Syphilis Testing More Important Than Ever

Syphilis testing is more important than ever. Over the past few years, the number of reported cases of Syphilis has increased 11.8 percent and continues to go up. 64% of the reported cases of Syphilis occurred in sexually active homosexual men. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that occurs mostly in adult men and women ages 20 to 39 years of age.

In the medical community, Syphilis has often been called “the great intimidator” because the signs and symptoms are very much similar to those of other diseases.

Contracting Syphilis

Syphilis is passed from person to person through direct intimate contact with a syphilis sore. Syphilis cannot be transmitted through contact with doorknobs, toilet seats, swimming pools, by trying on clothes or by using eating utensils at a restaurant. Pregnant women, however, can spread the disease to their unborn child, which is just one more reason why syphilis testing is so important.

Syphilis and Pregnancy

Depending up on how long a pregnant woman has had the disease, syphilis can cause the baby to be stillborn or develop serious problems within a few weeks from birth. These serious problems can lead to developmental delays, seizures or even death. It is very important if a woman is considering pregnancy, to be tested for Syphilis, as well as other tested for other sexually transmitted diseases.

The Dangers of Syphilis

If syphilis goes undetected or untreated, it can move into the late and latent stages. In this stage, the syphilis infection will continue even though the infected person is showing no signs or symptoms. At this stage, syphilis can damage your internal organs. If signs and symptoms of late stage Syphilis do show up, they include the following: difficulty coordinating muscle movements, paralysis, numbness, gradual blindness, and dementia.

Testing for Syphilis

Testing for Syphilis in sexually active people who think they may have been exposed to the disease is imperative. A simple blood test will detect whether or not you have the disease. Syphilis can be treated with a course of antibiotics from your physician.

To prevent the spread of Syphilis, please practice safe sexual relations, as well as refrain from sex if you have Syphilis until you have cleared it with your physician.

If you have any questions regarding the Syphilis test, or any other lab tests available at HealthcheckUSA.com, please contact one of our customer service representatives.

Hepatitis B: What Is It?

Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are three types of the Hepatitis B: acute, chronic and perinatal. Acute Hepatitis B usually last for less than six months and your body is able to recover completely from it. Chronic Hepatitis B means that your body can’t rid itself of the virus and it may last for a lifetime and potentially leads to cirrhosis or liver cancer. Perinatal Hepatitis B is when the virus is passed from an infected mother to her newborn child.

Symptoms of Hepatitis B may never appear, and if they do it is usually within 12 weeks of acquiring the disease. These symptoms include the following: Symptoms of Hepatitis A include jaundice (yellow eyes and skin), abdominal pain, dark urine, joint pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and fatigue.

Hepatitis B: How to Prevent It

Hepatitis B can be prevented with a series of vaccinations which can protect against the virus for at least 23 years. Other ways to prevent the disease is know the status of any sexual partners, practice safe sex, use sterile needles, vaccinate before traveling to regions there is a high-risk, and be cautious before accepting transfusions in foreign countries. Also, if you are pregnant, get tested just in case.

Hepatitis B Test: How to Test for It

Hepatitis B can be detected through a very simple blood test. Health Check USA offers a Hepatitis panel test that will detect Hepatitis A, B and C. To ensure accuracy of the panel, HealthCheckUSA.com recommends a ten-hour fast prior to having your blood drawn. However, water and black coffee are permitted during this time. If you have any questions regarding this lab test, please contact one of our representatives.

Hepatitis B: How to Treat It

Once you have realized that you have come into contact for the disease, notify your doctor immediately to receive an injection of Hepatitis B Immune Globulin within 24 hours of contact. Once you have developed Chronic Hepatitis B, there really are limited treatment options. Your doctor may monitor vs. treat. If the doctor decides to treat, there are several antiviral medications you can receive. However, if there is sever liver damage, a liver transplant may be necessary.

Hepatitis C Testing: Do You Need It?

Hepatitis C testing detects this serious infection of the liver, which causes the liver to swell. Hepatitis C is a silent killer, as it rarely presents itself with symptoms. Unlike its counterparts, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B, there is no vaccine for the Hepatitis C Virus. Hepatitis C is a highly infectious virus that causes extreme damage to the liver and over time can cause liver cancer, liver failure, cirrhosis of the liver and even death.

People with Hepatitis C can easily spread the disease to others, even without symptoms. If you think that there is a remote possibility that you have been exposed to the disease, the Center for Disease Control recommends that you get a Hepatitis C test right away.

Hepatitis C: How to Prevent It

As mentioned earlier, Hepatitis C can not be prevented through vaccination. The best way to prevent exposure to the virus is to avoid certain practices. You can get Hepatitis C by the following ways: sharing drug needles, getting pricked with a needle that has infected blood on it, having sex with an infected person, getting a tattoo or body piercing with unsterilized tools, and being born to an infected mother. Also, if you have had a transfusion before 1992 there is a possibility you have received infected blood. Before 1992, there were no tests for the Hepatitis C virus.

Hepatitis C: How to Test for It

Hepatitis C can be detected through a very simple blood test. Health Check USA offers a Hepatitis test that will detect Hepatitis A, B and C. To ensure accuracy of the panel, HealthCheckUSA.com recommends a ten-hour fast prior to having your blood drawn. However, water and black coffee are permitted during this time. If you have any questions regarding this lab test, please contact one of our representatives.

Hepatitis C: How to Treat It

Once you have received your test results back and have discovered you have the Hepatitis C Virus, notify your doctor immediately. Your doctor may perform a liver biopsy to see the extent of any liver damage that has already occurred. There are two drugs that doctors can treat you with, peginterferon and ribavirin. They are given through shots and have strong side effects. If you have had the virus for several years, you may require surgery or even a liver transplant.

Order a Hepatitis Test Now

Just like any other kind of STD testing, hepatitis testing is definitely a case of “better safe than sorry.” If you suspect you might be at risk for hepatitis, or just want to make sure you’re clean, order a Hepatitis test without delay.

Hepatitis A: What Is It?

Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis A virus. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prvention, there are no long-term chronic effects to this illness; and once you have had it, you are immune to it. Hepatitis A virus is found in the stool of people that have the virus; coming into contact with anything that has touched the contaminated stool can cause the illness.

Symptoms of Hepatitis A include jaundice (yellow eyes and skin), abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite, and fatigue. Lots of times, Hepatits A can easily be diagnosed as something else.

Hepatitis A: How to Prevent It

Hepatitis A can be prevented through proper personal hygiene, washing of hands before cooking and after using the restroom, and being cautious when traveling to places such as Mexico, Africa, the Caribbean and South America. A vaccination is also available for the Hepatitis A virus, ask your physician about this.

Hepatitis A: How to Test for It

Hepatitis A can be detected through a very simple blood test. Health Check USA offers a Hepatitis panel test that will detect Hepatitis A, B and C. To ensure accuracy of the panel, HealthCheckUSA.com recommends a ten-hour fast prior to having your blood drawn. However, water and black coffee are permitted during this time. If you have any questions regarding this lab test, please contact one of our representatives.

Hepatitis A: How to Treat It

There is no treatment for Hepatitis A, except for rest and proper nutrition. Hepatitis A is a virus and you will just have to let it run its course. Please be advised, though, that a relapse of symptoms can occur for over a six to nine month period. If you do have Hepatitis A and you are experience diarrhea and/or vomiting, please make sure to get plenty of fluids in order to avoid dehydration.

Wellness Proposal for Good Health

Wellness Proposals are plans put together by corporate wellness providers, such as EmployeeWellnessUSA, that enable a company to determine whether an employee wellness program would work for them. Unfortunately, corporate health trends are going the way increasing care costs and skyrocketing pharmaceutical expenditures. Corporate wellness programs can help reverse these trends.

Wellness Proposal Building Block for Wellness Program

Once a corporation approves a proposal, they begin instituting a wellness program based on their initial proposal that involves health risk assessments, health testing, group exercise, and employee incentives to get healthy.

Wellness programs can be compromised of, but not limited to; dietary advice, weight loss and healthy cooking classes, yoga classes, massage therapists at the workplace, and stress management sessions, they look to an initial proposal to see the directions they need to take. Besides Wellness Proposals, EmployeeHealthUSA.com provides on-site staffing, on-site screening and online scheduling of the health screens.

EmployeeWellnessUSA offers free wellness proposals to help employers help their employees take charge of their health. Once they have discovered how to take charge, HealthCheckUSA can help them manage their health through the offering of low cost, direct to consumer lab tests.

How to Obtain a Free Wellness Proposal

You can get a wellness proposal by contacting an Employee Wellness USA corporate wellness representative. They will ask you all sorts of questions regarding your corporate goals, employee goals, budgets, etc, to assist them in putting together your personalized wellness proposal.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns about your health, or if you just want to get a headstart on your corporate wellness program; contact a representative at HealthCheckUSA and get started right away. The representatives are there to answer any lab test questions that you might have now and in the future.

Ferritin Screening: What is Ferritin

Ferritin, composed of protein and iron, is the storehouse in the body for iron. The doctor will order this test to determine how much iron your body has stored in reserves for future use. This test is usually ordered because the doctor suspects that you have too little iron or you have too much iron in your body – both of which have health risks.

Ferritin Screening: Low Levels of Ferritin

Low levels of ferritin can indicate several different health issues. They can indicate either anemia, restless leg syndrome, or iron deficiency.

Anemia, indicated by low levels of ferritin, can be caused by low levels of iron or a reduction in iron. Symptoms of anemia include mild skin paleness, less pink in the lips and the nail beds, irritability, fatigue and dizziness with a rapid heartbeat. It is very important to have children showing these symptoms to get tested, according to the Nemours Foundation, as anemia can cause developmental delays and behavioral problems.

Ferritin Screening: High Levels of Ferritin

High levels of ferritin can occur in patients with hemochromatosis, inflammation, liver disease, infection, and certain types of cancer, such as lymphoma and leukemia.

Hemochromatosis is an inherited disease found mostly in Caucasians. Hemochromatosis interferes with the body’s ability to get rid of iron. Over time, there is a buildup of iron in the tissues and organs which can lead to the dysfunction and failure of several organs. Complications of this disease can lead to diabetes, heart failure, heart attack, arthritis and cirrhosis of the liver. Discuss with your doctor the ordering of the ferritin test if you are concerned with this genetic disease.

Ferritin Sreening: How It is Done

The ferritin test is a simple sample test completed by drawing blood from the vein in your arm. If you have any questions about this test or any other lab test we offer, please contact one of our health experts.

The Roby Institute: The History

The Roby Institute, founded by Dr. Russell Roby, believes in diagnosing and treating the causes of many chronic conditions and common diseases versus just treating the symptoms. By understanding the cause, they can work toward keeping the ailment from causing a disruption in the patient’s standard of living. The Roby Institute also believes that a lot of these conditions and diseases are actually caused by allergies and hormone imbalances. To determine whether or not this is the case, the patient would need to have a series of tests completed.

The Roby Institute: Female Series Option A

The Female Series Option A is a panel customized for The Roby Institute and specifically for women. The Series includes the following lab tests: Estradiol, Progesterone, Testosterone, DHEA Sulfate, T3 Free, T4 Free and TSH.

TSH, T3 Free and T4 Free are all thyroid tests that help determine whether or not your thyroid is functioning properly. These lab tests can determine whether or not your symptoms are actually symptoms of hyper- or hypothyroidism. Some symptoms of thyroid problems can include: Fatigue and weakness, hair loss, dry and coarse skin, insomnia, and depression.

Estradiol, Progesterone, Testosterone and the DHEA Sulfate tests are done to determine hormonal imbalances, as well as Adrenal function. According to The Roby Institute, common disorders caused by hormonal imbalance are PMS, Weight Problems, Fatigue, Skin Problems, Mood Swings and Diminished Sex Drive.

The Roby Institute: Female Series Option B

The Female Series Option B is another lab test that is customized for The Roby Institute and specifically for women. The Series includes all the tests that are in Option A, as well as a CRP hs, Homocysteine, CBC, Lipid Panel and a Total Metabolic Panel.

Three of these additional lab tests are used to determine a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack or stroke. These tests are the CRP hs, the Homocysteine and the Lipid Panel.

The CBC, or complete blood count, is a broad screening test that can check for many different diseases and conditions. The Total Metabolic Panel is also a broad screening tool that is used to evaluate organ function and to check for diseases associated with the malfunction of your organs, such as liver disease, kidney disease and diabetes. Ordering both of these tests can assist a physician in determining your overall state of health.

If you have any questions about The Roby Institute Female Series of lab tests, please email our health testing experts. They are happy to help!

You Should Know About the CA-125 Cancer Test

The CA-125 cancer test may not be a household name to you, but it probably should be, especially if you’re a woman or there are women in your household. You see, the CA-125 cancer test is one of the best weapons we have against ovarian cancer – a lab test that, when properly used, can spot the signs of ovarian cancer and help people get the treatment they need.

Of course, cancer is the great silent killer of our times. Ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer among American women. The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance says that some 20,000 American women contract ovarian cancer yearly. 15,000 of them die from the disease.

As with prostate cancer, colon cancer and other kinds of cancer, regular cancer screenings are critical to survival. The five-year survival rate for women with ovarian cancer is a mere 45%. However, this rate increases to a much rosier 93% when a CA-125 cancer test or other cancer screening identifies the disease early, before it has a chance to spread. Testing is critical, and you don’t need a prescription for a health test like the CA-125 cancer test.

The CA-125 Cancer Test Should Be Part of Your Early Detection Routine

Unfortunately, many health professionals and medical textbooks still hold to the obsolete notion that ovarian cancer has no symptoms during the earliest stages. The truth is that there are many symptoms, including:

• gastrointestinal upset, including indigestion, gas and nausea
• changes in bowel movement
• mysterious weight gain or loss
• pain during intercourse
• lack of energy and breath
• low back pain
• a sudden “full stomach” sensation during or after eating
• loss of appetite

A regular CA-125 cancer test can complement your awareness of these other symptoms. If others in your family have suffered from ovarian cancer, make sure you monitor these symptoms and get CA-125 cancer tests regularly. Ask your doctor about lab tests and the frequency of your CA-125 cancer test routine.

How Does the CA-125 Cancer Test Work?

The CA-125 test monitors a substance that is secreted by cancer cells and normal cells that are in an inflamed condition. The cancer test derives its name from the abbreviation “CA,” which stands for “cancer antigen.”

However, lab test customers should know that the CA-125 cancer test is not a perfect cancer screening test. It’s about 80% accurate, but it’s possible that the CA-125 cancer test returns a positive result when the subject is cancer-free or returns a negative result when the subject does have ovarian cancer. Possible “red herring” conditions that can cause a false positive CA-125 cancer test are: pregnancy, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease and menstruation.

It’s important that the CA-125 cancer test is used as part of an early detection routine, not as a complete standalone cancer screening. Don’t hesitate to protect your loved ones and yourself from the insidious threat of ovarian cancer. Find one of our locations nationwide and and order a test – the CA-125 cancer test specifically. If you have any questions, check our lab testing FAQ or email our health testing experts. Good health to you!

DNA Analysis Breaks the Curse of Hereditary Disease

DNA analysis and testing has come a long way. Once the stuff of science fiction, DNA analysis now allows people with a history of inherited disease to find out if they and their loved ones will be affected.

Unlike the DNA testing you see on CSI and other popular crime dramas, DNA analysis for hereditary disease has nothing to do with identity or sleuthing. Rather, it uses the same kind of DNA information to figure out if the test subject carries the genes – or DNA – for the disease being analyzed.

HealthCheckUSA’s consumer lab testing service currently offers the following DNA analysis tests:

• celiac disease DNA analysis
• Factor V Leiden testing (hypercoagulable disorder DNA analysis)
• Factor II prothrombin testing (hypercoagulable disorder DNA analysis)
• R2 polymorphism testing (hypercoagulable disorder DNA analysis)
• analysis and testing for hereditary hemochromatosis

DNA Analysis: Celiac Disease

As mentioned earlier in this blog, celiac disease is an autoimmune reaction to gluten. Celiac disease, while common, is often misdiagnosed and can easily be spotted with the proper DNA analysis testing. Celiac disease can be especially troubling to new parents who are distressed by the gastrointestinal problems of their infant.

Other people who should investigate DNA analysis testing for celiac disease are:

• people who have family with celiac disease
• people with iron-deficient anemia
• people with dermatitis herpetiformis
• people who suffer from diarrhea, abdominal pain and distention, cold sores, osteoporosis, infertility, multiple miscarriages, anxiety, or depression
• children with abdominal pain, diarrhea, abdominal distention, short stature, delayed puberty, irritability, attention-deficit disorder, or poor school performance
• people with negative or equivocal antibody or biopsy results and celiac disease symptoms.

DNA Analysis: Factor V Leiden Testing

Factor V hypercoagulable disorder is a potentially devastating inherited malady that affects the way the patient’s blood clots. Ordinarily, blood only clots when trauma or exposure to air requires it. In hypercoagulable disorder patients, the blood does not clot properly, and specifically, for victims of Factor V Leiden, clots are resistant to being broken down by the body’s normal processes. Factor V Leiden DNA analysis quickly determines if this is the case for you or your loved one. HealthCheckUSA also offers combined Factor V Leiden DNA analysis with prothrombin testing.

DNA Analysis: Prothrombin Testing

This mutation results in activated Factor II thrombin in the blood, which causes a high risk of clotting in the patient’s blood passages. Of course, this also brings with it a danger of heart attack, stroke and other cardiopulmonary incidents. Needless to say, if you believe you or your family are at risk for inherited prothrombin, we encourage you to investigate prothrombin DNA analysis immediately. Prothrombin patients often suffer from deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, cerebral vein thrombosis, premature ischemic stroke or premature myocardial infarction.

DNA Analysis: Hereditary Hemachromatosis

Almost one in ten American Caucasians is a carrier for hereditary hemachromatosis, a mutation that causes the body to absorb and carry too much iron. Unless you take a hereditary hemachromatosis DNA analysis test, you may be unaware you have this disease, especially if you are a man under 30 or a woman under 50. If you are a victim of hereditary hemachromatosis, you may experience arthritis, liver issues, congestive heart failure, impotence, skin pigmentation and pancreas damage.

DNA Analysis Testing Provides Early Warning

With DNA analysis testing from the accredited testing labs of HealthCheckUSA, you don’t need to live in fear of inherited disease. Simply select and purchase your test online. Then go for your DNA analysis test at a lab that’s convenient for you. That’s all it takes!

Testing for Diabetes Can Be a Breeze

The “testing for diabetes” dilemma is solved! For both people who are concerned that they might be at risk for diabetes and diabetes patients seeking to manage their disease, HealthCheckUSA offers comprehensive testing for diabetes – in one simple lab test – that analyzes blood glucose control over several months.

Diabetes testing can be an obstacle for many people. When arranged through your doctor, testing for diabetes is expensive and takes multiple appointments. Any kind of medical testing is associated with a number of natural fears – risks, hidden costs, unqualified personnel, inaccuracies, hard-to-understand results and painful procedures. And to further complicate matters, sometimes you think you need testing for diabetes but your doctor doesn’t. How do you get diabetes testing without fracturing the trust between you and your doctor?

Add these factors together and you might be feeling like a cat on a hot tin roof - whether you’re a diabetes patient or just someone with a family history of diabetes.

Those fears can now be allayed with HealthCheckUSA’s testing for diabetes.

Halting Testing Fears with HealthCheckUSA’s Diabetes Testing

Testing for diabetes is so simple with HealthCheckUSA’s HbA1c Diabetes Management Test. You don’t need a prescription for the health test. You just pick the testing for diabetes option from our list of medical tests, select a lab testing location, pay and then go for your lab test when the time comes. Testing for diabetes isn’t painful or complicated; the technician will simply take a small blood sample which then goes to a testing lab for a diabetes read. There are no hidden costs; all of the testing for diabetes charges are summed up in one simple and very affordable price.

HealthCheckUSA diabetes tests are administered by medical professionals – probably the same people who would perform and analyze the test if it’d been requested by your doctor. Our lab tests are accurate, too; all of our diabetes testing labs (and all our labs) are fully accredited.

When the results come back from your testing for diabetes, they’re in a simple and confidential report. Reading your lab test isn’t difficult and if you have questions about the lab test, all you have to do is email us. You can even take the test to your doctor or order our special physician interpretation service so you can get additional medical assistance finding out about your testing for diabetes.

Testing for Diabetes Shouldn’t Be Postponed

Just because testing for diabetes is easy doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be a priority. Whether you’re a diabetes patient checking your blood sugar levels or a person who thinks you might be at risk for diabetes, you should look into testing for diabetes. Like many other diseases, diabetes is an insidious killer. It’s powerless against well-informed patients who have access to lab testing for diabetes. And with HealthCheckUSA, that should be you.