Health Testing Centers........... A Great Idea

Easy to order tests. Easy to find blood testing labs nearby. Fast results.

It is my first time using services like this outside of my physician's office. Everything worked well and it is a very simple process anyone can do it easily. The person at Labcorp knows what to do and no questions asked about this web-based order.

Easy process and very quick results.

These are just a few customer reviews of Health Testing Centers. What is Health Testing Centers?

When I first heard about Health Testing Centers, a company that allows you to order lab tests yourself, I had mixed feelings. It seemed like an unusual concept to be able to order these tests yourself. But then I realized that there are many situations when this type of service would be very useful. For example, this would come in handy for patients who simply don’t have a primary care doctor or for those who don’t have insurance but still want to keep on top of their health. It would also be useful for people who are on specific diets and want to check for things like nutritional deficiencies. Or for people who may be hesitant or embarrassed to talk to their doctors about things like testing for sexually transmitted diseases. Another potential use could be to use the service to get your lab work done before your next doctor’s appointment so that you can review the results together. We see a lot of patients who get blood work done with their doctor but then no one ever follows up on the results with them.

So how does it work? It’s quite simple really. You go to the Health Testing Centers website and look at the different test categories. They have basic wellness packages that include the most commonly ordered labs like complete blood count, electrolytes and cholesterol. They also have more specialized labs including things like hormone levels, cardiac tests, cancer screening, and heavy metal levels. You order the package you want and pay for it. Then you go to a local LabCorp or Quest Diagnostics location to have your blood drawn. A few days later, you’ll get an email that your results are ready. Simply sign in to the website and get your results. That’s it!

If you want to try out Health Testing Centers and take control of your health, check out their site HERE

LOOKING AND FEELING YOUR BEST WITH ECZEMA

Types of eczema

Eczema is the name for a group of conditions that cause the skin to become red, itchy and inflamed. There are several types of eczema: atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, dyshidrotic eczema, nummular eczema, seborrheic dermatitis and stasis dermatitis.

Eczema is very common. And in many cases, it’s also manageable. In fact, over 30 million Americans have some form of eczema.

Eczema flares often show up on the backs of the knees

Living with eczema can be an ongoing challenge. The word “eczema” is derived from a Greek word meaning “to boil over,” which is a good description for the red, inflamed, itchy patches that occur during flare-ups. Eczema can range from mild, moderate, to severe.

It’s most common for babies and children to develop eczema on their face (especially the cheeks and chin), but it can appear anywhere on the body and symptoms may be different from one child to the next. More often than not, eczema goes away as a child grows older, though some children will continue to experience eczema into adulthood.

Adults can develop eczema, too, even if they never had it as a child.

Eczema is not contagious. You can’t “catch it” from someone else. While the exact cause of eczema is unknown, researchers do know that people who develop eczema do so because of a combination of genes and environmental triggers. When an irritant or an allergen “switches on” the immune system, skin cells don’t behave as they should causing an eczema flare-up.

Common Eczema Symptoms

What does eczema look like?

Dry, sensitive skin

Red, inflamed skin

Dark colored patches

Itchy rash - difficult to detect in infants, but sleeping disorders are an indication

Rough, scaly and thickened skin

Oozing eczema patches

Scabs form on the patches

Most Common Eczema Triggers

Irritating products:

Fragrances, soaps, laundry detergents

Home cleaning products

Irritating clothing: wool, synthetic fabrics, etc.

Environmental factors:

Dust, dust mites and pollens, which are naturally present in the air

Tobacco and pollution

Changes in temperature

Heat & sweat

Very dry air

Lifestyle factors:

Pets

Emotional stress

Food allergies

Teething

Changes in hormone levels

Eczema treatment can be found here