Sexual Health Awareness

Focusing on your family’s overall health encompasses many aspects of wellness. For example, when we define sexual health, it’s the ability to embrace and enjoy your sexuality throughout your life. It’s an important part of your physical and emotional health. Interwoven to your sexual health is maintaining a healthy body and positive mental health.

Sexual Health Awareness Month is intended to make you cognizant of issues that may affect your sexual health. The purpose is to educate you about protecting yourself and being responsible as a sexually active person.

According to the CDC, prevention campaigns are designed to inform the public about problems related to sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs. But, based on recent data, cases of STDs are on the rise; and remain a public health concern due to their high transmissibility rate. Specifically, there has been an increase in cases of gonorrhea and syphilis.

The World Health Organization reports that more than 1 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired daily worldwide, the majority of which are asymptomatic.

Not having symptoms to know if you have a sexually transmitted illness (STI) can provide a false sense of security. If you think you’re susceptible, a blood test is the most conclusive and thorough test available.

Many people who suspect they were exposed to an STI will make an appointment with their health care provider or a clinic, which may require proof of insurance and consultation with a provider.

But there is another way to provide the utmost confidentiality for what some might consider a sensitive matter. You can go to your closest Any Lab Test Now® location, without an appointment, for a private screening. The results are yours and you decide how to proceed with the information you receive, whether that means you choose to share it with your physician or not.

If you want to be proactive and take your health into your own hands, Any Lab Test Now® can help. We are a confidential health center that can provide STD testing for a number of sexually transmitted illnesses. If you have noticed unusual symptoms, you could have an STD that can be serious if left untreated and can be spread to another person.

STD Testing with Any Lab Test Now®

There is a Basic STD Panel that screens for several common sexually transmitted diseases.

If you are concerned a sexual partner may have chlamydia, it’s a good idea for you to be tested as well. This STD is caused by a common bacterium that can result in complications if not treated. It can be a serious disease that often has minimal or no symptoms, so you may not realize you have it.

Trichomoniasis is a very common (STD) caused by a parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. It causes vaginal infections in women and urethral and prostate infections in men.

The Comprehensive STD Platinum Female Panel tests for several sexually transmitted diseases at the same time. It tests for HIV, syphilis, herpes I and II, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, Trichomonas vaginalis, and HPV (human papillomavirus).
Similarly, there is the Comprehensive STD Platinum Male Panel. It tests for HIV, syphilis, herpes I and II, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, Trichomonas vaginalis, and HPV (human papillomavirus).
The Comprehensive STD Plus is another test for several sexually transmitted diseases. It includes a urine test as well as a blood test, which test for HIV, syphilis, herpes I and II, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and Trichomonas vaginalis.
There are several types of hepatitis — each caused by a different hepatitis virus. In general, hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis B can be contracted through unprotected sex, using contaminated needles, or other causes. You should take the Hepatitis B (STD) test if you have symptoms of an infection or have been exposed to the hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Our comprehensive panels at Any Lab Test Now® are thoroughly conclusive. However, some who suspect they have an STD may choose to get tested elsewhere using a venereal disease research laboratory test, or VDRL, to determine if they have the antibodies that the body produces when you have syphilis. The VDRL may cause a false positive if the patient has other conditions like HIV/AIDS, therefore a full panel screening is a better option to zero-in on a specific condition.

The Importance of STD Testing

Being checked for STDs is important for your overall health because, if caught in time, there are treatments and even cures for some of these illnesses. For instance, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis are curable. Others are viral infections, which are incurable but may be treatable in many cases. They include hepatitis B, herpes simplex virus (HSV or herpes), HIV, and human papillomavirus (HPV).

If you would like to discuss the results of these or any other blood test, Any Lab Test Now® provides DialCare — a service that is useful for customers who might not have health insurance and want to consult with a provider about the results or are looking for privacy when it comes to results. Perhaps you don’t have time for a virtual or in-person appointment with your own provider, in collaboration with DialCare, Any Lab Test Now® can explain the results.

School is Back, Take Back Your Health, Too

Any Lab Test Now® makes it easy to prioritize your health. As we round the corner with the start of a new school year, it’s important to be on top of your family’s health, whether that means coming in for COVID-19 testing or answers to health concerns.

Having bloodwork done provides options, whether that’s peace of mind or a direction toward healing, it is a great step in ensuring you’re doing all you can to safeguard your family.

Any Lab Test Now® is safe, confidential, and convenient for you and your family. We have more than 200 locations across the country. For the best way to start the school year, click here to find your nearest Any Lab Test Now® location.

STD Testing: Love Your Loved Ones Safely

It’s been nearly two years since COVID-19 first made headlines, and with the stay-at-home orders and lockdowns, many people turned to each other for entertainment. Whether it’s boredom or intentional family planning, there’s a lot of baby announcements popping up on social media feeds everywhere. While that’s the positive side to people getting busy, on the flip side, there’s a grim epidemic currently plaguing the nation. Sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise as fewer people are getting tested and treated.

The numbers are staggering. A recent 2021 study from the CDC states that the rate of STDs has hit a record high for the sixth consecutive year. More than 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported in 2019. This year, the city with the highest STD rate was Jackson, Mississippi, knocking last year’s titleholder, Baltimore, Maryland, to second place. Sexually transmitted diseases can have devastating effects. Now is a good time to stop the profusion of STD cases and make our sexual health a priority.

What better way to love yourself and your partner than making sure you’re in the best possible health to be intimate? It’s the ultimate self-care. There are many STDs to be aware of and protect yourself against. At Any Lab Test Now®, we offer a Comprehensive STD Panel that tests for all major STDs at the same time for one low price. It’s all completely confidential.

This includes:

STDs often have symptoms that mirror other diseases, making them hard to diagnose. Sometimes they have no symptoms at all. Even if you have no visible symptoms, you still have an STD; and without treatment, it can lead to several complications, some life-threatening. This increases the importance to check this test off your New Year’s to-do list as soon as possible. This way, you can focus on quality time with your partner(s) without fear of what you could be spreading without even knowing it.

It’s unfortunate that many of the side effects of sexually transmitted diseases are not felt until later in life. It is estimated that chlamydia is one of the leading causes of infertility, with at least 20,000 women experiencing this tragedy each year. However, if caught early on, chlamydia can be easily treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics can also treat gonorrhea and syphilis, but if left untreated, these STDs put people, including newborns, at risk for chronic pain, severe life outcomes, and HIV.

Since you can’t rely on symptoms to be a sure sign you have an STD, routine testing is vital to maintaining your sexual health and peace of mind. Once you get tested, if it’s negative, you’re encouraged to practice safer sex by doing any of the following to reduce your risk of contracting an STD in your future:

Use condoms
Communicate with your partner about their sexual history
Vaccinations (HPV vaccine is available and safe)

New Year, Better You!

Any Lab Test Now® provides transparent and inexpensive prices for customers who have no insurance, high deductible insurance, or simply want to monitor their health proactively. Any Lab Test Now® is committed to helping you prioritize your health this year. We encourage you to maintain your New Year’s resolutions. There are enough scary germs circulating around as you go about your daily life, don’t let STDs also be one that affects you. For the new year, have your sexual health take precedence as you make your way to a better you.

Book an appointment online or walk into any of our more than 200+ Any Lab Test Now® locations.

The ABCs of STDs

Just because the focus has mainly been on COVID-19 doesn’t mean other health threats are going away. Sexually transmitted diseases are a good example.

STD rates appear to be rising across the United States as fewer people get tested and treated during the pandemic. COVID-19 has reduced the number of places where STD testing is available. Many public health department workers who typically trace HIV and STD cases are being pulled off to help with coronavirus testing. A recent survey finds 83 percent of STD programs have paused services, and 66 percent of clinics report a decline in sexual health screenings due to COVID-19.

This couldn’t have come at a worse time in the fight against STDs. Combined cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia are at an all-time high in the United States, according to the annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Experts say these rates are an epidemic amid a pandemic.

However, despite the stay-at-home orders and calls for social distancing, people are still having sex.

STDs can have severe health consequences if not treated. The diseases are spread through unprotected sex. Sometimes a person will have symptoms, but it is possible to have an STD and spread it to another person even if there are no symptoms.

Just because COVID 19 is limiting testing at public health departments, you can still find out if you have a sexually transmitted disease anytime at Any Lab Test Now. A comprehensive screening panel tests for all major STDs at one time at one low price. No fasting is required. All test results are kept confidential.

Here are the most common STDs and the symptoms:

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most commonly reported STD in the U.S. It is caused by a common bacterium that can be treated with antibiotics. But if left untreated, chlamydia can cause serious complications. Symptoms include an odd discharge from the vagina or penis or painful urination. Only about 25 percent of women; and 50 percent of men get symptoms.

Women who don’t get treated for chlamydia can suffer permanent damage to their reproductive system.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is another common sexually transmitted disease. Like chlamydia, it is caused by a bacterium and has similar symptoms — unusual discharge from the vagina or penis and/or painful urination. Most men with gonorrhea will exhibit symptoms, but only about 20 percent of women will experience symptoms.

Untreated gonorrhea can cause serious and permanent health problems in both men and women, including infertility.

Syphilis

Syphilis is a sneaky STD. There are several stages of the disease, which can overlap. Syphilis usually starts with a sore called a chancre. It can show up anywhere in or around the male or female genitalia and can be mistaken for a pimple or ingrown hair. The chancres usually clear up in a few weeks, but the syphilis remains. A secondary stage of the disease involves a rash on the palms of the hands and/or soles of the feet. Some people may also experience flu-like symptoms. People whose untreated syphilis moves into the late stage can face serious health problems such as tumors, blindness, and paralysis.

Syphilis is easily treated by antibiotics in the early stage. The treatment will still work in the late stage but won’t reverse any damage already done to the body.

Herpes

There are two strains of herpes to look out for – herpes 1 (HSV-1) and herpes 2 (HSV-2). The main symptoms are painful blisters around the penis, vagina, or anus. However, not everyone who has herpes gets blisters. Even if you have protected sex with someone who has herpes, you can still catch it. All it takes is skin-to-skin contact, including areas that a condom doesn’t cover. Herpes is a virus and can’t be cured, but medication is available to help control it.

Some of the complications associated with herpes include bladder issues and an increased risk for contracting other sexually transmitted diseases. Babies born to mothers infected with herpes can be exposed to the virus during birth — possibly resulting in brain damage, blindness, or even death.

HIV

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. It can be transmitted through unprotected intercourse with an infected person or sharing a needle with someone who is infected. It can also be passed through body fluids such as blood, semen, and breast milk — but HIV is not transmitted through saliva or by kissing.

Symptoms of HIV vary. It can feel like the flu, with body aches, fever, and fatigue. There is no cure for HIV, but there are drugs that can help people with HIV live long lives.

Testing Recommendations

Regular STD testing is important if you have sex, no matter how healthy you seem. The CDC recommends that any sexually active adult get tested for STDs regularly, depending on age and number of sexual partners.

All adults and adolescents from ages 13 to 64 should be tested at least once for HIV. Anyone who has unsafe sex or shares injection drug equipment should get tested for HIV at least once a year.
All sexually active women younger than 25 should be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia every year. Women over 25 with risk factors (new or multiple sex partners) should also be tested yearly.
All pregnant women should be tested for syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B.
All sexually active gay and bisexual men should be tested annually for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. Those who have multiple or anonymous partners should be tested more frequently for STDs, including HIV.

Be at Ease

If you are considering STD testing but are wary of bumping into a coronavirus patient at your doctor’s office, you can be at ease with a visit to Any Lab Test Now. We provide you with a safe and clean alternative location for lab work. Each of our 185+ stores is sanitized several times a day, in accordance with the CDC’s protocols.

Any Lab Test Now is a committed partner in helping you manage your family’s healthcare so you can make educated decisions that will directly affect your quality of life. We want to put you at ease during the coronavirus outbreak. We are here to help.

Find your closest Any Lab Test Now at www.anylabtestnow.com.

The Test Some People Are Scared To Take

Thanks to research and breakthroughs, people with HIV are living longer, healthier lives with one very important caveat: they MUST get tested and diagnosed. The study found that those who are tested and begin treatment early should experience near-normal life expectancies. But testing continues to be a problem. Some recent facts:

Approximately 1.1 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV today. About 15 percent of them (1 in 7) are unaware they are infected. (Source: HIV.gov)
Rural areas are displaying lower rates of testing and diagnosis than urban areas, according to a new study.

With so many new therapies and drugs available, it’s more important than ever to know your status. Your local Any Lab Test Now can help. When you know your status, you can take the steps necessary to protect yourself and those that you love.

Why people don’t get tested for HIV

HIV is considered a sexually transmitted disease… one that can be spread outside of sexual contact. Because it’s considered an STD, people can feel a certain amount of embarrassment associated with a diagnosis. Any Lab Test Now is a judgment-free zone. We are discreet, and we will ensure your privacy. Here are four other reasons people give for not wanting to get tested, according to avert.org.

I don’t think I can cope with knowing I have HIV. The reality is that not knowing can be hard to live with as well.
If I test positive, people will find out. At Any Lab Test Now, your confidentiality is as important to us as it is to you.
I don’t need an HIV test because my blood has been taken in a hospital before. Your blood should NOT be tested without your consent.
I nearly always use condoms. Condoms are great, but “nearly always” isn’t always!

There is no good reason to not get tested. It could save your life and maybe even the lives of those you love.

About HIV testing at ALTN

There are two parts to the HIV Test at Any Lab Test Now. The first part is an initial blood screen. A negative result means there are no HIV antibodies and p24 antigen in your blood. BUT, if that screen is positive, the lab will run a confirmation test called an HIV 1/2 Antibody differentiation test. This confirmation test will determine an HIV-1 or HIV-2 virus. Results are ready in 3 to 5 business days.

An important reminder!

Having one STD increases your risk of becoming infected with another STD. If you’re considering the HIV Test, you might want to look at upgrading to the Comprehensive STD Panel, which tests not only for HIV, but also several other STD’s including hepatitis B and C.

Over one million people are living happy and productive lives with HIV, but the key is knowing your status. Let Any Lab Test Now help you obtain a proper diagnosis so treatment can begin and you can get on with living your life.

Spring Breakers, Read This Before You Celebrate

Class is done for a week, it’s time for spring break! The “beer-soaked blur” as it is commonly referred to, is an exciting time for young adults to get away and have a good time with friends. It’s become the greatest week in college student’s lives.

But, did you know that ½ of sexual encounters are unplanned and unprotected on spring break trips? Young adults are one of the highest-risk age groups when it comes to getting an STD. When the drinks start flowing, your ability to make rational decisions declines. The risks and diseases that can result from unprotected sex should scare you. Be prepared and use protection to decrease your chance of bringing home an unexpected souvenir that affects your long-term health.

It’s better to know exactly what’s going on in your body rather than taking a chance and potentially spreading a STD. Getting a lab test is the only way to know. ANY LAB TEST NOW® offers affordable STD testing that is discreet and confidential with quick, reliable results.

Have you checked out Hula? It’s a mobile app that makes it easy and convenient to find an STD test center, get your results online and share your verified STD status if you choose to. Download the app here and be prepared this spring break!