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6 Things Routine Bloodwork Reveals About Your Wellness
Your blood can be a good indicator of your overall health and wellness. There are a number of routine blood tests that look for specific nutrients, blood components, or other bodily indicators, and your provider will order the ones they feel are most needed to either diagnose a condition, rule out a condition, or verify that you’re healthy.
The experts at Rapid Response Urgent Care in Granada Hills, California, routinely use bloodwork from our onsite laboratory to help diagnose problems that may not be otherwise apparent. Here’s what you need to know about what your provider can learn from the results.
What are common types of blood tests?
Here are some of the most common types of blood tests:
Complete blood count (CBC)
A CBC measures the number of blood cells and the percentage of each type of blood cell, including red blood cells (carry oxygen), platelets (help with clotting), and white blood cells (help fight infection).
The results can help your provider determine if you’re anemic (low red cell count), have an infection, or have indicators of other conditions.
Basic metabolic panel (BMP)
The BMP measures levels of:
- Glucose
- Calcium
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Chloride
- Creatinine
- Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
- Bicarbonate (CO2)
Creatinine and BUN levels indicate how well the kidneys function. Sodium, potassium, chloride, and calcium are electrolytes (charged minerals) that the body balances in the bloodstream. Bicarbonate indicates if there’s an imbalance in acid and base in the blood. Glucose measures your risk for diabetes or confirms a diabetes diagnosis.
Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP)
Similar to a BMP, a CMP also includes tests for protein, albumin (a type of protein), and liver function tests.
Lipid panel
A lipid panel measures your total cholesterol, your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, and triglycerides (a type of fat). Too much cholesterol, too low of an HDL level, or too high of an LDL level can indicate potential problems with clogging of the arteries and an increased risk for heart attack and stroke.
Other blood tests
Blood tests can also be used to detect specific hormones, proteins, enzymes, genetic markers, or the presence of some sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). These tests can be used for diagnosis, monitoring of a condition, or evaluating treatments for a condition.
6 things routine bloodwork reveals about your wellness
If you’re just having a routine blood test, there are six major things your doctor can tell about your state of health.
1. High cholesterol
Your body needs cholesterol, a waxy substance, for things like building cell membranes and making hormones, but if you have too much, it can accumulate in your arteries, impeding blood flow and putting you at an increased risk for heart attack and stroke.
2. High blood sugar
If you have too much glucose in your bloodstream, it can lead to Type 2 diabetes and damage your organs and tissues.
3. Nutrient deficiencies
If you’re deficient in certain nutrients, your body can’t operate at peak efficiency.
4. Hormone imbalances
Hormones regulate many of your body’s systems; if there’s an imbalance, some systems may not function properly, leading to unpleasant symptoms or disease.
5. Liver and kidney diseases
Your liver and kidney are important in digestion and excretion, respectively. If the organs are diseased, you may have trouble with normal bodily functions.
6. Anemia
Your red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body. If your red blood cell (RBC) count is low, they may not receive enough oxygen to work at peak efficiency. Iron-deficient anemia indicates that your red blood cells don’t have enough of the element to manufacture hemoglobin, the molecule responsible for binding with oxygen and delivering it to cells.
How often you get a blood test depends on your health history, if this is a routine screening, or if it’s needed to monitor a disease or treatment. Talk with your provider about how frequently you need to be tested, and for which things in particular.
Need routine bloodwork done? Rapid Response Urgent Care can help you with that. Walk in, call us at 818-923-5216, or book an appointment online today.