Blood testing can reveal a wealth of information about one’s health. Primary care doctors use it to screen, diagnose, and monitor treatment for various diseases. Here is why a doctor may recommend that a patient have a blood test.
To perform blood testing, the healthcare provider will take several vials of blood from the arm using a small needle. These vials, or samples, will be sent to a lab for testing. There, they can test for a range of diseases, from anemia to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Depending on the type of blood test, it can take anywhere from just a few minutes to a couple of weeks to get blood work results back from the lab.
There are many reasons why a healthcare provider may recommend blood testing, with the most common including:
Many patients will get blood work done as part of an annual physical examination. In these cases, blood work is used as a general screening for conditions such as diabetes, anemia, and a few types of cancer. Routine blood work also includes a lipid panel to check cholesterol levels, a thyroid panel to check hormone levels, and basic and comprehensive metabolic panels to check glucose, sodium, calcium, proteins, and more. Patients can request that a healthcare provider add STI testing to routine blood work, as well.
While a general screening can provide information helpful to a diagnosis, a healthcare provider may order blood testing outside of routine blood work to confirm a suspected diagnosis. For instance, if the patient presents at the primary care doctor’s office with suspected leukemia, blood testing can be done as part of the diagnostic process. Per Johns Hopkins Medicine, the same applies to other blood cancers, such as lymphoma, and health conditions like diabetes, bleeding disorders, and HIV/AIDS.
A healthcare provider may use blood testing to help manage a chronic disorder. Take diabetes, for example. Frequent blood testing, often daily, will be needed to monitor blood sugar levels and ensure that treatment keeps them within a safe range. Other examples of chronic diseases monitored via blood testing include kidney disease, cardiovascular (heart) disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Similarly, a healthcare provider may use more frequent blood testing while helping a patient with a treatable disease. Certain types of anemia, such as iron deficiency anemia, can go away with treatment. Thus, the provider can test the blood multiple times to determine whether the treatment is effective in improving treatable anemia.
Blood testing is a critical component of every patient’s healthcare plan. Whether they are going in for an annual physical or visiting the doctor about bothersome symptoms, patients are likely to be recommended a blood test of some sort. To schedule blood testing or to learn more about these tests, consult our Houston team at Eldridge Family Clinic today.
Request an appointment here: https://eldridgeclinic.com or call Eldridge Family Clinic at (281) 946-1351 for an appointment in our Houston office.
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