What Is Cbc?
CBC is short for Complete blood count. It is a procedure which involves a thorough examination of several features of your blood. The CBC is an effective means of measuring one?s overall health and can be used to check for the presence of various blood conditions like leukaemia, anaemia and other blood infections.
If you are experiencing some strange symptoms like body weakness, inflammation, high fever, bleeding and fatigue, do not ignore it or self diagnose it as a lesser condition. Search for blood tests near me and meet a doctor to collect and examine your blood properly.
Why Perform A Cbc?
Outlined here are some of the significant reasons why a CBC is necessary;
- A Complete blood count can be performed as part of a physical routine.
- Some conditions affect the blood cells of a person before visible symptoms of that condition can be seen. For this purpose, CBC is done to be able to diagnose those conditions before they get out of hands.
- CBC enables the doctor to monitor the effect of a drug in one?s body.
- It can also be used to check for blood cancer.
- It can be used to monitor the general health of a patient.
- It can be used to monitor a medical condition. For instance, if your doctor thinks that you have a disorder in your blood system, a CBC can be used to confirm this.
Note that in addition to a complete blood count, your doctor might recommend a comprehensive metabolic panel to examine the protein and sugar level in the blood thoroughly.
What Preparations Should Be Made Before a CBC Is Conducted?
There is no much preparation to be done by a patient before a CBC is performed. You can carry out activities like eating and drinking normally before the test except in cases where your blood sample is also needed for an additional test. In such cases, your doctor will give you specific instructions on what to do.
What To Expect During A Cbc?
A blood sample will be collected, usually from the veins in your arms, using a needle. You may be asked to hold your fist tight so as to make the process of finding and expanding a vein easy. The blood is then put into a small vial and the needle removed. Just like normal injections, this process is not very uncomfortable. The process takes about 2 to 3 minutes without complications. The collected blood sample is then sent to a lab for proper examination.
What Does A CBC Measure?
A CBC is used to measure various features and components of the blood. These components include;
- The white blood cells which can fight against infection.
- Platelets that aid the clotting of the blood.
- Red blood cells which transport oxygen through the body.
- Hematocrit measures the proportion of the red blood cells to the volume of blood in the body.
- Haemoglobin which is the oxygen-carrying protein found in the red blood cells.
Also, a CBC can be used to measure other chemicals and substances in your blood.
Implication Of The Result Of A CBC Test
After doing a count on the following areas, if the results are not within the range for a normal count, then there may be a problem.
- White Blood cell count: Leukopenia is a condition in which the white blood cell count is low. If the white blood cell count is high, it will result in an inflammation or an infection.
Leukopenia could mean the presence of blood cancer or an autoimmune disease.
- Platelet count: Thrombocytopenia is a condition where the platelet count is below normal, while Thrombocytosis means that the count is above normal. A platelet count that is not normal usually indicates an underlying medical condition, and an additional test may need to be done to diagnose it.
- Red blood cell count, haemoglobin and hematocrit: If the count of these three are below normal, the patient has anaemia. If the count for the three is above normal, then there is the presence of an underlying medical condition usually a heart disease.
- A CBC test can also uncover other conditions like deficient minerals or vitamins in the body and dehydration.
Is CBC a Definitive Test?
No, CBC is not a definitive test. If the result from your CBC test shows the presence of a strange condition, it may not necessarily mean that you need follow-up. It all depends on the reason why your doctor recommended the test. The results will be checked properly, along with results of other blood tests. In some cases, when the result of the CBC is extremely abnormal, the patient may be referred to a specialist doctor.
Are There Any Risks Associated With The Cbc Test?
No! Asides the minor skin bruise that may occur during the process of collecting blood samples, there are almost no risks involved. Contact a medical doctor for a private blood test near me in London if you notice any symptom. Our nursing team at Blood London will be glad to be of help when you visit us.
As the editor of the blog, She curate insightful content that sparks curiosity and fosters learning. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, she strive to bring diverse perspectives and engaging narratives to readers, ensuring every piece informs, inspires, and enriches.
