BELLY BALM
stretch marks remedies and prevention

Health & Beauty Tips for Mums-To-Be


Another Reason You May Need CBC Blood Tests: Allergies

by Robert McMackey

One of the most common types of medical tests used today to determine if you are ill, having difficulties, healthy or to better pinpoint a current complaint or medical finding is a blood test referred to as a Complete Blood Count, or more often explained as, CBC, its acronym.

Humans could not get along without blood flowing head to toes 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 dramas these days, which may be a bit of an overkill, but in reality, it is a vital step in understanding what is right and what is wrong with you, internally.

A CBC blood test may be prescribed by your doctor simply when you are not feeling well, always tired, or even when you simply have a flu. You need not be inches from your death bed, nor lying in an emergency room bay to have a CBC blood testCBC blood test ordered.

Next time you have an appointment with your doctor, or physician for your yearly check-up, if your doctor doesn't order a CBC Blood Test, you should ask he or she does. It is the cheapest, most simple, maybe even life-saving thing you can do and definitely should do at least once a year.

Your complete blood count test is a representation of your overall health and if there is trouble, odds are, life saving alerts will be found within your blood and its makeup. There are exceptions to the case, but be on the safe side, anyways. Many determining variables are studied in 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 count which determines your blood's ability to clot.

Too many or too few of another ingredient of your blood, depending on what numbers reveal themselves can be a warning that alerts your medical team what is really going on. While the diagnosis variations can be numerous and cover a wide spectrum, having a CBC Blood Test at least per year, after visiting your physician can provide you answers to many questions about your overall health, that physical touch, listening to your heart, checking your lungs 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 fatigued, not feeling 'normal', bruising more often than normal, having chest pains, have a virus, are showing allergic reactions, plus a slew of other possibilities. But, perhaps even more important, such blood tests allow you the possibly life-saving, life stretching benefit of detecting early alerts and signs of potentially hazardous and life threatening trouble if ignored. Make a note now for both yourself and your family to consistently (at least once a year) take part in a CBC Blood Test or Complete Blood Count Tests. It could save your life and theirs, but even if nothing is seriously abnormal, it's an easy way to boost the quality of your life.

Tapping into straight talk and good for you insight about the healthy living you want to achieve, is not rocket science. No matter your interest: from how to lead a healthy life to weight loss 'secrets' that really work, you name it. Becoming more aware and creating a healthy lifestyle is not boring, or at all challenging if you don't want it to be, nor is it mandatory that you have to sacrifice all the flavors, living like a rock star lifestyle and adventure you have grown to love as much of the time, is the misconception.

Published December 5th, 2007

Filed in Fitness, Health, Women