If you thought it was hard to find a confidential, convenient, affordable std testing center, then you haven’t checked out the latest section here. Not only do we list out over 3,500 std testing centers, but we’re building a search enabled page that will allow you to simply enter your address or zip code and find the closest std testing center near you! Come back soon and click on the std testing centers link for updates on how we are progressing with this great added feature.And for information on std testing, just click the link!Andrew M.
5 Common Mistakes That Can Affect Your Sexual Health
July 16, 2010 by
It’s not just about getting STD Testing, it’s about what to avoid also.The majority of us have learned to accentuate the positives and eliminate the negatives in our lives as much as we can. Just imagine! If we could eliminate ALL the negatives then we would only have positives left! Anyway, from time to time we have to pay attention to what to refrain from doing, on what to avoid, in order to avoid or reduce the negatives…There is a right way and a wrong approach to reduce the possibilities of you catching an STD. This article is about the negative, problem avoiding side of things, mentioning 5 things you really should avoid if your goal could be to limit your chances of catching an STD. While we all know the importance of STD testing, here are the 5 things you should avoid:1. Never have sex without a condom. The explanation you ought not do this is that the less of your body exposed to your partner, the less your chance of you catching an STD. Instead, you should use a latex condom every time.2. Never assume that your partner does not have an STD infection. The best reason for this is that virtually all STDs have the ability to infect without signs or symptoms. As an alternative, you would be better off if you just ask your partner to get an annual STD test along with their normal physical.3. Never assume that no symptoms for you mean no STDs for you. It is very clear that this can be a mistake and similar to point number 2. HIV, Chlamydia, and Syphilis are just a handful of STDs that can be present in your own system for years without showing any signs. What you need to be doing instead is get tested by your doctor or at any one of the thousands of publicly available std testing clinics.4. Never assume that your physician is already checking for STDs. The reason is clearly medical testing is very specific, and unless your physician knows that you are sexually active and are in need of STD screening, they will not necessarily test you for them. And so you should discuss this with your physician, or setup your own confidential std testing at a laboratory near you.5. Never think that not knowing is better. Don’t ever do this for long because the longer that you have an STD and it goes untreated, the more serious the complications. Remember that STDs are serious medical conditions that require quick attention in order to reduce the chances for serious complications down the roadCarefully and concientiously avoid these 5 common errors, embrace the alternatives offered instead, and your earnings and prosperity will be much the greater because of it.Realize how one can stay sexually healthy by going to this STD Testing web site at www.stdtestingservices.com.
Why STD Testing Could Save Your Life
June 23, 2010 by
The word “test” makes most people cringe. Images of grammar school, pop quizzes, and the SATs come to mind.Yet I’ve spent this month talking about a different sort of test – one that could help protect your health, and even save your life.April was STD awareness month: a necessary distinction in a world where one in two sexually active people will get a sexually transmitted disease (STD) by the age of 25 — and most won’t even know it. Yet chances are you’ve been putting off getting tested for the very same reasons pop quizzes made you anxious — you’re terrified of the results.Not getting tested for an STD won’t mean you don’t have one — it just means if you have one you won’t know about it. So do yourself and everyone in your life a favor. Don’t let another day go by without getting tested.Before you convince yourself that you’re not at risk, consider the facts. The most recent national estimates suggest that there are approximately 19 million new cases of STIs each year, half of them among 15-24-year-olds, and that 65 million Americans have at least one viral STI, most commonly genital herpes. In New York City, the statistics are even higher. Our AIDS case rate is three times the national average — making New York the epicenter of the epidemic. Our rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and herpes are also far above the national average.And when you break these numbers down by race or age, the statistics get even scarier. More than 80% of new HIV cases in 2008 were amongst men and women of color. For women, New York City’s highest rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea occur in teenage girls, age 15-19. Amongst men, boys aged 15-19 have the second highest rates, trumped only by those aged 20-24.To be sure, education is important too. New York City still does not require sex ed to be taught in schools — a fact that’s atrocious when you consider that about one in three young people in grades 9-12 are currently sexually active, and nearly one in five report having had four or more sex partners so far in their lifetime. Only two-thirds of New York City’s sexually active youth report using condoms at all, and one in five girls did not use any birth control the last time they had sex.Still, education doesn’t replace the need for testing. Many STDs are treatable — meaning the earlier they are detected, the earlier you can address them and the less serious they will become. A number of STDs are also symptomless — meaning you could have one right now and not even know it.STD testing is safe and easy. Getting tested protects your health, and can even save your life. You owe it to yourself — get yourself tested.Read the original article by Joan Malin on The Huffington Post.
STD Testing Now Available At More Locations
June 6, 2010 by
As std testing becomes more and more commonplace, so does the need for affordable and local std testing services. There are several companies that are now offering std testing so all that you need to do is visit their site or give them a call.STD testing centers are now located all across the country and can be found in virtually any populated area. You no longer need to visit your doctor or drive to a large city to get tested. You can find std testing in Chicago and New York, as well as std testing in Dallas and Austin.For more information, please check out any of the sites below:/http://www.getstdtesting.org/http://www.gettestedrightnow.com/http://www.localtestingservices.com/Cheers!Andrew M.
An Investment We Can All Agree Upon
June 5, 2010 by
After pouring through thousands of pages of healthcare reform, I was certain that I would at long last come across a topic that so desperately needed attention. With nineteen million new cases of STD infections each year in the U.S., I was certain that there were be an entire section, or at least a paragraph, devoted to this critical topic. After finally coming across it, I nearly wish that I hadn’t. The entire amount that our government plans on spending on this pandemic is one hundred and fifty million dollars. At only fifty cents per person, that is an embarrassing amount .If you somehow think that this shouldn’t matter to you, you are wrong. Over half of these infections hit people between the ages of 15 and 24. That means that they are your nieces, nephews, cousins, and possibly even your children. Even if it’s only someone you don’t even know who is infected with an STD, more times than not it’s your tax dollars that will be footing the bill for treatment of any complications that might arise.STDs cost our healthcare system billions of dollars each year, so a few hundred million isn’t really such a large sum relatively speaking. With almost $16 billion spent to fight the effects of these diseases, it would only make sense to spend a much larger percentage in order to fight them off before they even happen. Due to the silent and often deadly nature of these diseases, a proactive approach is an absolute requirement.STD testing, along with a willingness for more open and honest talk regarding STDs, can be a simple and effective way to fight this epidemic. We need to stop arguing about whether or not sexual education is the right thing to do, and start worrying about what message we want to send. Unfortunately, sexually active teenagers seem to feel that an unwanted pregnancy is the only downside of having sex. What they also need to be concerned with are the many different life threatening conditions that STDs bring to play.Whether we like it or not, sex is here to stay and we might as well accept it. The advent of the birth control pill has granted many people a false sense of confidence and has made them feel that they have done enough towards the goal of sexual responsibility . The truth, however, is that it’s also opened up a Pandora’s box of other issues that are still seldom ever talked about. If we look at the continent of Europe, we can get a better picture of what possible changes might benefit our nation. They are much more sexually active, and much more sexually open too. However, they have also seen their STD rates decrease at a much faster rate than the US.A year ago, there was $400 million in the stimulus bill for STD testing and HIV testing. However, both Democrats and Republicans somehow lost their nerve and quickly took it out. We should be united in this effort, as this investment can help trim our nations skyrocketing healthcare costs for us and future generations . Until then, however, we will continue to pay the price for this and other similar past decisions.
The Rising Tide Of STD Infections
May 13, 2010 by
Since the Institute of Medicine produced it’s summary report on STDs while meeting in Washington D.C. in 1997, STDs have often been called “hidden epidemics of enormous health and economic consequences”. As the study indicated, there is a steady reluctance to talk about them openly, just as there is with any type of sexual health issue. As one can imagine, the disastrous results of any issue with enormous consequences can only be magnified when there are so many people who refuse to even acknowledge it as an issue. If efforts to quell the rising tide of STD infections are going to succeed, then a many-sided approach will be necessary, starting with a prefatory understanding of the many issues in play.
Who do STD infections affect? – One reason why STD prevention is not a popular topic is due to the fact that most people think of it as an personal issue. They firmly believe that only those people engaging in risky behaviors or those already infected have a vested interest. What they don’t realize is that there is also an indirect affect upon us as a community, regardless of whether or not we or someone we know is infected. Long-term medical consequences, complications with pregnancies, and medical care for the uninsured are just a few of the ways that all of us are affected by this epidemic.
Why is this considered a “hidden” issue? – As discussed in the opening paragraph, our society, for one reason or another, continues to resist the need to discuss any topics that touch upon sexual health and openness. It can be an uneasy topic to touch upon as a social issue, and it may also be that our biological makeup creates a natural inhibition. However, another reason for its hidden nature is the behavior of STDs themselves.It is common for most STD infections that no symptoms or signs are apparent at all. Chlamydia, for example, can be completely symptom free in half of infected men, and for women that figure can go up to a staggering seventy-five percent. HIV, the virus that can cause AIDS, can lie undetected for years depending upon the strength of one’s immune system, and genital herpes may show up only sporadically for those infected. When there are signs of an STD, far too often those symptoms are the same as many common medical conditions, such as a flu or common cold. It’s for this reason that Syphilis has been called “the great imitator”. In a society that has become used to performing self diagnosis using the internet, it’s easy for those at risk to dissuade themselves from taking any action when they feel that no action is necessary.
What can we do to help? – Successful prevention of STD transmissions will require open dialogue and communication. We need to be open to acknowledging this growing threat to our society, and to not apply any negative stigmas or stereotypes to those seeking help and information. Anyone who is sexually active should make regular STD testing and HIV testing a part of their sexual health plan, and those responsible actions need to be supported by those who may not be active themselves. Instead of frowning upon someone seeking out an STD testing center, we should applaud and support them for helping quell the growth of what surely affects us all. Whether we like it or not, we are all affected by other people’s actions, and in this case, inactions as well.Want to read more from Andrew M. Gibson? You can find him on facebook, or check out his blog at www.stdtestingservices.com. There you can also learn more about std testing and how to find std testing centers.
The New Health Care And It’s Affect On Private Medical Testing
April 28, 2010 by
Now that the Health Care Reform Act has become law, privacy advocacy groups are naturally concerned about the effects upon patient’s confidential medical information. One of the key components of the new law is the sharing of important medical information through new technologies in order to create a comprehensive database of medical records. The goals of such a system are noteworthy: better care by hospitals, physicians, insurance companies, and pharmacies by being able to have an instant picture of an individual’s medical history. No one can deny that such a system would be a caregiver’s utopia…if executed correctly and efficiently.Unfortunately, very few large scale initiatives by our government have ever been implemented in that manner, and the scale of this one is unlike anything we have been faced with before. But even though many of the pieces of the new health care system are years from being implemented, people are already taking notice and starting to be concerned about who can see their private medical information.One industry that has already been offering confidential medical testing for the past twenty plus years is the online STD Testing industry. Started during the rise of HIV and Aids awareness, these companies, staffed with fully trained counselors and medical personnel, began offering confidential and quick STD testing to the one hundred million sexually active adults in the United States. Prior to this, the only option an individual had was to go see his or her physician, or to visit one of the crowded, understaffed free health clinics. In each of those scenarios, a detailed record was kept of what activity caused your concern, what types of testing you had performed, and the results of each test.While one might normally want as much possible information to show up on their health record, this type of testing might not be so welcome. As insurance providers started assembling more and more data on pre-existing conditions in order to rate potential customers, concerns began to rise. These “black marks” on one’s health record could possibly cause their already sky rocketing insurance rates to go up even more, and maybe even deny them coverage due to what might be considered “risky behavior”.Now, individuals can instead contact one of the many private testing companies, schedule the test at their convenience, and get their results in as little as one day. And all of this is done in private, without anything showing up on your permanent health record. Many industry experts see this trend growing as more parts of the health care law go into effect, and they are not only talking about STD testing. General wellness testing and DNA testing are now being offered and can give valuable insight into a person’s overall health and into any possible issues they might be prone to in their life. And only you know the tests you chose to take, and the results of each.Have any concerns or questions regarding std testing or need to find a private std testing center? Visit Andrew M. Gibson’s blog at www.stdtestingservices.com or feel free to email him for more information at agibson@localtestingservices.com.
Will Private Medical Testing Still Be an Option?
April 21, 2010 by
Now that Obamacare has become law,privacy advocacy groups are naturally concerned about what this means for patients confidential medical information. One of the key components of the new legislation is the sharing of valuable medical information through new technologies in order to create a comprehensive database of medical records. The goals of such a system are admirable: better care by hospitals, doctors, insurance companies, and pharmacies by being able to have an instant picture of a person’s medical history. No one can deny that such a system would be a caregiver’s ideal world…if implemented correctly and efficiently.
Unfortunately, very few large scale initiatives by our government have ever been implemented in that fashion, and the scale of this one is unlike anything we have ever seen before. But even though many of the components of the new health care system are years from being implemented, people are already taking notice and starting to be concerned about who can see their private medical information.
One industry that has already been offering confidential medical testing for the past twenty plus years is the online STD Testing industry. Started during the rise of HIV and Aids awareness, these companies, staffed with fully trained counselors and medical personnel, began offering confidential and immediate STD testing to the one hundred million sexually active adults in the United States. Prior to this, the only option an individual had was to go see his or her doctor, or to travel to one of the crowded, understaffed free health clinics. In each of those scenarios, a detailed record was kept of what activity caused your concern, what type of testing you had done, and what the results were of those tests. As insurance providers started assembling more data on pre-existing conditions in order to rate potential customers, more and more people were concerned that these “black marks” on their health record would somehow cause their already sky rocketing insurance rates to go up even more, or possibly even exempt them for coverage due to what might be considered”risky behavior”.
Now, individuals can alternatively contact one of the many private testing companies, schedule the test at their convenience, and get their results in as little as one day. And all of this is done in private, without anything showing up on your permanent health record. Many industry experts see this trend expanding as more parts of the health care law go into effect, and they are not only talking about STD testing. General wellness testing and DNA testing can now be obtained and can give valuable insight into a person’s overall health and into any possible issues they might be prone to in their life. And only you know the tests you chose to take, and the results of each.
Should you be Concerned about Your Private Medical Information?
April 9, 2010 by
With the passage of Healthcare reform,privacy advocacy groups are naturally concerned about what this means for patients confidential medical information. One of the tenants of the new legislation is the sharing of valuable medical information through new technologies in order to create a comprehensive database of medical records. The goals of such a system are noteworthy: better care by hospitals, doctors, insurance companies, and pharmacies by being able to have an instant picture of a person’s medical history. No one can deny that such a system would be a caregiver’s utopia…if implemented correctly and efficiently.
Unfortunately, a small number of the large scale initiatives by our government have ever been implemented in that manner, and the scale of this one is unlike anything we have ever seen before. But even though many of the components of the new health care system are years from being implemented, people are already noticing and starting to be concerned about who can see their private medical information.
One industry that has already been offering private medical testing for the past twenty plus years is the online STD Testing industry. Started during the rise of HIV and Aids awareness, these companies, staffed with fully trained counselors and medical personnel, began offering confidential and immediate STD testing to the one hundred million sexually active adults in the United States. Prior to this, the only option an individual had was to go see his or her doctor, or to visit one of the crowded, understaffed free health clinics. In each of those scenarios, a detailed record was kept of what activity caused your concern, what type of testing you had done, and what the results were of those tests. As insurance providers started gathering more data on pre-existing conditions in order to rate potential customers, more and more people were concerned that these “black marks” on their health record would somehow cause their already sky rocketing insurance rates to go up even more, or possibly even exempt them for coverage due to what might be considered”risky behavior”.
Now, individuals can as an alternative contact one of the many private testing companies, schedule the test at their convenience, and get their results in as little as one day. And all of this is done in private, without anything showing up on your permanent health record. Many industry experts see this trend expanding as more parts of the health care law go into effect, and they are not only talking about STD testing. General wellness testing and DNA testing can now be obtained and can give valuable insight into a person’s overall health and into any possible issues they might be prone to in their life. And only you know the tests you chose to take, and the results of each.
How will new Healthcare Regulation affect STD Testing?
April 2, 2010 by
With the passage of Healthcare reform, privacy advocacy groups are naturally concerned about the effects upon patients confidential medical information. One of the tenants of the new law is the sharing of valuable medical information through new technologies in order to create a comprehensive database of medical records. The goals of such a system are admirable: better care by hospitals, physicians , insurance companies, and pharmacies by being able to have an instant picture of a person’s medical history. No one can deny that such a system would be a caregiver’s utopia …if implemented correctly and efficiently.Unfortunately, a small number of the large scale initiatives by our government have ever been implemented in that fashion , and the scale of this one is unlike anything we have ever seen before. But even though many of the components of the new health care system are years from being implemented, people are already taking notice and starting to be concerned about who can see their private medical information.One industry that has already been offering private medical testing for the past twenty plus years is the online STD Testing industry. Started during the rise of HIV and Aids awareness, these companies, staffed with fully trained counselors and medical personnel, began offering confidential and immediate STD testing to the one hundred million sexually active adults in the United States. Prior to this, the only option an individual had was to go see his or her doctor, or to visit one of the crowded, understaffed free health clinics. In each of those scenarios, a detailed record was kept of what activity caused your concern, what type of testing you had done, and what the results were of those tests. As insurance providers started gathering more data on pre-existing conditions in order to rate potential customers, more and more people were concerned that these “black marks” on their health record would somehow cause their already sky rocketing insurance rates to go up even more, or possibly even exempt them for coverage due to what might be considered “risky behavior”.Now, individuals can as an alternative contact one of the many private testing companies, schedule the test at their convenience, and get their results in as little as one day. And all of this is done privately , without anything showing up on your permanent health record. Many industry experts see this trend expanding as more parts of the health care law go into effect, and they are not only talking about STD testing. General wellness testing and DNA testing are now being offered and can give valuable insight into a person’s overall health and into any possible issues they might be prone to in their life. And only you know the tests you chose to take, and the results of each.
