Traditionally, people get std tests when a person has the fear that he or she may have made some bad decisions with regards to their sexual partner. This bad decision usually happens when there has been some celebrating involved. Many folks will be somewhat turned off at the idea of having to explain their promiscuous behavior to their physician and would option for a more discrete way of getting std tests performed. There are options now for people to get std tests without having to visit their doctor and feel shameful about their behavior. Online lab testing has made it possible for individuals to get the std test they want without having to sacrifice their privacy to a primary care physician that they feel embarrassed to speak to. With the increase in our sexual inhibitions, riskier sex has increased the amount of STD testing that we say from a quantitative perspective. The national average of std tests orders has increased by 12% over the past 5 years.
People may have different reasons for making such independent decisions to have STD testing done but the ultimate fact remains that there is a good enough reason to go out and get the std tests done to provide peace of mind. The most widely understood reason for STD testing is due to the unknown about a questionable sex partner. Direct to consumer lab testing websites have made it very easy for consumers to utilize std tests without having to see a doctor and tolerate the embarrassment of telling their doctor about unprotected sex.
The most common std tests that are ordered are:
Chlamydia/Gonorrhea Test (NAA) Urine
Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are the most frequently reported sexually-transmitted diseases in the US. In 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published guidelines for laboratory testing that emphasized the use of nucleic acid amplification tests in screening for Chlamydia trachomatis and also for Neisseria gonorrhoeae when conditions of transport could compromise viability of the organism.
Hepatitis std tests
This could be Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. These hepatitis screening tests will test for antibodies and antigens to the hepatitis virus.
Syphilis STD Test
This test can also be called an RPR which stands for Rapid Plasmid Reagan (RPR). The Syphilis test detects antibodies of the bacteria that causes syphilis (Treponema pallidum) in blood, body fluid, or tissue. The test is used to screen for or to confirm a syphilis infection.
It’s important to know that you can utilize direct to consumer testing by ordering std tests through various online websites that offer this service. These Web-based companies permit consumers to order std tests online. They contract with national laboratories like LabCorp to draw the blood and run the tests that are ordered by the consumer. The firms usually have staff physicians that sign laboratory requisition orders for tests without ever seeing patients. They also help consumers interpret the results, for example by emailing them with recommendations to see a doctor if their results fall outside normal ranges and by phoning anyone whose results suggest a serious abnormality. Some provide clinical advisors who can be on call to handle any specific lab testing questions that their customer base may have.
Customer service with many of these online lab services are very important because the consumers want to be confident that they can rely on a clinical advisor to guide them in the right direction. It is important to note that these advisors are in no way giving medical advice to treat any conditions. These advisors help the users to interpret the lab result report so that the customer can understand the results. All of these online lab services that offer std tests, strongly promote that the consumer seek the professional advice of a licensed physician. The personal health care revolution has empowered consumers to be able to monitor their health through various tools, technologies and resources.
The internet provides a vast wealth of knowledge that is useful to helping understand medical conditions and what to do when you are uncertain. In the case of unprotected sex or promiscuous behavior, it still comes down to getting the necessary std tests to verify if you have been infected with a venereal disease. If there is an infection and it is detected, it’s always wise to immediately see a doctor to seek counseling and get an official diagnosis. Once that diagnosis is made by the doctor, a treatment regimen will be prescribed to improve your std status. Having the ability to order std tests without the involvement of seeing a doctor has allowed for more people to identify std infections.