Chlamydia Info

This section gives you all you need to know about chlamydia and gonorrhoea: the signs and symptoms, how to avoid it, what to do if you think you have it.

Chlamydia Info

Checkurself is an NHS online service offering free home chlamydia tests to men and women aged 16-24 years old and living in London. The kit you will receive will be the same one used at your local Reproductive & Sexual Health Clinic (STI Clinic).

Because we are part of the NHS, your kit and any chlamydia treatment you may need will be completely FREE and, because we provide a pre-paid envelope, you don't even have to pay to post your sample back to us.

To request a free home chlamydia test kit you must:
  • Be aged 16 to 24
  • Be living in London - to check whether you do, go to our Contact Page.
  • You can only request a Chlamydia screening postal kit for yourself.
What happens if I don't get treated for chlamydia?

Without appropriate treatment, Chlamydia can spread to other parts of the body causing damage and serious long-term complications.

In women

Chlamydia can spread to other organs in the reproductive system causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This can lead to complications such as pain in the lower abdomen, scarred or blocked fallopian tubes, infertility and ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy that occurs outside the womb).

In men

Chlamydia can lead to a painful infection in the testicles (balls), possible reduced fertility and an inflammation of the prostate gland in some men.

In men and women

Inflammation / swelling of the joints can occur. This might be accompanied by inflammation of the urethra (tube from the bladder to the outside of the body) and the eye (known as Reiter's syndrome). However, this is rare and more common in men than women.

Will I know how long I've had the infection?

A positive test result does not tell you how long someone has been infected. Some people get no symptoms at all or they can appear a long time after being exposed to chlamydia.

How did I get chlamydia?

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection. It can be caught by having vaginal, oral or anal sex; or sharing sex toys.

How do I protect myself against getting chlamydia?

By always having safer sex - using condoms. Other contraceptives, such as using the coil, the pill or the implant etc, will only stop you getting pregnant; they won't stop you catching an infection.

Using a condom for all types of sex can greatly reduce the risk of picking up chlamydia and other sexually transmitted diseases.

How good a gamer are you?

Many gaming ninjas have tried but none has beaten the 1200 score. In the game the city is being overrun with rabbits infected with Chlamydia and they're spreading it fast. It's easy-to-treat with one course of antibiotics – time to dish out the cure!

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What people are saying

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  • Straightforward, private, efficient.

    ~ Southwark Visitor
  • Excellent service that is provided to people who may not feel confident enought to go to a clinic and be tested or for people who are too afraid to go to a Clinic.

    ~ City & Hackney Visitor
  • Very helpful service, home testing is easier than going into a clinic! And so easy to order kits.

    ~ Greenwich Visitor