Worried about Testing for Chlamydia

Q: My sister thinks that she might have chlamydia. I have no experience with chlamydia, or any other STD, so I’m not sure what to tell her. I think that she needs to be tested, but she is worried that her friends and the rest of our family might find out. Could you please tell me more about the signs of chlamydia, as well as her testing options?

Name Withheld

San Antonio, Texas

A: Encouraging your sister to be tested for chlamydia is the right thing to do. You need to remind her that chlamydia does not always exhibit symptoms. About 50% of men and 75% of women never show any signs or symptoms of having this particular STD. In the event that symptoms are exhibited, she can expect abnormal discharge, burning during urination, lower abdominal and back pain, and even painful intercourse. Keep in mind that she may not experience all of the symptoms listed.

The best thing she can do is to seek testing. Testing can be sought in various ways, including through her primary physician or the local health department. It’s understandable that a lot of people don’t feel comfortable talking to their personal doctor about STDs, and a lot of people don’t want to visit their local STD clinic. We offer private, discreet testing at any of our testing facilities. All she needs to do is contact us and attain a registration number for the collection. No one will know that she is being tested for an STD, as we take every precaution to protect her privacy. If the test returns a positive result, we can also help her attain the medication to treat it.