Chlamydia Test: Where To Get Tested
By Space Coast Daily // November 5, 2021
There is nothing wrong with being happily in love and sexually active. However, things may go awry if you are not careful and catch an STD. With STD cases on the rise, it is essential that you break the taboos and go for an STD test at least once a year.
Now, among all the STDs, chlamydia is one such STD that is massively increasing. So, if you are wondering whether you have chlamydia or not, don’t think twice and opt for a chlamydia test. This way, you can say goodbye to your anxiety and stress when the result comes back negative! Want to know more about how to take a chlamydia test? Keep reading.
How Do You Determine That You Have Chlamydia?
Just like most STDs, chlamydia, too, does not show symptoms during the early stage. It may be weeks before you start noticing its symptoms. These may include pain while urinating, yellow discharge, pain while having sexual intercourse, and the need to urinate frequently. Keep in mind that these symptoms may differ among men and women.
On taking a chlamydia test and the result coming back positive, you will need to take treatment like oral antibiotics. This treatment will depend on how severe or minor the infection is. In most cases, these prescriptions might be for ten days. During this time, it is advisable that you refrain from involving in any sexual activity.
What Is The Procedure For A Chlamydia Test?
Suppose you have decided that you want to go for a chlamydia test, well and good! Now, you need to know that the procedure for doing a chlamydia test is different between men and women. Let’s take a look at the chlamydia test for men first.
Being a man, the procedure for getting this test done is to collect a sample from your penis’ head. The doctor will also take a throat swab, anus swab, or urethra swab. You don’t have to worry as they will use different clean swabs while collecting more than one sample.
If you are a woman, the procedure will remain the same. Except here, the doctor will gently rub your vagina with a swab or clean brush to collect the sample.
For both men and women, you may also have to give a urine sample. All in all, the procedure for a chlamydia test will take less than ten minutes and won’t be painful at all.
If you want, you could also opt for an at home chlamydia test kit. As the name suggests, you can take this test at home at your own time and convenience. All you need to do is follow the simple instructions for the test available on the kit. You don’t have to worry, as these home tests are known to be effective as the ones you take at an STD clinic.
Where Can You Go For A Chlamydia Test?
Gone are the days when going for an STD test was scorned upon. According to the CDC, with as many as 1.7 million reported cases of chlamydia every year, the time is now to take control of your life! This way, you are protecting yourself and your partner from any unfortunate incidents in the future.
Having said that, if you are looking forward to going for a chlamydia test, you won’t have to look further. That’s because you are surely going to find partner labs and STD clinics near you, wherever you may be. For instance, when you choose STD Testing Now’s partner labs, you will be amazed to find them in every nook and corner. Not only that, but they remain open till late afternoon, giving you ample time to go ahead and get tested for chlamydia.
In most cases, you will get back the results within a period of five days. If it comes back negative, you don’t have to worry about anything! However, on the off chance that you are tested positive for this STD, you will have to undergo treatment. You can consult with your doctor regarding the result, who will guide you along the way on what needs to be done next. With chlamydia being curable, you need to ensure that you take the treatment seriously and finish the whole course. This applies to when the symptoms no longer show, too.
Before you get into a physical relationship with someone new, make sure to have a word with them about getting a chlamydia test or STD test in general. This way, you both will have nothing to worry about when it comes to contracting or transmitting the infection. You can also go ahead and make the relationship stronger without always having to worry about getting infected with chlamydia or any other type of STD.
What Happens When Chlamydia Is Left Untreated?
If you happen to ignore the symptoms of chlamydia and leave it untreated, it may lead to hazardous health conditions. For both men and women, it may lead to fertility issues. While men may see inflammation of testicles, women may start developing pelvic pain, resulting in a pelvic inflammatory disease. Being a woman, it is most essential that you go for a chlamydia test if you are pregnant. If not, there is a high risk of transmission of the infection to your baby. It may lead to pneumonia or pink eye in the baby as soon as it’s born.
It is not entirely possible to keep away from STDs like chlamydia. However, there are means and ways in which you can take precautions. One of the most important precautions you could take is to avoid having multiple sexual partners. You could also use protection while having sexual intercourse to keep away from chlamydia.
No matter what you do, once you are sexually active, it is pertinent that you go for an STD test once every year. With a chlamydia test being easy to conduct, you don’t have to worry about spending time and energy in the lab. Moreover, all your personal details will remain confidential, so there’s nothing for you to worry about.
