Blood Tests

Blood circulates throughout the body and contains different elements.
Red cells essentially carry the oxygen from the lungs to different parts of the body.
White cells are a part of the immune system and help fight infection.
Platelets help in the clotting of blood if there is a cut.
The remaining 60% of blood is a clear fluid called plasma. Plasma is mainly water, but also contains some chemicals such as glucose, salt, and hormones.

Blood tests are done for varied reasons and provide the healthcare professional with a wide spectrum of data. They are mostly used in the diagnosis of conditions, to monitor a condition, or to find out the blood group before a transfusion.

Some of the common reasons for a blood test are:
Diagnosis. A doctor sometimes finds it difficult to diagnose a condition from only the physical symptoms. Disease conditions may have similar symptoms. Blood tests are hence used to make a diagnosis, either by ruling out a condition or confirming it. The doctor looks for the absence or presence of a particular substance in blood. For example, a high urea level (waste product) in the blood indicates malfunctioning of kidneys.
Monitoring. Blood tests are used to monitor certain conditions. It can show whether your condition has improved or worsened. It can show how well the body responds to a particular treatment.
Immunity. There are blood tests to check one’s immunity to a few diseases.
Blood group. Before having a blood transfusion, it is important to know the blood group. It is done to ensure compatibility with the donor’s blood.
Pregnancy. Pregnant women and women desiring to get pregnant have blood tests to check if they are vaccinated against diseases like rubella, which could be harmful to the baby. Blood tests for HIV is also offered to pregnant women, so that in positive cases, the child can be treated to reduce HIV chances.
Screening. Blood spot tests are done on newborn babies to look for any serious illnesses or conditions that might be present.
Sexually transmitted diseases. In cases of unprotected sex, you have the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases or STDs. Blood tests sometimes are used to check if you have been exposed to an infection as many STDs do not have any external physical symptoms.
DNA. A blood test is used to obtain a sample of DNA. By checking the genetic structure, your physician will look for any inherited conditions like Huntingdon’s disease. Genetic tests are also used to verify if you are a relative of a person, for example, paternity test to determine a biological parent.

Results
When the results come back from laboratory, the medical representative will go over these results along with you and explain what they mean. Different blood tests produce different results.

Stress and Anxiety
Receiving results could be a tense situation. If worried about a test outcome, taking a trusted relative or friend helps.