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Chlamydia testing
in London
Urine sample or swab, result the same day, and treatment prescribed at the same appointment if you need it.
Most people who have it have no idea
Chlamydia is the commonest bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the UK, and the reason it spreads so easily is that it usually causes nothing at all. No pain, no discharge, nothing to notice. People find out because a partner tells them, or because they tested for something else.
That is worth saying plainly, because a lot of people talk themselves out of testing on the grounds that they feel fine. Feeling fine is the normal presentation.
The good news is that it is straightforward to find and straightforward to treat. A urine sample or a swab, a result in four to six hours, and antibiotics prescribed at the same appointment if the result is positive.
We can test from 14 days after the exposure you are concerned about. If you have symptoms now, or a partner has tested positive, do not wait. Come in and we will advise on timing.
The test
Which sample you need depends on the sex you had
£89 for the test, in addition to the £89 consultation.
Urine or genital swab
The standard test, and what most people need.
Throat and rectal swabs
Available here, and often the ones that matter.
Symptoms
If there are symptoms at all
Pain passing urine
Burning or stinging. Easy to mistake for a urine infection, and often treated as one.
Unusual discharge
A change in colour, consistency or amount, from the penis or vagina.
Bleeding between periods
Or after sex. Worth testing for rather than watching.
Pelvic or testicular pain
Lower abdominal pain, or pain and swelling in one testicle.
Rectal discomfort
Pain, discharge or bleeding after anal sex. Needs a rectal swab, not a urine test.
Nothing whatsoever
The commonest picture by a wide margin, and the reason testing rather than waiting is the right call.
Left untreated, chlamydia can affect fertility. That is the reason to test, and it is also the reason not to panic: treated promptly, it usually causes no lasting harm.
Questions
Things people ask us
Do I have to tell my partners?
It is strongly advised. They may well have it without knowing, and an untreated partner can pass it straight back to you after your own treatment has worked. We will talk through who needs telling and how far back to go. If you would rather not do it directly, partner notification can be done anonymously, and we can explain how that works.
Will this go on my NHS record?
Not unless you want it to. Nothing is shared with your NHS GP surgery without your say-so. Some people do ask us to write to their GP, particularly if there is a related ongoing problem, but that is a choice you make rather than something that happens automatically.
Will chlamydia affect my fertility?
Untreated infection over a long period can affect fertility, and that is the honest reason testing matters rather than a scare tactic. Treated promptly it usually causes no lasting harm at all. If you have had chlamydia in the past and are worried about it now, that is worth a consultation in its own right.
Do I need a repeat test after treatment?
Sometimes, depending on the circumstances and on whether there is any chance of reinfection. The GP will tell you at the appointment whether one is needed and when to come back. You will also be told how long to avoid sex for, which matters as much as the treatment itself.
Related
Often tested at the same time
Gonorrhoea testing
Same 14-day window, same sample types. Almost always tested alongside chlamydia.
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› See moreTested and treated in one day
Result in four to six hours, and a prescription at the same appointment if you need one.