Testing For An STD Methods & Means

Consistently one hears that testing should be done if you think you may have contracted an STD. This is solid advice for numerous reasons, and your health and the health of your significant other is just one of them. Here in alphabetical order is a handy list to the methods and means of testing for a host of prevalent and common STDs.

STD Testing NYC List

AIDS/HIV

Blood testing is commonly used to diagnose the presence of the HIV virus. The oral swab testing method is also possible.

BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS or BV

This STD affects women only and can be diagnosed by a Gynecological pelvic exam or a testing of vaginal discharge.

CHLAMYDIA

Urine testing is commonly used for the diagnosis of this disease.

GENITAL WARTS

Testing for genital warts is done through a physical exam. Some warts can be diagnosed with the naked eye. Smaller ones need to be located through the use of a colposcope.

GONORRHEA

Results are acquired through the analysis of urine but may also be accomplished through a test of any associated discharge.

HEPATITIS B

A blood test is used to achieve diagnosis.

HERPES

Testing for herpes is also achieved through blood analysis.

PUBIC LICE

Commonly, a physical exam can be enough to positively diagnose the presence of lice and egg sacs.

SCABIES

This affliction may be self-diagnosed based on symptoms. A physical exam by a medical professional is also adequate, as is the infrequent use of a biopsy.

SYPHILIS

A blood test is the primary source of testing, but an analysis of the discharge from a syphilitic sore is also possible.

Testing is the only way to be sure that you are 100% healthy. If you suspect you may have been exposed to any of the above STDs, or if you are beginning a brand new relationship, the time is right to begin a testing regimen. In order to get started correctly call the STD Clinic in New York at 1-212-696-5900 to arrange an appointment today.

NYC & Herpes:When to Take The Test

News Flash from the NYC health department: Are you sitting down, all you hip New Yorkers? Are you comfortable? If you faint is there anything on the floor that will crack your skull open? Good. Well, it seems that ONE in FOUR of us are walking around with genital herpes. According to some studies this is a whopping seven percent over the national average. Seven percent? Are we really that…well…easy?

Whatever the reason, this is startling news and should have any “playa” or “Playa-tress” rethinking their next Saturday night moves. I’ll tell you one thing this morbid statistic says: When having sex with people who are not your long-term monogamous partners, for shucks-sake start using condoms! Is that too difficult to comprehend? “Oh, I don’t like the way they feel.” Oh, do you like the way it feels suffering from a killer herpes outbreak and having to keep those pants zipped up? Didn’t think so.

Living in NYC, we need to get serious about herpes. Grant it, herpes is a disease that can be held at bay through prescription medicines, but when the day comes that you’d like to settle down (oh, and that day WILL Come) wouldn’t you rather do it without pustules in your pants?

What The Heck is it?

It is a collection of viruses some of which cause a series of painful blister-like sores. The time between outbreaks vary and according to some reports as little as 20% of people know they are infected. This makes for a heck of a lot of new infections.

How The Heck is it Spread?

Skin to skin direct contact is the most common means of transmission. This is achieved through a variety of ways including orally, vaginally or anally. Although it is easy to contract the virus when there is an outbreak between one of the partners, it is also possible to pass on the virus when there are absolutely no symptoms present. This ALONE is a great reason take a herpes test.

What The Heck Are The Symptoms?

During the initial herpes outbreak one may experience swollen glands, fever and a headache. It may also be painful to urinate. Don’t be surprised if the sores are hidden inside your penis via the urethra or deep inside the vagina. The initial outbreak will heal over itself and disappear without any scarring whatsoever.

How The Heck do They Test For it?

Most New York City STD clinics test for herpes with the swab method. The test consists of little more than a minor scraping of one of the sores, usually with a cotton-tipped swab. It’s painless and easy. The herpes testing is very reliable and you should have your results quickly.

Armed with the fact that one in four people in NYC are walking around with herpes—many of us oblivious to the fac—should be enough to get us to a testing center. If you feel a test will benefit you, please feel free to log onto Herpes Testing NYC website or call 1-212-696-5900 to make an appointment with a specialist who can let you know if you are one of the walking wounded. If you are, there is medicine available to keep the outbreaks in check. It’s better to know, isn’t it?

The Top 3 HIV Myths –Is It Still Important to Get AIDS Testing in NYC?

The internet is a wonderful invention allowing men and women of all ages to access papers, books, articles, and figures on any subject that interests them. On the other hand the Internet is home to uncountable old wives tales and myths. The old saying: “Don’t believe everything you read” could not be more true with the advent of the World Wide Web. One must be diligent when searching for important information, such as AIDS testing in NYC.

Yet through the millions of lies, misunderstandings and politically-inspired railings that exist splattered across World Wide Web there exists the ability to find facts on anything that is important to you. The process is simple enough:

A.  Check URLS—or in other words know where you are getting your information from.

B.   Bulletin Boards are not text books—or do not take an individual’s ranting as truth.

C.   Differentiate between solid, medically fact-based sites—and others that clearly (and sometimes not so clearly) have a religious, political or lifestyle prejudice at the heart of its message.

Now that one has a clearer picture on how to obtain truthful material via the Internet, here are the top 3 untruths floating still out there in regard to testing for AIDS in NYC.

3. Heterosexual women are not at risk for contracting AIDS. Although believed for years, this is the opposite of the truth. In fact, women have actually surpassed men in new cases of AIDS worldwide.

2. There is a cure, but only the super wealthy like Magic Johnson can afford it. Although it is true that through complex cocktails of new drugs much has been done to keep HIV-infected men from contracting full-blown AIDS, there is no cure—for any price. Living healthily on these drugs is not easy. They are strong medicines that have many side effects.

1. These days HIV is only a problem in poor or third world countries. This is blatantly untrue and makes a mockery of the facts. There are currently over 1,000,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States today. If this number is not cause for concern what number will be?

Although one can get solid, truthful information through the internet the best way to join the fight against AIDS, and to arm oneself with the best fact of all, is to get testing done. In STD Testing in NYC is a good place to begin that process Log on, or call 1-212-696-5900 to make an appointment today. There’s no denying that finding out that you are negative for HIV test will be the best fact of all!

The Ease of HIV Testing in New York City-Controlling Your Health Destiny

The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, America’s foremost authority on HIV and AIDS, estimates that as of this writing more than one million people in the United States of America are living with HIV. Of this number approximately one in five people are completely unaware that they carry the virus that may one day develop into full-blown AIDS. This is an uncomfortable statistic considering the ease of HIV testing in NYC especially.

When faced with a deadly disease it is easy to bury your head in the sand and go about your business blind to the risks and facts. The fact is, however, that the ease of HIV testing in this day and age makes not knowing your status absolutely ridiculous. The death rates can be calibrated but who can calibrate the stress levels of individuals at risk for the disease not knowing their personal status?

In recent years the levels of infection have stabilized, yet the rate of new infections continue unabated and at high levels. It is estimated that over 53,000 Americans will become infected this year alone. Knowledge is power and being aware of your status is that power. Knowing that you are negative for the virus can be an incredible stress reliever, which can induce greater health in a variety of ways. Knowing that you are positive can begin the onset of a multi-tiered health regimen designed to keep you healthy and vibrant. Either way, knowing is the key.

AIDS testing is easy, affordable and reliable and every single American man and woman engaging in sexual behavior should be armed with the knowledge of their HIV status. There are different methods of testing being conducted today. These include the HIV antibody test, the P24 antigen test and PCR test. If the virus is located there are other tests that can be done for a variety of reasons including the best time to start anti-viral treatment to retain good health. These tests include the CD4 test and the viral load test.

All of these tests are blood tests that require a simple blood drawing. In the most commonly administered AIDS testing, the blood drawn will be tested for the antibodies that are created by the body in response to the HIV virus. All positive tests are followed by another test to weed out false positive results. This testing is done with the same drawn blood as the initial testing and is called the Reflex to Western Blot Confirmation. This test is also known as the EIA test.

Remember that these tests are easy and affordable and give us the power we all need, and deserve, over our destinies. They are the most important tools in your personal health tool kit. In order to begin building your tool kit log on to STD testing of New York website STDCenterNY.com or call 1-212-696-5900 to arrange HIV testing for you today. Grab the reins to your health now.