According to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 5 people in the United States had an STI on any given day in 2018. Cases of chlamydia reached an all-time high that year too with 1.8 million cases in the U.S alone; making it still, the most commonly reported bacterial STI. While it can be cured with early detection and correct treatment, if it goes unnoticed, chlamydia can cause a range of complications in both males and females.
Just under 3 million sexually transmitted infections (STI) occur in the U.S. annually so if you think you may have contracted chlamydia - just remember, you’re far from alone. Testing for chlamydia can be done with a urine test or a swab test. This can be done with your health care provider or from home with an at-home lab test such as LetsGetChecked’s Simple 2 Test which checks for both chlamydia and gonorrhea.
How can you test for chlamydia at home?
Chlamydia affects millions of people every year and, living up to its nickname of the ‘silent infection’, it can often show little to no symptoms at all - making it easy for it to go unnoticed and untreated. Although rates among females tend to be higher than rates among males, chlamydia is so common that it can affect pretty much anyone who is sexually active; making regular STD testing crucial to keeping your sexual health healthy.
While chlamydia can sometimes be detected with a physical exam, it’s not always necessary. The most common form of testing for chlamydia is with a urine test or a swab test. If you would prefer to test from the comfort of home, you can do so with an at-home lab test.
LetsGetChecked’s at-home Simple 2 Test is a simple urine test and checks for two of the most common infections: chlamydia and gonorrhea (which often show similar symptoms). It’s recommended to wait at least 2 weeks from the time of exposure before testing to ensure accurate results.
The test will arrive in discreet packaging and a return envelope and clear instructions will be provided. Online results will be available within 2-5 days and our dedicated clinical team will be available to answer any questions you may have throughout the process. If you need more information about taking your sample, find out more here.
When should you check for chlamydia?
Commonly referred to as the ‘silent infection’, Chlamydia often shows little to no symptoms. This can lead to a lot of untreated infections which can cause possible problems later on in life.
If symptoms appear, in women, they may include:
- Pain when urinating
- Unusual vaginal discharge
- Pain in the tummy or pelvis
- Pain during sex
- Bleeding after sex
- Bleeding between periods
If symptoms appear, in men, they may include:
- Pain when urinating
- White, cloudy, or watery discharge from the tip of the penis
- Burning or itching in the urethra
- Pain in the testicles
If you are sexually active, it’s important to regularly check in on your sexual health.
If you’ve been experiencing symptoms of Chlamydia, it’s important to take a test. The best way to do this from home is with an at-home STI test. The process is simple:
- The test is shipped directly to you by next day delivery
- Activate your test and answer a few health-related questions
- Your health record will be reviewed by a medical team member and should you need any support services, they will be provided
- Collect your sample at a time that suits you
- Send your sample back to our laboratory using the pre-paid shipping label provided
- Your sample will be processed in an anonymous and timely manner
- Your results will be reviewed by our team of doctors. A member of our nursing team will contact you to deliver your results, discuss any next steps and offer prescriptions in some cases
You should take the LetsGetChecked STI test if:
- You become sexually active
- You’ve had unprotected sex
- You’re experiencing symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection
- You’re entering into a new sexual relationship
- You have received a notification from a previous partner that they are infected (STIs can remain dormant for years and/ or take up to three weeks to become detectable.)
References
