Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Panel

FAQ About Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Panel

If you are sexually active, completing routine STI tests is a good idea and nothing to be ashamed of. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are prevalent STIs (sexually transmitted infections) that are often asymptomatic, making it all the more important to get tested. You may have unknowingly contracted one of these infections, and leaving it untreated could lead to devastating health effects. 

A chlamydia and gonorrhea panel can check for both of these STIs in a single test, giving you peace of mind. If you test positive for either or both STIs, you can begin treatment quickly, killing the bacteria causing the infection and preventing future health risks. 

At Rapid STD Testing, we make testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea simple. Continue reading for everything you need to know about the chlamydia and gonorrhea panel. Then, order your rapid STD test to stay informed about your sexual health. 

Understanding the Testing Procedures

When you complete a chlamydia and gonorrhea panel, your healthcare provider will collect a single sample. Then, the lab will test the sample for both STIs. 

The two main testing procedures for chlamydia and gonorrhea are urine tests and swabs. Review the testing methods for each below.

Urine Tests

In a urine test, you will need to collect the urine that first comes out when you start to urinate. This is known as first-catch urine. If your genitals have become infected with chlamydia or gonorrhea, the bacteria will be present in this initial urine. 

When collecting a first-catch urine sample, don’t wipe your genital area clean before you urinate. Be sure to follow your healthcare provider’s instructions for the amount of urine to collect. You should also avoid urinating for at least two hours before the test. 

Different labs use different methods of detecting chlamydia and gonorrhea in urine samples. Some use the RNA TMA method, while others use a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). Depending on the method, you may receive your results within a few days or up to two weeks. 

Many people prefer urine tests because they are non-invasive, but urine tests may not be quite as accurate as swab tests. Generally, urine tests are the best option for men, while swab tests are better for women. 

Swab Tests

In a swab test, your healthcare provider would use a cotton swab to collect a sample from the area you believe may have been infected with chlamydia or gonorrhea. Your provider will ask which parts of your body are involved when you have sex and may take a swab sample from your urethra, cervix, rectum, throat, or eyes. 

The test takes only a few minutes. To prepare for it, avoid douching or using vaginal creams for 24 hours beforehand. 

Your healthcare provider will likely collect the sample for you. If you’d prefer to collect it yourself, your provider may give you instructions on how to collect it. 

If you’re completing same-day STD testing, you should have your results within one or two days. 

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Why Dual Testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Is Crucial

Chlamydia and gonorrhea are incredibly common sexually transmitted diseases that often do not produce symptoms. As a result, they can spread from person to person unknowingly. The only way to identify these infections in many cases is through an STI test. 

Additionally, chlamydia and gonorrhea often occur together. That’s why dual-testing, or testing for both at the same time, is so important. 

One study found that approximately 24% of heterosexual men and 38% of women who had gonorrhea also had chlamydia. Only testing for one STI could lead you to overlook the other and seek the wrong type of antibiotic treatment. 

Chlamydia and gonorrhea co-infections are common for a few reasons:

  • Both often have no symptoms, so infected individuals may unknowingly contract and pass them for months before seeking a 10-panel STD test from Rapid STD Testing. 
  • When symptoms are prevalent, the STD symptoms for both are similar, including painful urination and genital discharge. Infected individuals may only identify and treat one infection, thinking they have taken care of the problem. 
  • People who contract one STI are often likely to contract more than one because they have multiple sexual partners. 
  • Both STIs are incredibly common, and infected individuals can easily pass them to sexual partners. 

For these reasons, healthcare providers typically recommend dual testing for both STIs. Doing so is the only way to completely rule out both infections and ensure you receive the proper treatment. Failing to test for both STIs could leave you to treat only one infection while leaving the other to worsen in your body. 

What Happens If You Don’t Treat Chlamydia and Gonorrhea?

If left untreated, chlamydia and gonorrhea can create significant health risks. Women may experience pelvic inflammatory syndrome, which occurs when the STI moves into the uterus or fallopian tubes. Eventually, pelvic inflammatory disease can cause infertility, ectopic pregnancies, and other complications. 

In men, untreated gonorrhea or chlamydia can lead to epididymitis and infertility. It can also spread to the blood, leading to disseminated gonococcal infection. 

Without adequate testing, you may never know you have gonorrhea or chlamydia until it progresses into one of these serious conditions. Routine testing is an important step in staying empowered over your sexual health. 

Post-Test Actions: Treatment and Partner Notification

After completing your chlamydia and gonorrhea panel, you should receive your test results within a few days. Your results will either be positive or negative for both STIs. 

A positive result means the lab has detected the presence of the chlamydia or gonorrhea bacteria in your sample. The results will indicate which infection is present, if not both. Your healthcare provider will use your test results to determine which antibiotic treatment to prescribe. 

The most common treatment for gonorrhea is an intramuscular injection of 500 mg of ceftriaxone. If you tested positive for chlamydia, your provider may prescribe either oral doxycycline or oral azithromycin. 

If you have both STDs, your provider may prescribe a combination of both types of treatments. Be sure to follow your provider’s instructions precisely and take the full round of antibiotics, even if you feel better. Failing to complete treatment could leave you with antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea or chlamydia, which is much more challenging to treat. 

If you initially tested negative for chlamydia and/or gonorrhea, you may have had a false negative result. If you’re experiencing symptoms, your healthcare provider may advise a re-test within a few weeks. 

Post-Treatment Actions

After completing your treatment for either or both infections, you should wait at least seven days before having sex again. Doing so will give the treatment time to kill off your infection. 

You should also notify anyone you have had sex within the past 60 days of your test results and urge them to seek testing as well. Your sexual partners could also unknowingly have chlamydia and/or gonorrhea, and without testing, they may allow these conditions to progress into worse health effects. 

While notifying your partners may feel embarrassing, it doesn’t have to be a big deal. Send them a quick text or email and stick to the facts. You don’t need to provide unnecessary details; just inform them of your results. 

Your healthcare provider will likely advise that you complete a test-of-cure approximately three months after completing treatment. This test will evaluate whether your treatment cleared the chlamydia/gonorrhea infection from your body.

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Order Your Chlamydia and Gonorrhea  Panel Today

When was the last time you completed an STD panel? Ordering a chlamydia and gonorrhea panel may be a smart idea if you’ve had any new sexual partners within the past year. These tests are quick and painless, and you can receive your results within a few days. If nothing else, they can give you peace of mind that you do not have any undetected STIs. 

Rapid STD Testing makes testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea easy and stress-free. Order your same-day STD test today, and we’ll match you with a lab near you and walk you through the steps to complete your panel. Then, read our recent blog post to learn what STDs are permanent.