The Complete Blood Count is a standard blood test that helps in assessing your general health. This test helps monitor the different types of cells present in the blood, such as red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets, to diagnose health conditions. Additionally, it provides valuable information about the effects of medications or medical conditions on the body and helps assess the health of the immune system.

Before the CBC test, it's important to consider a few important things listed below:

• Prerequisites : No special preparations are required for a CBC test. Your blood will be drawn for analysis.

• Best time to get tested : You can reach out to your doctor for the best time to get tested based on whether you are getting other tests along with the CBC.

• Eligibility for CBC test : Anyone can undergo a CBC test. Your doctor may order the test for routine health check-ups or if you’re showing signs of illness during checkups.

• Cautions before taking the CBC test : The CBC test is safe and no special precautions are needed for it.

By preparing with these steps, you can make sure your Haemogram blood test at home or in a laboratory gives accurate results.

There are several reasons why a healthcare professional may recommend a CBC test:

• Monitoring and diagnosing conditions: The CBC test is beneficial for identifying and keeping track of various health problems like anaemia, bleeding issues, infections, and some cancers. If you have an ongoing health condition like chronic kidney disease (CKD) or cancer, the CBC test can be used to monitor your progress and make sure your treatment is effective.

• Pre-treatment evaluation: Before starting certain medical procedures like surgery or chemotherapy, a CBC test might be done (along with other tests) to check your eligibility for the procedure.

• Evaluation of unexplained symptoms: If you're feeling tired, weak, bruised, bleeding or getting frequent infections without any clear reason, a CBC test can help identify if there's something wrong with your health.

• Routine health check-ups: The CBC test is often done with a routine health check-up or physical exam, to set a starting point and keep track of your overall health.

A CBC test can help you get the right diagnosis and treatment based on the health of your blood components.

CBC test results can be interpreted accurately by your doctor by looking at the levels of your blood components. Here's the normal range for each parameter in the CBC test

It is important to note that health conditions can lead to either high or low blood counts. Abnormal CBC levels may indicate the following conditions:

• Low platelet counts: May indicate viral infections, immune problems, certain cancers, haemolytic uremic syndrome or thrombocytopenia.

• High platelet counts: May be caused by infections, immune system disorders or if you are recovering from anaemia.

• Low RBC counts (anaemia): May be caused by nutritional deficiencies (such as B12 or iron deficiency), blood loss, kidney issues, and bone marrow or blood disorders.

• High RBC counts: May be a sign of dehydration, polycythaemia vera, heart and lung problems or sleep apnoea.

• Low WBC counts: Causes may include infections, medications, autoimmune diseases, or bone marrow disorders.

• High WBC counts: May be caused by infections, allergies, autoimmune disorders, lymphoma, or leukaemia.

If you receive unexpected results from your CBC test, it's important to consult your doctor for further guidance and interpretation. Arrange your home CBC blood test in Bangalore with Orange Health to make sure you get an accurate assessment and reports