Understanding Your Blood Work
At some point in our lives we fall sick enough to warrant a blood
test. The first thing we do when we get those blood test results is to
scrutinize it and see if we can understand anything at all. Though this
is something natural, it is always a good idea to take the lab test to
your doctor and have them interpret the results for you. This will
prevent any misinterpretation and will help you in the understanding
tests better.
One of the first things you get you to with your lab tests and the reports are to look for the reference range. This is the accepted range that 95% of healthy people are in. It means that if your figure stands in the remaining 5% then you are outside of the normal range. Again, in this this, you can be a little out of range which is nothing to worry about or way out of range which can be difficult. The ranges for blood tests are arrived at with a sampling of a large group of healthy individuals and working out an average. This is dependent on sex as well as age.
Now depending on your blood work, you may fall within or outside reference ranges. Your range will have to be considered in relation to your specific condition and the context surrounding your illness. For example, blood sugar levels in a pregnant woman can vary from that one not pregnant and still not mean that there is something drastically wrong with you. Blood testing is done to ensure that a doctor understands clearly what is wrong with you and how it can be rectified.
Clinical labs also have something known as variability and reliability. Variability is a reference to how a test may not always give you the exact same results. For example for diabetic patients, blood sugar levels will vary with each test spread across the day. In the case of reliability, the test is repeated and the results don't make any sense. This is to ensure that there is perfect accuracy when interpreting the results. It is best that you have your physician interpret the results for you. The best way to ensure that you test results are balanced is to have the tests done on a regular half yearly basis. This will help you keep track of your overall health as well.
Blood reports are a way of keeping yourself healthy and keeping a watchful eye on something that may pop up.
One of the first things you get you to with your lab tests and the reports are to look for the reference range. This is the accepted range that 95% of healthy people are in. It means that if your figure stands in the remaining 5% then you are outside of the normal range. Again, in this this, you can be a little out of range which is nothing to worry about or way out of range which can be difficult. The ranges for blood tests are arrived at with a sampling of a large group of healthy individuals and working out an average. This is dependent on sex as well as age.
Now depending on your blood work, you may fall within or outside reference ranges. Your range will have to be considered in relation to your specific condition and the context surrounding your illness. For example, blood sugar levels in a pregnant woman can vary from that one not pregnant and still not mean that there is something drastically wrong with you. Blood testing is done to ensure that a doctor understands clearly what is wrong with you and how it can be rectified.
Clinical labs also have something known as variability and reliability. Variability is a reference to how a test may not always give you the exact same results. For example for diabetic patients, blood sugar levels will vary with each test spread across the day. In the case of reliability, the test is repeated and the results don't make any sense. This is to ensure that there is perfect accuracy when interpreting the results. It is best that you have your physician interpret the results for you. The best way to ensure that you test results are balanced is to have the tests done on a regular half yearly basis. This will help you keep track of your overall health as well.
Blood reports are a way of keeping yourself healthy and keeping a watchful eye on something that may pop up.
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