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What is the Normal Range For a Complete Blood Count?

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Imagine you go to the office one day, and you start feeling tired and feverish after a while. You come home to rest, but the situation doesn’t improve. You get concerned and decide to visit a doctor, who then recommends a simple blood test: a Complete Blood Count (CBC). A couple of days later, when you show the test results to the doctor, you learn that your CBC results are abnormal. While there can be many causes for the low count of Red Blood Cells (RBCs), White Blood Cells (WBCs), Platelets, and Haemoglobin, it’s important to know the normal range of CBC. Let’s do a deeper dive.

Do you need a CBC blood test?

Whether you need a CBC blood test depends on your symptoms, medical history, or as a routine check-up. A healthcare provider can recommend CBC for a number of reasons, such as –

• Routine check-up:

A CBC test is done as part of a routine health examination to assess your overall health and detect any potential health issues.

• Diagnosing health conditions:

If you experience any symptoms like fatigue, weakness, fever, swelling, pain, or shortness of breath, you will be asked to do a CBC to detect any health issues, such as anaemia, infections, leukaemia, etc.

• Monitor chronic conditions:

If you have any chronic health conditions like diabetes, kidney disease, or autoimmune disorders, a CBC will help monitor the condition and how it is affecting your body.

• Monitor ongoing treatments:

If you are undergoing treatments such as chemotherapy or under any medications, a CBC may be required to check how you are responding to the treatment or medication.

• Pregnancy:

CBC is done to monitor your health during pregnancy.

• Pre-surgery:

Before you undergo any surgical procedure, a CBC is performed to know your health status and if you are healthy enough for the surgery. If there’s any underlying health issue, it may lead to complications.

What does a CBC blood test check for?

A CBC is a commonly performed blood test which measures the various components of blood and helps diagnose medical conditions, including cancer, infections, etc. The test also gives an insight into your overall health. So, here’s what a CBC blood test checks for –

1. Red blood cells:

RBCs carry oxygen from our lungs to the rest of our body. Low levels indicate anaemia, and a high red blood cell count indicates erythrocytosis.

2. White blood cells:

WBCs help fight infections and diseases. If your white blood cell count is low, you may have bone marrow disorders; a high count indicates inflammation, infection, or leukaemia.

3. Platelet count:

Platelets help blood to clot. A high platelet count leads to a condition called thrombocytosis and a low count causes thrombocytopenia.

4. Haemoglobin:

This is the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells.

What is the Normal Range for a Complete Blood Count?

The normal range for a complete blood count can vary slightly based on the lab, your age, health conditions, etc. However, in general, the normal CBC range is –

Conclusion

So, a Complete Blood Count (CBC) is performed for various reasons. Being aware of the CBC blood test’s normal range helps to know if you have any underlying health issues and seek timely treatment. The CBC test normal range will be mentioned in the test reports though it can differ slightly based on the lab where the test is done, patient’s age, health conditions, etc. As for the cost of CBC, check if your health insurance policy offers coverage. If the CBC report shows signs of any critical ailment, you can purchase critical illness insurance for maximum protection against the high treatment costs.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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