I thought that Covid tests are very uncomfortable?

GDB2222

I've just been for a Covid test. I thought these were supposed to be very uncomfortable, with them swabbing the very back of the throat and right up inside the nose? The lady who swabbed me, moved the swab around near but not at the back of my throat. Then she popped it a tiny bit inside me nose and moved it around for a few seconds. Is that enough? 

sweetsand

GDB2222 said:

I've just been for a Covid test. I thought these were supposed to be very uncomfortable, with them swabbing the very back of the throat and right up inside the nose? The lady who swabbed me, moved the swab around near but not at the back of my throat. Then she popped it a tiny bit inside me nose and moved it around for a few seconds. Is that enough? 

I've had it done for a hspt appt/review - it was uncomfortable both in the back of the nose and throat - spoken to ex work mates all say the same. Some of the family are doctors/consultans and all say the same and it's only comfortable if not done properly ie right the way to the back of nose/throat - I'm 100% sure you will get an clear as the nasty virus sits right back down the orifices.

Someone else may agree with you and if that the case and they can say they got the right result then thats good as it was uncomfortable

gadjah543

My test was really uncomfortable. The cotton bud was pushed to the point of no resistance at the back of my nose then twisted several times. My sinuses were painful for about 24 hours. I couldn’t have driven afterwards. Fortunately it came back negative but at least I was confident it was done properly. 

onwards&upwards

GDB2222 said:

I've just been for a Covid test. I thought these were supposed to be very uncomfortable, with them swabbing the very back of the throat and right up inside the nose? The lady who swabbed me, moved the swab around near but not at the back of my throat. Then she popped it a tiny bit inside me nose and moved it around for a few seconds. Is that enough? 

I didn't find it uncomfortable in my throat either, although I did in my nose.  They aren't bad for everybody it depends on your gag reflex I think!

The staff administering the tests will have had training but I suppose if you're worried you could go back and ask for another test done by someone else and see if it feels any different.

sweetsand

onwards&upwards said:

GDB2222 said:

I've just been for a Covid test. I thought these were supposed to be very uncomfortable, with them swabbing the very back of the throat and right up inside the nose? The lady who swabbed me, moved the swab around near but not at the back of my throat. Then she popped it a tiny bit inside me nose and moved it around for a few seconds. Is that enough? 

I didn't find it uncomfortable in my throat either, although I did in my nose.  They aren't bad for everybody it depends on your gag reflex I think!

The staff administering the tests will have had training but I suppose if you're worried you could go back and ask for another test done by someone else and see if it feels any different.

It could be down the person doing the test but on the whole they are not nice.
DIY is even worse as our neibour tried to do it and gave up and went to the local hub for one

ripplyuk

I had a test recently. It was a drive-through test facility and I assumed the staff would be doing the tests but I was wrong. They simply flung a test kit through the car window and left me to get on with it. Thankfully, the kit contained detailed instructions. It said to swab the tonsil area and then about an inch up one nostril. Worryingly, it also said that if the swab touched any other part of my mouth/tongue/nose, the test would be invalid. Looking around at the other people in cars there, many were elderly and some were trying to swab children. It was hard enough for me to do the swab correctly. I can’t imagine how someone with poor dexterity, poor eyesight etc would manage or how difficult it would be trying to get a young child to stay totally still for that long and not move their tongue. 

I very much doubt these self-test throat swabs are anywhere near as accurate as a proper nasopharyngeal swab. I also wonder how many false negatives happen, due to the tests not being done correctly. 

GDB2222

onwards&upwards said:

GDB2222 said:

I've just been for a Covid test. I thought these were supposed to be very uncomfortable, with them swabbing the very back of the throat and right up inside the nose? The lady who swabbed me, moved the swab around near but not at the back of my throat. Then she popped it a tiny bit inside me nose and moved it around for a few seconds. Is that enough? 

I didn't find it uncomfortable in my throat either, although I did in my nose.  They aren't bad for everybody it depends on your gag reflex I think!

The staff administering the tests will have had training but I suppose if you're worried you could go back and ask for another test done by someone else and see if it feels any different.

I'm not worried. I'm going in later this week for a minor procedure, and the Covid test was intended to protect hospital staff and other patients. As I've been keeping well away from other people, I'm very unlikely to be infectious, anyway.

SpreadableToast

sweetsand said:

onwards&upwards said:

GDB2222 said:

I've just been for a Covid test. I thought these were supposed to be very uncomfortable, with them swabbing the very back of the throat and right up inside the nose? The lady who swabbed me, moved the swab around near but not at the back of my throat. Then she popped it a tiny bit inside me nose and moved it around for a few seconds. Is that enough? 

I didn't find it uncomfortable in my throat either, although I did in my nose.  They aren't bad for everybody it depends on your gag reflex I think!

The staff administering the tests will have had training but I suppose if you're worried you could go back and ask for another test done by someone else and see if it feels any different.

It could be down the person doing the test but on the whole they are not nice.
DIY is even worse as our neibour tried to do it and gave up and went to the local hub for one

How is it worse, other than the gag reflex from touching your tonsils it's fine.  And as far as your nose goes you just stick it up as far as it goes and rotates.  It's not painful.

sillyvixen

It always surprises me how well some people tolerate this test compared to others, I find it unpleasant but not painful, some find it a breeze and sail through it while others gag, cough, splutter and their eyes water. We are all different I am a tester and what i do is consistent (although people's nasal cavities vary in size and you swab at the point you find resistance) its just some people find it painful and others are like 'is that it?).