Blood Test
A blood test is a lab analysis of things that may be found in your blood. You may have blood tests to keep track of how well you are managing a condition, such as diabetes or high cholesterol. You may also have them for routine checkups or when you are ill.
Blood tests are very common. They are ordered by doctors to:
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Find out how well organs, such as your kidneys, liver, heart, or thyroid, are working.
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Help diagnose diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS.
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Find out if your medicine is working to make you better.
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Diagnose bleeding or clotting disorders.
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Find out if your immune system is having problems fighting infections.
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Diagnose anemia, such as iron-deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia, aplastic anemia, or hemolytic anemia.
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Find variations in hemoglobin, such as hemoglobin S, C, or E, which are common in people of African, Mediterranean, or Southeast Asian background.
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Keep track of chronic health conditions and diseases.
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Find health problems in their early stages, such as biomarkers that may be a sign of cancer.
You have the right to know why a blood test has been ordered and how much it will cost. Ask your doctor if you aren't sure why they want you to have the test.
Types of blood tests
Common blood tests include:
Blood tests can give your doctor a lot of information. They can see if certain elements in your blood are in a normal range. But in many cases, blood tests are only part of the information your doctor needs to make a diagnosis of a health condition. You might need to have some other types of tests as well.
Preparing for a blood test
For most kinds of blood tests, you don't need to prepare. These tests are to see what your blood is like under normal conditions.
For some blood tests, you will have to fast for a certain amount of time before the blood test. The fasting time may vary depending on the test. These tests are often scheduled for early in the morning.
Your doctor will let you know if you need to fast before a blood test.
The procedure
To test your blood, a technician called a phlebotomist will use a needle to take a sample of blood. Tell the technician if the sight of needles makes you nervous. They can help you feel more at ease. You can also look away during the procedure or bring a family member or friend to help distract you.
In most cases, the sample is taken from a vein in your arm. You will be seated or lying down. You may be asked to make a fist. The technician will tie a rubber band around your arm. When they see a vein, the technician will clean the area and then insert the needle. You might feel a small prick or stinging sensation. After the technician has taken enough blood, they will take the needle out and put an adhesive bandage over the site. You may be asked to press firmly on the site to stop any bleeding.
After the procedure
Your blood sample will be sent to a lab. Trained technicians then look for the information the doctor has ordered. This may take a day or up to a week or more. Ask your doctor’s office how you should expect to find out about the results. In many cases, the results will be posted online in the doctor's web portal.