Having your blood drawn might not be much fun, but regular diagnostic tests of your blood can detect diseases early for treatment and give your doctor and medical providers critical information about how well your body is functioning.
The proper frequency of these blood tests depends on your age and personal health status -- the most important thing is to ask your doctor which tests you need and when you need them.
With all the different types of blood tests out there, it's good to go into your health care provider with a sense of what the most popular tests do and how they work. To help you out, we spoke with doctors for their expert insights about some important blood tests you may want to talk to your doctor about.
1. Complete blood count
The complete blood count routine test provides a snapshot of your body's blood production and immunity. The test measures a variety of components in your blood, including red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
Dr. Soma Mandal, a board-certified internist at Summit Health in New Providence, New Jersey, says that getting a CBC test is "recommended for individuals of all ages as part of a routine health examination or when symptoms suggest a potential health issue."
Dr. Maria Knöbel, medical director of Medical Cert UK, agrees that this foundational test is appropriate for many patients. She says the test is ideal for anyone undergoing a routine health check-up. Still, she advises that you may want to get it if you're "experiencing symptoms like persistent fatigue, unexplained bruising or frequent infections."
A CBC blood test can indicate lots of things, including:
Allergies
Anemia
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