Female Health World » Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Chlamydia & Gonorrhoea Home Test (British Only)

admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:53:56 +0000

Chlamydia is caused by a bacterial infection and is the most common sexually transmitted disease affecting about 1 in 20 people between 15 and 50. This test will look for the presence of the bacteria chlamydia trachomatis in your urine. It is important to test for chlamydia as the disease doesn’t always produce symptoms but left untreated can cause infertility and ectopic pregnancy. Chlamydia is easily treated with a course of antibiotics.

This test is simple to carry out – all that is required is a urine sample which is then sent for laboratory testing. The results will then be sent to you in a plain envelope within 7-10 days. For more information on this test please read below.

Why do I need this test?

Chlamydia is passed on during unprotected sexual intercourse so if you have had unprotected sex you are at risk of being infected. Not everyone with chlamydia will have symptoms but left untreated chlamydia can cause serious problems in later life. Problems that chlamydia can cause include the following:

* Pelvic inflammatory disease
* Ectopic pregnancy.
* Inflammation of the testicles.

What does the test involve?

This test is simple a urine specimen is all that is required. We recommend that you take your urine specimen first thing in the morning and post as soon as possible after collection. As the hospital only works Monday to Friday we recommend you post the urine specimen Saturday to Wednesday to minimise any delay in processing your sample.

To find out more about this home test simply click the link below. They offer 3 tests you can do at home.

Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia Urine Test - £20 Off!
Chlamydia Swab Home Test (female only) – £10 Off!
Chlamydia (Urine Test – Laboratory) – £3 Off!

Home STD Testing (Americans Only)

admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:43:02 +0000

Personalabs provides the same health screening tests available through your doctor, but without the scheduling, waiting and the costs associated with a doctor’s appointment. There are more than 6000 tests, including: Female Health, Male Health,Autoimmune Disorder, Allergy, Arthritis, Cancer screenings, Diabetes, Drug, General Health, Heart Health, STD’s and HIV Testing. Our client is offered a totally discreet, confidential, affordable, direct testing alternative with over 1700 locations nationwide, and all tests are provided through LabCorp.

There are four easy steps to generate and complete the order.

1. Select a test.
2. Create an account and password that provides complete privacy, security and HIPPA compliance.
3. Pay online (Pal Pal or credit cards)
4. Choose the location that is convenient and have the specimen collected, then view the results online within 48 to 72 hours.

The client can download and print in their own privacy, or share the results with their healthcare provider.



Syphilis Symptoms
admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:26:25 +0000
Syphilis symptoms
The symptoms of syphilis are the same in men and women. They can be mild and difficult to recognise or distinguish from other STDs. Symptoms may take up to 3 months to appear after initial infection. Syphilis is a slowly progressing disease that has several stages. The primary and secondary stages are very infectious.


.


Primary stage
One or more painless ulcers (know as chancres) appear at the place where the syphilis bacteria entered the body. On average, this will be 21 days after sexual contact with an infected person. Chancres may be difficult to notice and are highly infectious. The usual locations for chancres are:



on the vulva (outside the vagina) or on the cervix (neck of the womb) in women.
on the penis in men.
around the anus and mouth (both sexes).

The ulcers take between 2 and 6 weeks to heal.


If the infection is not treated at this point then it will progress to the secondary stage.


Secondary stage
If the infection has not been treated, the secondary stage will usually occur from 3 to 6 weeks after the appearance of chancres. The symptoms often include:



a flu-like illness, a feeling of tiredness and loss of appetite, accompanied by swollen glands (this can last for weeks or months).
a non-itchy rash covering the whole body or appearing in patches.
flat, warty-looking growths on the vulva in women and around the anus in both sexes.
white patches on the tongue or roof of the mouth.
patchy hair loss.

During this stage syphilis is very infectious and may be sexually transmitted to a partner. These symptoms will usually clear up within a few weeks, but may re-occur for years.


Treatment at any time during the first two stages of syphilis will cure the infection.


Latent and tertiary stages
If a person infected with syphilis has not received treatment during the first two stages of the disease then it will progress to the latent stage. The person will no longer experience any symptoms of the earlier stages, but their infection can still be diagnosed with a blood test.


If left untreated, the infection may develop into symptomatic late syphilis, also known as the tertiary stage. This usually develops after more than 10 years and is often very serious. It is at this stage that syphilis can affect the heart and possibly the nervous system.


If treatment for syphilis is given during the latent stage then the infection can be cured. However, any heart or nervous-system damage that occurred before the start of treatment may be irreversible.





Gonorrhea Symptoms
admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:23:50 +0000
Symptoms of gonorrhea infection may appear 1 to 14 days after exposure, although it is possible to be infected with gonorrhea and have no symptoms. Men are far more likely to notice symptoms as they are more apparent. It is estimated that nearly half of the women who become infected with gonorrhea experience no symptoms, or have non-specific symptoms such as a bladder infection.


Gonorrhea symptoms can include:




Women

a change in vaginal discharge; it may appear in abundance, change to a yellow or greenish colour, and develop a strong smell.
a burning sensation or pain whilst passing urine.
irritation and/or discharge from the anus.




Chlamydia Symptoms
admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:19:42 +0000
Chlamydia symptoms usually appear between 1 and 3 weeks after exposure but may not emerge until much later. Clamidia is known as the ‘silent’ disease as in many people it produces no symptoms. It is estimated that 70-75% of women infected with chlamydia are asymptomatic (have no symptoms) and a significant proportion of men also have no symptoms. Those who do have symptoms of chlamydia may experience:




Women

a minor increase in vaginal discharge caused by an inflamed cervix.
cystitis (an inflammation of the lining of the bladder).
the need to urinate more frequently, or pain whilst passing urine.
pain during sexual intercourse or bleeding after sex.
mild lower abdominal pains.
irregular menstrual bleeding.
a painful swelling and irritation in the eyes (if they become infected).