What Is A Complete Blood Count?
One of the most common types of medical tests used these days to determine if you are sick, experiencing trouble, healthy or to better pinpoint a current complaint or medical finding is a blood test known as a Complete Blood Count, or more commonly, CBC, its acronym.
Humans could not carry on without blood flowing from top to bottom within our bodies. Thus it makes sense it is one of the first places to look when determining diagnosis. A CBC blood test is often shouted by doctors in television shows these days, which may be a bit of an overkill, but in reality, it is a crucial step in being sure what's right and what's not right with you, internally.
CBC blood tests may be requested by your physician simply when you're are under the weather, chronically tired, or even when you simply have a common cold. You don't have to be in the jaws of death, nor obviously ill to have CBC blood tests ordered.
But, that said, every year when you visit your doctor, physician or alternative practitioner for your yearly physical, if your physician does not order a CBC Blood Test, by all means, ask he or she does. It is the cheapest, 'no brainer', perhaps life-saving thing you can do and definitely should do at least once a year.
Your complete blood count test represents your internal (which fuels your exterior) health and if there's trouble, odds are, great clues will be found within your blood and its makeup. Not always, but more often enough. A number of determining factors are examined with CBC Blood Tests: white blood cells and red blood cells or levels, the HCT (or Hematocrit, which basically determines the volume of space which your blood occupies), Hgb (or Hemoglobin that accounts for the oxygen within your blood cells), and platelet count which makes it possible for your blood's ability to clot.
Too many or too few of another element of your blood, depending on those numbers could be a warning that tells your medical team what's really going on. While the diagnosis variables can be numerous and cover a wide spectrum, having your CBC Blood Test at least per year, after visiting your doctor can hand you the answers to many questions about your internal and external health, that just an external examination, listening to your heart, checking your breathing and opening your mouth and saying, 'Ahhhh,' just can't do.
A CBC (Complete Blood Count) Test (or Tests) can provide you exact reasons why you're fatigued, not feeling 'normal', bruising more often than normal, having chest discomfort, have an infection, are having adverse reactions, plus a truck load of other potential issues. But, perhaps even more important, these blood tests allow you the possibly life-saving, time stretching benefit of catching early alerts and signs of potentially debilitating and life shortening trouble if ignored. Make a note now for you and your family to consistently (at least once a year) take part in a CBC Blood Test or Complete Blood Count Tests. Sure, could spare your life and theirs, but even if nothing is seriously abnormal, it is an easy way to boost the quality of your life.
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Published October 3rd, 2007
