What exactly are blood tests? Well, they are a multitude of tests that help your doctors check for diseases, conditions and important levels in your system. They can help to check the overall function of your organs and help physicians determine how well your treatments are working.
Some of the more specific ways that blood tests can help your doctors is by learning more about how your organs are working, such as liver, thyroid, kidneys, and heart. Tests can help diagnose conditions and diseases like anemia, coronary heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. They can also help determine if you are at high risk for a disease like mentioned above. While we don’t all like to get our arms poked with needles, usually if a doctor has sent you in for lab tests, it is for good reason and they are trying to help you with preventative medicine or specific treatments.
What does the procedure look like? Once your physician has determined you need bloodwork done you are referred to a laboratory where the phlebotomist will ask you a few questions and then take you in a private area for your blood to be drawn. This is usually quick and easy, can sometimes be uncomfortable or painful, but is an overall pretty quick process. The phlebotomist will draw the blood and then submit to other team members to analyze it. Results and turn around time will vary depending on the extent of the tests being done and the things they have to do to get the best results.
Once the results are found your lab sends these results to your physician for review and then they usually call you with the information and the treatment steps necessary to improve them if any. Overall, there are not many risks involved with blood tests and the staff is there to help you and your doctor get you at your best health levels possible. Always ask questions when you aren’t sure about the tests and communicate with your health team advisors to get the best results possible.