Vitality News Health Articles

One of the most common types of medical tests used these days to decipher if you are sick, having difficulties, if you aren’t sick at all or to best find why you are in discomfort or medical red-flag is a blood test referred to as a Complete Blood Count, or more often explained as, CBC, its acronym.

You and I could not carry on without blood flowing head to toes within our bodies. It, makes perfect sense it is one of the first tests ordered by your doctor when determining diagnosis. CBC blood tests are often called out by doctors in t.v. shows these days, but in reality, it is a crucial step in understanding what is normal and what is wrong with you, at least, on the inside.

A CBC blood test can be prescribed by a doctor simply when you are not feeling well, chronically tired, or even when you simply have a common cold. You need not be inches from your death bed, nor completely sick to have a CBC blood test CBC blood test ordered.

But, that said, every year when you visit your doctor, or physician for your annual physical, if your physician does not order a CBC Blood Test, by all means, ask for one. It is the cheapest, most simple, maybe even life-saving act you can do and definitely should do at least once a year.

Your complete blood count test represents your overall health and if there is trouble, odds are, warning signs will be found within your blood and its makeup. Not always, but more often enough. Several determining variables are studied with CBC Blood Tests: white and red blood cell counts or levels, the HCT (or Hematocrit, which basically is defined by the volume of space which your blood takes up), Hgb (or Hemoglobin that accounts for the oxygen within your blood cells), and platelet counts which determines your blood’s ability to clot.

Too many of one or too few of another element of your blood, depending on those numbers could be a warning that alerts your medical staff what is really going on. While the diagnosis variables can be vast and cover a wide spectrum, having your CBC Blood Test at least once per year, after visiting your physician can supply you the answers to many questions about your overall health, that just an external examination, putting a stethascope to your chest, checking your breathing and using a tongue depressor just can’t do.

A CBC (Complete Blood Count) Test (or Tests) can provide you exact answers to why you are tired, not feeling ‘normal’, showing bruising for ‘no reason’, having chest discomfort, have a virus, are showing allergic reactions, plus a truck load of other potential issues. But, perhaps even more important, these blood tests allow you the possibly life-saving, life stretching benefit of catching early warning signs of potentially debilitating and life threatening trouble if ignored. Write this down now for both yourself and your family to regularly (at least once a year) take part in a CBC Blood Test or Complete Blood Count Tests. It may save your life, but even if nothing is seriously out of order, it is a simple way to increase the quality of your current lifestyle.

A regular author of the independently owned site dedicated to the reasons for healthy and active living, Dave Whitsom, strives to share with his audience the essentials of healthy eating on a budget and its role in your quality of life.

- Dave Whitsom