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Herpes testing
in London
A swab taken from the sore itself, seen by a GP the same day. Results in two to five days.
If you have a sore now, come in now
Herpes is diagnosed by swabbing the sore, and the test works best while the sore is new. As it starts to crust and heal, there is less to find, and a negative swab from a healing lesion does not tell you much. This is the one infection where a few days genuinely changes the answer.
It is also the one people are most reluctant to be seen about, and that reluctance is the reason the swab so often gets taken too late.
Treatment does not wait for the result. If the picture looks like herpes, the GP can prescribe antiviral treatment at the appointment, because starting early makes a real difference to how bad and how long the episode is. The swab then confirms it.
Worth saying clearly: herpes is very common, most people who carry it never know, and having it says nothing about you. It is managed, not cured, and for most people that management is straightforward.
The test
A swab for an active sore, a blood test for past infection
£119 for the swab. Each test is in addition to the £89 consultation.
Swabbing the sore
How herpes testing works here.
Blood tests for past infection
For when there is no sore to swab. Results in two days.
Symptoms
What a first episode usually looks like
Painful blisters or ulcers
On the genitals, anus or mouth. Unlike syphilis, these usually hurt, sometimes a great deal.
Tingling or burning first
Often a day or two before anything appears. That is the ideal moment to book.
Pain passing urine
Common in a first episode, and sometimes severe enough to be the main complaint.
Flu-like illness
Fever, aching and swollen glands alongside a first outbreak.
Recurrences
Later episodes are usually shorter and milder. Some people have them rarely, some never.
Something you cannot identify
Plenty of things cause genital sores. Getting it looked at is how you find out which.
A first episode is usually the worst one. If you are in significant pain, say so when you book and we will get you seen quickly.
Questions
Things people ask us
Does this mean my partner cheated?
Not necessarily, and this comes up in almost every appointment. Herpes can be carried for years with no symptoms whatsoever and can be passed on when there is nothing to see. A first outbreak tells you when symptoms started, not when the infection happened. It is not reliable evidence about anyone.
My sore is already healing. Is it too late?
The swab becomes less reliable as a sore heals, and a negative result from a crusting lesion may not mean much. Come in anyway. The GP can examine it, advise you on what it looks like, and discuss whether to swab now, catch the next episode early, or have a blood test for past infection.
Is it curable?
No, but it is manageable, and for most people that management is straightforward. The virus stays in the body. Antiviral treatment shortens outbreaks and reduces how often they happen. Many people have very few recurrences after the first episode and some have none at all.
Will I have to tell future partners?
It is the right thing to do, and it is a conversation most people dread far more than it deserves. Herpes is extremely common. The GP can talk through how transmission actually works, when the risk is highest, and what reduces it, which usually makes that conversation a good deal easier to have.
Related
Related testing
The sooner it is swabbed, the clearer the answer
Same-day appointments, and treatment started at the visit if you need it.