The CDC reports that gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis are three of the most common, notifiable STIs in the USA. The department reported over 1.6 million chlamydia and 677,769 gonorrhea cases in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak. The situation has worsened lately, with 2.5 million new infections reported in 2021. The CDC claimed around 68 million people were living with STIs in 2018, so the disease burden could be much higher now. Learn more about why STD testing is essential in Reading, Pennsylvania.
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Pennsylvania's STD rate is considerably lower than the national average. Where the US average per 100k people for gonorrhea is 188.4 cases, Pennsylvania's rate is 125.4 cases. This doesn't mean the rates would remain low because the state has been recording a sharp incline in STD rates since 2021. Since 2017, the year-on-year increase is 4.9% in the state, whereas nationally, it is 3.5%. Allegheny County experienced a 9.9% rise in STD rates between 2017-2018, while Westmoreland County reported a 2.9% increase. STD testing is necessary to combat STDs and prevent them from spreading. Find your nearest testing clinics in Reading, Pennsylvania, here.
1110 Rockland St, Reading, Pennsylvania 19604
1.81 mile
Tel: 4843392235
Today's best offer is: $10 off any order. Discount will be applied automatically.
2001 State Hill Road Suite 130, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania 19610
2.63 mile
Tel: 6103735242
Today's best offer is: $10 off any order. Discount will be applied automatically.
2240 Ridgewood Road, Ste 102, Reading, Pennsylvania 19610
2.72 mile
Tel: 4845092457
Today's best offer is: $10 off any order. Discount will be applied automatically.
No eligibility requirements for HIV testing or STD screening and treatment services. Services for persons living with HIV disease - Berks or Schuylkill County residency required. Free condoms available.
429 Walnut St, Reading, Pennsylvania 19601
0.14 mile
Appointment Required: No
525 Penn St, Reading, Pennsylvania 19601
0.3 mile
Tel: (610) 898-0766
Tel: (484) 855-0798
Tel: (484) 509-4249
Appointment Required: Yes
838 Penn St, Reading, Pennsylvania 19602
0.46 mile
Tel: (610) 988-4838
Proof of Positivity required for Ryan White HIV/AIDS program.
301 S 7th Ave, Ste 3170, West Reading, Pennsylvania 19611
1.18 mile
Tel: (484) 628-9386
Tel: (484) 628-9387
Appointment Required: Yes
1920 Kutztown Rd, Reading, Pennsylvania 19604
1.72 mile
Tel: (610) 376-8061
Tel: (610) 378-1698
Appointment Required: No
HPV vaccine for uninsured patients only. Free condoms available.
108 Greene Plaza, Ste 2, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania 15370
17.05 mile
Tel: (724) 627-3168
Tel: (724) 852-4448
Appointment Required: Yes
If you are uninsured, you may qualify for a state-funded program or a lower fee scale. Fees for services are based on your household income. You will not be turned away because of your inability to pay.
2081 E High St, Pottstown, Pennsylvania 19464
18.22 mile
Tel: (610) 326-8080
Tel: (610) 326-2867
Appointment Required: No
Services for both male and female adults and adolescents. Parental consent not needed for teen services.
435 S Kinzer Ave, New Holland, Pennsylvania 17557
18.34 mile
Tel: (717) 351-2400
Tel: (717) 351-2407
Appointment Required: Yes
649 N Lewis Rd, Ste 220, Royersford, Pennsylvania 19468
21.85 mile
Tel: (610) 481-9600
Appointment Required: Yes
Please visit the website or call for eligibility requirements. STD testing, HIV PrEP and PEP for patients 18+. Trichomoniasis testing available as part of STD testing services.
3295 Pa Rte 100, Macungie, Pennsylvania 18062
22.67 mile
Tel: (866) 389-2727
If you are uninsured, you may qualify for a state-funded program or a lower fee scale. Fees for services are based on your household income.
1001 E Lincoln Hwy, Coatesville, Pennsylvania 19320
25.25 mile
Tel: (610) 383-5911
Tel: (610) 383-1693
Appointment Required: No
Hepatitis testing only with insurance and for patients only.
744 E Lincoln Hwy, Ste 110, Coatesville, Pennsylvania 19320
25.27 mile
Tel: (610) 380-4660
Appointment Required: Yes
Use our confidential STD symptom checker to get an idea of what STDs/STIs your symptoms align with and what STD tests are recommended to you.
Start Symptom CheckerWhich Method of STD Testing is Suitable for Me?
Every sexually active individual must protect their sexual health. Regular STD testing is the only way to care for your sexual health. However, sometimes it becomes confusing to select the right testing method as there are so many options available. For your convenience, we have gathered information about all available STD testing methods in Reading, Pennsylvania. Check them out to find out which option is suitable for you.
This is one of the most popular ways to get tested for STDs today. These tests combine the best of both worlds for convenience and accuracy. You will order the test online at home, but you can walk into a professional lab testing center to get tested.
Another option is to simply visit your regular clinic and talk to your doctor.
If you do not want to visit a testing center, then a great alternative is an at-home test kit. You don’t even need to leave your house to get tested for STDs this way, which makes it the most discreet option. Everything is done through email and snail mail.
One last option for STD testing is a trip to a free clinic. If you go to a public STD-testing clinic, then you may get a free or discounted test, depending on your financial situation.
Learn more in our ultimate guide to STD testing.
It can be, but it does not necessarily have to be. What many people need to understand is that laboratory tests would most often than not be relatively pricey due to the technology that is being utilized behind these diagnostic techniques. However, opting for specific laboratories that offer more convenient testing procedures and discounted prices for diagnostic tests would help ensure that the price will not be much of an issue in providing you with the conclusive diagnosis of your condition. It might take some independent scanning to find the right testing center for you in the most acceptable price range, but it is not as impossible as many people make it out to be.
Considering that a wide variety of testing kits and laboratory procedures can be performed to determine conclusively whether you have a particular STD or not, the time that it will take for your results to return will also be subject to the same inconsistency. Although there are specific laboratories that could produce your results even by the end of the day (albeit, it is extremely rare for institutions to do so unless necessary), most would often take a few days to a week before the results are either delivered or posted online through your secure personal profile (in the case of online transactions). In addition to that, the capability of the laboratory performing the test may also contribute to the overall timeframe of result delivery – causing delays in cases where there are several requests or understaffed to provide expedited results.
For more information, skip to the FAQs section on this page.
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A nucleic acid amplification test is a laboratory procedure that professionals often perform to make detecting a particular nucleic acid or gene being targeted easier and more convenient while still ensuring that the sample being collected is relatively minimal. Nucleic acid amplification tests, or NAATs, are usually the mainstay diagnostic test for most STDs due to their ability to detect the presence of pathogenic nucleic acids and genes in the patient sample with utmost accuracy and speed. NAATs depends on their ability to replicate the target RNA and DNA to create numerous copies – resulting in an increased convenience in the detection of the desired molecules instead of trying to either blindly look for one strand in a minuscule sample or collecting a large sample that could make the patient uncomfortable throughout the process. Although NAATs are often preferred for a more conclusive diagnosis of STDs, certain exceptions such as the availability of resources and instances of intermittent viral shedding could make NAATs less desirable than other tests. Fret not, however, as your physician is knowledgeable regarding these instances and would often request the best diagnostic procedure for your instances.
Although NAATs are well-known for their accuracy and sensitivity in detecting most STDs, it is also subject to certain inconsistencies, especially in the case of herpes infections. In Herpes, outbreaks often result in a relative increase in the patient’s viral load – leading to a timeline that usually has specific peaks at certain intervals instead of a consistent rise in viral load throughout. As such, sensitive tests such as NAATs are still unable to accurately diagnose herpes conditions, especially in cases where the patient has recently become asymptomatic and is currently between outbreaks. Other tests such as culture testing and type-specific virologic tests are often employed instead as a confirmatory diagnosis for the patient’s condition.
Similar to what was previously mentioned, herpes infections are known for their recurring tendencies – causing outbreaks now and then and thus causing an intermittent spike in the patient’s viral load for specific instances. In addition to that, other STDs also take time to proliferate and produce a sufficient viral load that could warrant a positive and, more importantly, accurate diagnosis and detection from the tests being administered. As such, detecting an STD a few days following exposure is often complex and unpredictable – leading physicians to follow a certain timeframe instead for testing STDs instead of blindly testing immediately following exposure. Physical exams, however, may supplement inaccurate laboratory diagnoses, especially in cases where the test is prone to false results.
It would vary depending on the condition that is being tested. STDs behave differently due to the varying pathogenicity of each STD’s causative organism. In some instances, you can get accurately tested as early as two weeks following exposure, while some are intermittently inaccurate due to its recurrence (much like in the case of herpes infections). To avoid this, be sure to discuss the intricacies of the test with your physician to understand whether a particular test could provide you with a conclusive diagnosis or if it still needs another confirmatory test to establish its premise.
Standard STD testing can detect common sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, and hepatitis B and C. Additional tests may be required for less common STDs or specific situations.
Help stop the spread of STDs by knowing your status. Get tested today!