Often, you must have come across people who suffer from various kinds of diseases. Sometimes, these diseases are so severe that you barely understand their root cause. Whenever you are infected with any disease, it is necessary to find out the root cause. The moment you find the root cause, half the battle is won. Of all the important tests, most of the time, the doctor asks you to conduct a complete blood test count for obvious reasons.
A complete blood count test covers all the aspects of the blood cells along with their different types. So, when a doctor asks you to undergo a complete blood count test, he goes to the blood report to understand if the value of the different mechanisms inside your body is in the proper ratio. Since many of you are not aware of the complete blood count test, we have come up with a blog on the same.
In this blog, we will share with you what is a complete blood count test, along with how it is done, its measurements and many more. Whenever the doctor asked you to undergo a blood test, you choose a particular laboratory to get it done. Indeed, there are several blood test clinics and laboratories that offer a similar service. However, we suggest you opt for the full blood count test in London. The professionals here are experts and are experienced enough to take care of the blood test with utmost care.
What is a complete blood count test?
A complete blood count test provides a detailed measurement of the cells that compose your blood that is the red blood cells the white blood cells and the platelets. The purpose of a complete blood count test is to check if there is any decrease or increase in the blood cells. The generic values of a CBC test depend on your gender and age. Considering the gender and age of a person, your blood test report will provide a normal range of the different types of blood cells.
There are some conditions under which a doctor may ask you to undergo an FBC test. Given below are the conditions in which the doctor asks you to perform a full blood count test:
- to check if you are suffering from fewer red blood cells or have anaemia
- to monitor the condition of the blood
- to find out if there are some health issues relating to fever, weakness and fatigue
- to check if the medications or the treatment is leaving a positive impact on your blood
Types of blood cells
As already mentioned in this blog the purpose of a complete blood count test is to showcase the condition of the different types of blood cells present in the blood. Once you get to measure the changes in the blood cell levels, it helps your doctor to make a thorough evaluation of your overall health and find out the problems. Given below are the three types of blood cells that a complete blood count test measures:
-
Red blood cells
The function of the red blood cells is to remove carbon dioxide and take oxygen throughout the body. Hear a complete blood count test measure the two different aspects of your blood – the haemoglobin and the haematocrit. Haemoglobin is the protein that carries oxygen while the democratic is the number of red blood cells present in your blood. When the levels of both haemoglobin and hematocrit are low, it is a clear sign of iron deficiency. This leads to anaemia.
-
White blood cells
The purpose of white blood cells in the body is to fight back infections. Here, a complete blood count test takes the measurement of the type and the number of white blood cells present in the human body. When there is an abnormality in both the number and type of white blood cells, it indicates an inflammation, infection and cancer.
-
Platelets
The purpose of platelets is to keep control of the bleeding and help the blood clot. So, whenever you have a cut, you will notice that the blood stops losing out after a while. This is because of the presence of platelets in the blood. When there is a change your abnormality in the level of platelets in the blood, it can lead to a risk of excessive bleeding. Sometimes, it can also lead to a severe medical condition.
How to do a complete blood count test?
Now that you have found the answer to what is full blood count test, it is time to focus on how it is done. When your doctor asks you to undergo a complete blood count test, you do not need to fast. It is one of those blood Tests in which you can drink and eat like any other usual day. The whole test takes about 10 to 15 minutes. All you need to do is provide a blood sample for testing.
First, the lab technician of the nurse will tie an elastic tightly right above your elbow. The purpose of time the elastic band is to ensure that the vein is visible. Next, he will use a fresh needle and pierce it into the vein to draw the blood. Finally, the nurse will apply a band-aid on the incision to ensure that it does not bleed.
Results of complete blood count test
Once you get back your report of the complete blood count test you will notice two different columns. One column determines the reference range and the other one shows your results. The doctor can consider your reports to be normal only if the values of the results are within the reference range. Anything higher or lower than the reference range is abnormal. Sometimes your results can be a little off track due to mild anaemia.
The way of researching or studying your blood sample from one lab to another. Therefore the reference range of the blood test depends on the lab in which you get your blood tested. Other factors that affect the range include your age, sex and the altitude in which you are currently staying. Given below are other general reference ranges of a complete blood count test:
- The white blood cells range from 4500 to 11000 cells per microlitre.
- The value of red blood cells differs according to gender. For men, it ranges between 4.5 billion to 5.9 billion cells per mcL while for women it is between 4.1 million and 5.1 million cells per mcL.
- Like red blood cells, the haemoglobin also differs according to gender. The haemoglobin value for men and women ranges between 14 to 17.5 grams per litre and 12.3 to 15.3 grams per litre respectively.
- The value of hematocrit for men is between 41.5% to 50.4% while for women it is 35.9% to 44.6%.
- The mean corpuscular volume ranges from 80 to 96.
- The platelet counts must be between 150000 to 450000 platelets per mcL.
Several conditions can lead to an abnormality in the complete blood count test results. Some conditions that cause an abnormality in the complete blood count test are cancer, inflammation, infection, deficiency in vitamins and minerals, heart problems, autoimmune disorders, bone marrow problems, bleeding disorders and many more.
Conclusion
Therefore, undergoing a complete blood count test is a safe option to ensure the condition of your health. After a certain age, doctors ask everyone to undergo a complete blood count test and make it a part of their routine check-ups. Make sure to undergo a full blood test in London from the best lab to get accurate results.
