confidential results.

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Just Diagnosed Next Steps After Testing Positive For Gonorrhea Or Chlamydia

If youve just found out that you have gonorrhea or chlamydia, you may be trying to figure out what to do next. Here are the three most important steps that you can take:

WHY?Many people with gonorrhea and chlamydia dont have symptoms. Why does this matter? Because an untreated infection can lead to serious and permanent health problems, even if you never have symptoms. Gonorrhea and chlamydia can be cured with the right medicine from your doctor. Just make sure you take all of your medicine exactly as your doctor tells you to.

WHERE?Your regular doctor can prescribe antibiotics to cure the STD. But if you dont have insurance or want to see someone else for treatment, there are other low-cost or free options. You can get tested and treated at your local health departments STD clinic, a family planning clinic, a student health center, or an urgent care clinic. You can also find a clinic using GetTested and ask if they offer treatment for gonorrhea and chlamydia.

  • In women, untreated chlamydia or gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease which can lead to health problems like ectopic pregnancy or infertility .
  • In men, chlamydia and gonorrhea can cause a painful condition in the tubes attached to the testicles. In rare cases, this may prevent him from being able to have children.
  • Untreated chlamydia or gonorrhea may also increase your chances of getting or giving HIV the virus that causes AIDS.

When Should I Do A Home Test For Chlamydia

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.

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How Confidential Is My Chlamydia Test

Our service is completely confidential. We wont tell anyone else about your chlamydia test and we dont share your results with anyone else. All our tests are delivered in plain packaging.

If your test is positive, you will need to share your result with your local sexual health clinic to get treatment.

See our FAQs for more information on how we keep your data secure.

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.

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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.

How Often Should I Get Tested

STD Glossary: Chlamydia

The CDC recommends that sexually active women younger than 25 years old get tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia every year. Women 25 years and older with a new partner, multiple partners, or a partner who has an STI should also get tested annually.

Sexually active gay and bisexual men should be tested for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea annually. In cases of frequent sexual encounters with multiple partners, the CDC recommends testing every 3-6 months.

If youre experiencing any symptoms of an STI, you shouldnt hesitate before getting tested.

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How Can You Tell If You Have Chlamydia

You can have chlamydia without experiencing any symptoms. In fact, many womenâapproximately 70% of those who are infectedâare completely asymptomatic, which means that they are also unaware that they are carrying Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria.

The lack of symptoms can cause health problems over time because an untreated chlamydia infection can lead to complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease . Also, if you become pregnant and have chlamydia, you may develop an ectopic pregnancy . Some people with untreated chlamydia may develop reactive arthritis, a form of joint inflammation thatâs caused by the chlamydia bacterium . Untreated chlamydia can also damage your reproductive organs, which could potentially lead to infertility.

Thankfully, effective treatments exist for chlamydial infections. But to get treatment, you first need to determine if you have chlamydia in the first place. As mentioned above, you could have chlamydia without any symptoms. But there are certain telltale symptoms you may experience that can help identify it.

Chlamydia symptoms look very different in men and women. If your male partner experiences urethritis , or has discharge from his penis, he may have chlamydia. If thatâs the case, you should both test for sexually transmitted infections.

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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How Often Should I Get Checked For Chlamydia

Sexual health check-ups are recommended for anyone who is sexually active. Frequency of testing also depends on your STI risk:

  • An annual sexual health check-up is highly recommended if you are sexually active especially if you are under 25.
  • Get checked more often during the year if you frequently change sexual partners.
  • Remember, you are at greater risk if you have sex without a condom with 1 or multiple sexual partners.

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When To Speak With A Doctor

Chlamydia Rapid Test Easy (Male &  Female Swab Inc) STI STD ...

STI tests are often a standard part of a gynecological exam or regular health checkup, but this is not always the case. With this in mind, anyone who believes they may have chlamydia should consider a test.

One symptom of chlamydia is a burning sensation when urinating. A person experiencing this issue should contact a doctor, even if a home chlamydia test has returned a negative result.

If a home test returns a positive result, individuals should consult their doctor to get confirmation.

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How Do I Know If I Should Get Tested

Here are some instances that would help you figure if you need a screening test:

  • Youre sexually active. Everyone who is sexually active should be screened at some point in your life.
  • Youre having unprotected sex. If youve had or want to start having sex with a new partner, its a good idea to get tested.
  • Youre involved in riskier relationships. If your partner has a chronic or long-term infection.
  • You engage in high-risk sexual behavior. High-risk behavior includes intimate contact with a sex worker, IV drug user, men who have sex with men, and having multiple partners, or anonymous partners. In these cases, youre at higher risk and should get tested
  • Youve had an infection in the past. You may be more likely to have an infection again, so its a good idea to be screened, about 3 months after youve been treated, if you are sexually active.
  • Youre a baby boomer. Because many baby boomers may have contracted hepatitis C before we even knew the virus existed and could test for it, and because they may have no symptoms of infection, we recommend all baby boomers be tested once for hepatitis C.
  • You have symptoms. This is a good time to have a discussion with your healthcare provider. Your symptoms and history will allow you to make the best choice about the most informative tests to look for possible causes of your symptoms.
  • Im Pregnant How Does Chlamydia Affect My Baby

    If you are pregnant and have chlamydia, you can pass the infection to your baby during delivery. This could cause an eye infection or pneumonia in your newborn. Having chlamydia may also make it more likely to deliver your baby too early.

    If you are pregnant, you should get tested for chlamydia at your first prenatal visit. Testing and treatment are the best ways to prevent health problems.

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    How Does Chlamydia Spread

    Chlamydia is spread when a person has unprotected sex with an infected person.

    Because chlamydial infection often has no symptoms, many people do not realise they have the infection.

    Even if you know a person well, you may not be able to tell they have an STI, because people can look healthy and still have chlamydia.

    Remember, you can get chlamydia and other STIs from a new sexual partner who has in the past had sex with someone who is infected.

    It can also be spread from a long-term partner who has had sex with other people.

    Attending Better2knows Private Sexual Health Clinic

    Chlamydia treatment in 100 seconds

    After arranging your confidential appointment, you will receive all your testing and appointment details via your choice of email or text. You will also receive your personal login details to your private patient area on our website accessible only by you. Here, you can view all your appointment details which includes directions and a map to help you locate our clinic. You can also access our detailed STI factsheets which provide detailed information about all STI’s which can help you better understand what you will be getting tested for. Your private patient area is where you will be able to view all your lab test results and access our anonymous partner notification service if you test positive.

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    Why Do I Need To Get Tested For An Sti

    There are many different reasons for getting tested for a sexually transmissible infection .

    You can have an STI test any time if you just want to look after yourself and your partner/s. You should have an STI test at the following times:

    • if you and a new partner are beginning a sexual relationship
    • if you have symptoms or just feel something is not right.

    A urine test may be all thats needed to test for an STI.

    Am I At Risk For Chlamydia

    Anyone who has sex can get chlamydia through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex. However, sexually active young people are at a higher risk of getting chlamydia. This is due to behaviors and biological factors common among young people. Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men are also at risk since chlamydia can spread through oral and anal sex.

    Have an honest and open talk with your health care provider. Ask whether you should be tested for chlamydia or other STDs. If you are a sexually active woman younger than 25 years, you should get a test for chlamydia every year. If you are an older woman with risk factors such as new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has an STD, you should get a test for chlamydia every year. Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men as well as pregnant women should also get tested for chlamydia.

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    How Long Does It Take To Show Up In People With Penises

    Theres no significant difference in the amount of time it takes for chlamydia symptoms to show up for people with penises as compared to people with vulvas.

    The only major difference in the time it takes for symptoms to show up among people of various sexes may be related to how often symptoms show up.

    According to the Childrens National Health System, 90 percent of people with vulvas dont ever experience any physical symptoms, while 70 percent of people with penises never notice any symptoms.

    This difference in who actually experiences symptoms between these two groups may have some effect on how long it takes for symptoms show up. But theres never been any definitive link between your sex and when your symptoms appear.

    How Long Does It Take To Show Up On A Test

    Chlamydia test and home chlamydia test for men and women

    There are several tests that you doctor might use to diagnose chlamydia:

    • Urine test. Youll pee in a cup thats sent off to a laboratory testing facility to see if any chlamydia bacteria are present in your urine.
    • Blood test. Your doctor will use a sterile needle to draw some of your blood and send it to a lab to see if antibodies to the chlamydia bacteria are present in your bloodstream.
    • Swab. Your doctor will use a cotton round or stick to take a small sample of tissue or fluid that carries the infection, which is then sent to a lab to be cultured so that lab technicians can see what bacteria grows from the sample.

    How long it takes for the results to show up depends on the test and on your specific health insurance plan.

    • Urine tests take about 2 to 5 days to show a positive or negative result.
    • Blood tests can come back with results in a few minutes if the blood is analyzed on site. But they can take a week or more if sent to an off-site lab.
    • Swab results take about 2 to 3 days to show a positive or negative.

    1 to 3 weeks to show up in people with vulvas.

    Symptoms may take up a few months to show up. This is because bacteria are living creatures and have an incubation period that affects how long it takes them to cluster together and become infectious.

    This incubation period is dependent on a variety of factors, including:

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    Whats It Like To Attend Sexual Health Services

    We have teamed up with local charity Enable Ability to develop videos and virtual tours to help people with learning disabilities to access Sexual Health Services.

    Videos are available below and via the Whats it like? App which uses immersive technology to help people who live with anxiety to access places and services, offering virtual tours and video walk throughs.

    Each video provides information about sexual health clinics in Portsmouth, Southampton, Basingstoke and Isle of Wight and provide information about what to expect when you attend an appointment for contraception or sexually transmitted infections advice and support.

    What Happens During A Chlamydia Test

    Chlamydia testing can be as simple as peeing in a cup. Sometimes the test is done by gently rubbing your genitals with a cotton swab, to take cell samples from your urethra, vagina, cervix, or anus. The samples are tested for chlamydia bacteria. Your doctor may also be able to see chlamydia symptoms, like discharge on your cervix, during an exam.

    Chlamydia can look like other common STDs like gonorrhea, so your nurse or doctor might test for a few infections.

    The idea of getting tested may seem scary, but try not to freak out. STD testing is a regular part of being a responsible person and taking care of your health. The good news is chlamydia is totally curable with medication so the sooner you know you have it, the faster you can get rid of it.

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