In the medical world, a simple blood test can tell you a lot about what’s going on with your health. Whether you have a simple fever, some infection growing in your body, or an immune system disorder, a blood test is what the doctors recommend as the primary test to diagnose these conditions or more. Hemogram is the medical term for that simple blood test!
A hemogram is considered a common blood test, using which doctors send the sample for testing the changes in blood cells within your body. It is approached with multiple tests to determine the count of RBCs, WBCs, and blood platelets in the sample. The abnormalities in these measurements can help doctors detect potential infections, diseases, or health issues.
If you have the urge to be medically aware of responding to diverse health conditions you experience over time, learning about hemogram tests might be a great start. So, read this article till the end to know everything associated with the hemogram test.
What Components are Measured Using the Hemogram Test? What do the Results Indicate?
The hemogram test is also known as the Complete Blood Count (CBC) test, which is performed over your blood sample. Doctors recommend this test when the person suffers from a disease or infection to check the increase or decrease in the count of blood components.
Examining the amount of blood components will specify your health status. It is because when your body encounters any disease or medical condition, the blood cells get imbalanced, which is what will be detected through the hemogram test. The blood component levels will guide the doctors about the intensity of an infection that you are possibly suffering from.
This test acts as the potential tool to judge the severity of a disease and its progress pace. Depending on which, the doctors shall recommend you the ideal medications. For you to better understand this test, here are three important blood components that get tested in the process:
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White Blood Cells or WBCs
WBCs are meant to fight off all infectious agents in your body and constitute the immune system. When there is a low WBC count in your body, it indicates immune system disorders, dietary deficiency, severe infection, blood cancer, or bone marrow disorders.
In case of a high count of WBCs, the doctors might conclude that you are experiencing allergies, viral infection, or advanced stages of bone marrow or blood cancers.
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Red Blood Cells, or RBCs
RBCs consist of haemoglobin which is responsible for transporting oxygen all across the body. In case of low RBCs in your body it indicates bleeding, nutritional deficiency or critical kidney problems.
If the RBC count is high, then it indicates lung diseases, blood cancer, or dehydration issues.
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Platelets
Platelets play a very crucial role in the human body as they help in clotting the blood in case of any injury you experience, preventing excessive loss of blood. In case the count of platelets is dropping in your body, it indicates viral infections, autoimmune disorders, blood cancer, or cirrhosis.
But, if the platelet counts are recorded to be higher in the hemogram test, it indicates an iron deficiency, lupus, lung cancer, breast cancer, anaemia, and other such conditions.
What is the Purpose of Taking the Hemogram Test?
As specified by the doctors, there are various purposes defined for taking the hemogram test, which include:
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Overall Assessment of the Health:
With the hemogram test, one can get a complete understanding of one’s health, detecting any potential issues beforehand, for creating a detailed treatment plan.
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Diagnosis
Several conditions might need early diagnosis to ensure that the symptoms aren’t related to some serious health disorder. Therefore, doctors recommend a hemogram as an ideal test.
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Treatment Monitoring
A hemogram is also suggested by doctors for monitoring the effectiveness of any medications or treatments that are meant to boost or control your RBCs, WBCs and platelets.
How to Prepare for the Hemogram Test?
There is no need for any special consideration to prepare for the hemogram test, as it can be done at any time of the day. You don’t have to fast before taking this test, as you are permitted to eat and drink normally even the day before you take the hemogram.
Remember to inform your doctor about any kind of OTC medications or drugs that you are currently taking. It is important because the medications you consume might alter the accuracy of the hemogram results.
How is the Hemogram Test Conducted?
It will take only a few minutes for the doctors to collect the blood sample from your body. The professional will be cleaning a small area on your arm’s skin, mostly near the vein. You will then be injected with a needle in that area to draw your blood. This process might cause you a slight pain, such as a small sting or pinch, when the needle pierces your skin.
Once the sample is collected, the needle will be extracted, and a bandage will be applied to the punctured area. The blood sample will then be sent to the laboratory for further testing, and you will be provided with the results or reports after at least 12 hours. Once the test reports are out, you must take them to your doctor and let them assess the results to identify any medical conditions that are lurking within.
What is the Hemogram Normal Range?
There are several parameters to the hemogram test results. The parameters will indicate an abnormality in case the report shows higher or lower measurements than the hemogram normal range. For you to be aware of the normal ranges for different conditions, check the list below:
- Haemoglobin in males must be between 13 to 17 g/dL
- Haemoglobin in females must be between 11.5 to 15.5 g/dL
- Hematocrit in males should be 40% to 50%, whereas for females, it must be 36% to 46%.
- Platelet count in adults must be between 150,000 to 400,000/ml.
- WBCs in adults must be between 5000 to 10,000/ml.
- RBC count in male patients must be around 4.5 to 5.5 million/cumm, and for female patients, it must be 3.8 to 4.8 million/cumm.
Also Read: Importance of Preventive Health Checkup Packages for Individuals
Conclusion
This is a clear understanding of what a hemogram test is and how it’s conducted to assess your health conditions. Suppose you are pretty much serious about your and your family’s overall health. In that case, you must definitely connect with your doctor to discuss if you must take periodic hemogram tests to be aware of your health conditions.
Don’t worry; the hemogram test price is nominal, helping you stay updated with your health insights at affordable pay. But, with low cost, you also need to ensure that the diagnostics clinic you count on is reputed and offers you the most accurate results using modern-day equipment and expertise.
In that aspect, Agilus is the best diagnostics clinic that provides you with a nominally priced hemogram test and provides you reports of the test on the same day! So, if your doctors have recommended you with a hemogram test, do book your appointment with us today!
Agilus Diagnostics, a subsidiary of Fortis Healthcare Limited
