Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection. Sometimes it may not cause symptoms. When having a chlamydia lab testing, there’s an analysis of a sample of your urine for the presence of this infection. When testing women using a swab test, the doctor takes a swab from the cervix for culture or antigen testing. However, for men, your doctor inserts a slim swab into the end of your penis to get a sample from your urethra.
You should consider getting retested in about three months if you had treated it initially.
How Chlamydia is Treated
Chlamydia can be treated using antibiotics. During the time that the infection resolves, it’s a recommendation that you should abstain from sex. In many cases, the condition usually resolves within one to two weeks. Having treated chlamydia in the past doesn’t mean you can’t get it again. You should also ensure that your partner is also treated even if they have no symptoms because the infection can be passed between sexual partners.
What to Expect from Your Doctor If You Go for Testing
Your doctor will most likely ask you the following questions:
- Have you experienced sores or unusual discharge?
- Are you consistently using condoms during sex?
- Does your pelvic hurt?
- How many sexual partners do you have?
- Do you feel pain while urinating?
Preparing for Chlamydia Lab Testing
Men shouldn’t urinate for 3 to 4hours if the sample is to be taken from your penis. Women, however, are not supposed to do anything when preparing for the test.
What the Test Results Mean
A positive test result indicates that chlamydia is present, and you have the infection. Your health care provider will prescribe antibiotics treatment if you test positive. In the US, the law often requires that doctors report people’s names with the infection to the health department. It’s because the department can monitor diseases that are resistant to the usual antibiotics.
Abnormal Test Results
Test results are part of the bigger picture of your medical history and current health. To check if the first results were correct, you can repeat your lab testing. You can also talk to your doctor and ask questions about your test results.
The following are the questions you can ask your doctor if your test result is positive:
- When do you need to be tested again?
- How do you protect yourself from getting reinfected
- Do you need any additional tests?
- When will it be safe to have sex again?
It’s wise to get your sexual partner tested if you have a positive test result. When having sex, you should use latex condoms to prevent reinfection.
Significance of Chlamydia Lab Testing
Doing this test is crucial in knowing if you have a chlamydial infection. The infection is severe, as it may not cause symptoms at first. If you don’t treat it earlier, it can, later on, cause pain and health problems like arthritis and infertility.
After your lab test, ensure to confirm with your doctor when to get your test results.
