STD Swab Test Kits
At-home STD testing is appealing for many reasons. It’s convenient, safe, and, of course, it’s private. No worrying trips to the free clinic, no awkward conversations with your doctor. Thanks to innovations in testing technology, oral and rectal swab test kits for gonorrhea and chlamydia can be used today. These kits can reliably test for chlamydia or gonorrhea infections in the throat or rectum. And you can perform them in the privacy of your own home.
Here, we’ll explain how these tests work, what they can detect, and what you can do to ensure your sexual health and well-being.
Oral & Rectal Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Transmission
Both chlamydia and gonorrhea are transferred through sexual activity. This includes oral, anal, and vaginal intercourse. Ejaculation does not have to occur for these infections to be transferred. Both chlamydia and gonorrhea can infect the throat and anus –– in addition to the genital region. It’s possible for someone with either an oral or rectal STD to pass it on to their partner through oral or anal intercourse, respectively.
Oral & Rectal Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Symptoms
Symptoms of oral chlamydia and gonorrhea closely resemble those of strep throat. Symptoms of anal chlamydia and gonorrhea include rectal pain, discharge, and/or bleeding. STDs like chlamydia and gonorrhea can remain asymptomatic for weeks at a time. Symptoms may disappear or lessen over time, but this does not mean the infection has gone away.
Oral and Rectal Swab Test for STDs
Patients can use these STD swab tests to detect the presence of chlamydia and/or gonorrhea in the throat or rectum. Note, the only way to detect these forms of chlamydia and gonorrhea is through these swab tests. A urine test will not detect oral or rectal chlamydia/gonorrhea.
Swab testing is easy and painless. Simply insert the swab in either the throat or rectum and collect a specimen on the swab. Then, all you have to do is bag the specimen and deliver it to a local lab.
Gonorrhea & Chlamydia Test Kit 101
It’s important to remember that chlamydia and gonorrhea test kits should NOTe used in place of full STD screening. Though these tests are accurate and effective, they don’t test for all STDs. So sexually active individuals should still visit a center near them to receive comprehensive testing.