How Often Should You Get Routine Blood Work Done?

Your blood speaks a lot about your overall health, and analyzing your blood samples can tell your doctor about your illness or diseases, lifestyle, health, and more.

That’s a major reason why doctors recommend getting routine blood work done. It keeps them a step ahead of any diseases that you might be developing before showing a full set of symptoms.

Here is everything you need to know about routine blood tests and what to expect from them:

Procedure

Your routine blood work consists of a nurse, or a doctor, taking your blood sample in a lab. Before a test is done, you’re told to sit comfortably. Then, an antibacterial wipe is used to clean out the part of your arm that the blood will be drawn from.

You, then, have to either clench your fist or an elastic band is tied around the top of your arm. This is done so it’s easier to detect the vein your blood will be drawn out from.

Then, a needle with a test tube attached is inserted into the vein, and the blood flows into the test tube. As the tube gets full, the needle is removed, and a band-aid is put on your needle wound.

All of this takes less than five minutes to do.

What Can A Blood Test Detect?

Many things! There are different blood tests for detecting various issues. These are as follows:

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

CBC measures all the cells in your blood. Its purpose is to test for white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin. CBC can detect nutritional or vitamin deficiencies, anemia, cancer, or infections.

Basil Metabolic Panel (BMP)

This blood test is used to measure sodium, potassium, glucose, creatinine, and electrolytes in your body. Checking this can tell the doctors if you have diabetes, hormonal imbalance, or kidney disease.

Complete Metabolic Panel (CMP)

CMP measures everything that BMP does, and additionally, it also measures albumin, bilirubin, and alkaline phosphate in your body. If any of these elements are imbalanced, it could link to potentially severe problems like hepatitis, gallstones, Gilbert’s syndrome, and more.

Lipid Panel

Lipid Panel measures the fat content of your blood, namely, HDL and LDL, which are good and bad cholesterols in our body. This can link to potential heart problems, including blocked arteries.

How Often Should You Get Blood Work Done?

At least once a year, it’s recommended to get your blood work done alongside your annual physical examination.

Where Can You Get Your Blood Work Done?

We, at Phlebotomy on Wheels, are a mobile home blood draw service. This means you don’t have to go anywhere; we’ll come to you. Our expert phlebotomists offer multiple services, including stat and routine blood draws, saliva kits, glucose tolerance, and stool specimen kits.

To book an appointment with us, call (443)-866-3647 or contact us now.

Disclaimer:

The information provided in this blog is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For medical advice, please consult a medical professional.