What does it mean when your doctor wants to take a blood test? Is it serious? Don’t fret. It doesn’t mean you’re dying.

Doctors use blood tests to find out about your health and identify why you are feeling ill.

If the doctor is concerned, they might ask for blood tests to be taken immediately.

Blood is an amazingly useful diagnostic tool. You can learn a lot about a body and its organs from a blood test.

After taking a blood sample, the doctor will send it to a pathology lab for analysis. Depending on what he or she wants to find out, the doctor will ask for certain tests to be performed on the sample.

There are lots of occasions when a doctor might call for a blood test, from fatigue to pregnancy to urinary infections and loads more.  You doctor might even do a test if a health check is requested by your employer.

Types of blood tests

The full blood count measures your blood cells (red, white and platelets), as well as the haemoglobin (a protein that carries oxygen around the blood). This is by far the most common type of blood test.

MBA20

Another common analysis is the MBA20 which tests for 20 different chemicals or compounds in your blood including cholesterol, glucose, urea, creatinine, electrolytes and liver function.

Other tests

• thyroid (TFT),
• prostate (PSA)
• sex hormones (e.g. testosterone, oestrogen).
• tests for vitamin B12, folate, iron or vitamin D
• measuring the levels of medications in your blood stream.

Still nervous? Ask your doctor or pathology nurse any questions or concerns.