Does it feel like the year since your last annual blood test went by faster than usual? Are you tempted to skip it because you feel absolutely fine?  Why should you go through this type of testing when you know there’s nothing wrong?  Believe it or not, there are reasons.

In fact, even when they don’t find anything – which is usually the case – there is value because it helps to build a personalized baseline just for you.  That way, if anything is ever off, it’s easier to tell that it’s not just your version of normal!

Even if You Hate Needles, Don’t Cancel Your Annual blood Test!

There are many types of blood tests that determine various aspects of your health and well-being. If you go for an annual checkup – as most of us should – it is more than likely that your doctor will recommend that you have certain blood tests done, as well.  The ones your doctor will recommend for you will be based on a number of different factors.

How Your Doctor Decides Which Annual Blood Test is Right for You

Your doctor will take several different factors into account before deciding on the annual blood test options that are best for you.  These include points such as the following:

• Your age
• Your medical history
• Your sex
• Specific requests or symptoms you’ve drawn to your doctor’s attention
• Sexual activity
• Other factors that may place you at risk of certain conditions or diseases

Importance of Having Those Blood Tests Done

There are some blood tests for checking your blood-sugar levels while others monitor infections. The best thing about blood tests is that diseases and infections can be diagnosed during the early stages. This makes it easier to treat such diseases.

For this reason, you should have an annual blood test. Sometimes diseases do not exhibit any symptoms but can be spotted with the help of a blood test. Let’s look at the importance of having an annual blood test:

Overall Health and Well-Being

There are many aspects of your health that you may not be aware of. You may think you are healthy, but the truth can only be determined with the help of a blood test. A blood test includes an in-depth analysis of the condition of your body.

The Chemistry Panel and CBC-type blood tests even provide insight about the proper functionality of your organs, including your kidney and liver. This is one blood test you should get done annually because it helps the doctor determine if you are, indeed, healthy. You may also be able to detect certain types of infections in the body with the help of this blood test. In fact, you can consider these blood test types to be a reflection of the overall health of your body.

Decreased Risk of Heart Diseases

Most people assume that heart diseases emerge all of a sudden. The truth is quite contrary to this. Heart diseases develop within the body over a period of time. Gradually, the disease weakens the system, and you get a heart attack. The best way to cure a heart disease is to prevent it from happening at all. Blood tests are an effective method of determining a premature heart condition. Once the condition has been identified, the doctors can work to prevent it. Blood tests that help determine heart conditions include the Fibrinogen test.

Inflammation Within the Body

There are many cases in which a person is obese simply because of internal inflammation in the body. Such an individual may continue exercising for months without seeing significant results. An annual blood test can reveal if you are truly overweight or, rather, suffering from internal inflammation. Once the exact reason is determined, you can continue your efforts in the right direction to lose weight.

So, if you want to make sure you are in the best of health, you should consider getting an annual blood test. After all, prevention is the best cure.

Overcoming a Fear of Needles

For many people, aside from being busy, the fear of needles is among the top reasons cited for avoiding an annual blood test.  However, even if you’re struggling with a fear, it’s still very important to your health to have these tests done.  They can provide a baseline to make it possible to identify problems later on, or they could directly spot issues that may need to be corrected today.

Often, when you have an annual blood test, if something is found, it is in very early stages and makes it possible to treat a condition before it becomes problematic. Frequently, conditions found during these tests don’t have outward symptoms that make them easy to identify.  In fact, some conditions don’t have any symptoms at all, so blood tests are the only way you’ll be able to spot them.  Therefore, make a priority of using the following tips to get yourself over to the lab so you can have the tests done when your doctor recommends them.

• Breathe – This step is the most important. Breathe calmly and pay attention to your breathing the whole time. Many people are surprised to discover that this technique all on its own can show them what a simple procedure this truly is.
• Tell the doctor, nurse or phlebologist taking your blood – Let your medical professional know that you’re nervous. This will allow him or her to be especially careful in keeping your anxiety levels down.
• Don’t watch – The majority of the unpleasantness from having blood drawn is actually from your anxiety. If you don’t watch, your mind doesn’t have the opportunity to play up your fear or any other sensations such as pain. You’re likely to discover that it is shockingly painless, particularly when the blood is actually being drawn, at which point many people feel little to nothing.
• Request changes – If the person or needle size is making things worse, check to see if someone else is available. This is particularly true if you’ve successfully had blood drawn in the past. It doesn’t hurt to request that person again.  You can also request a smaller needle if that will help you to overcome mental barriers to the procedure.
• Remain still – The more you move, twitch, or fidget, the more you’re likely to feel. This may not make it painful, but it could make it uncomfortable.  Sit still, shut your eyes or turn away from the site, and pay attention to your breathing as the air enters and leaves your body.  Focus on the feeling of the bottoms of your feet.  Focus on what your ears feel like.  By shifting your focus and remaining still, it is likely to be extremely comfortable.