Blood tests don’t have to be complicated, a simple blood test such as CBC Blood Count Test, can reveal more than we expect, revealing things like how many infection-fighting cells you have in your body as well as any signs of inflammation.
CBC and CRP tests are two top tests that doctors often order along for diagnosis of a complete set of diseases and to verify there are no other complications.
If you have ever had a cbc and crp blood test, you may have thought how do cbc and crp blood tests and what do crp cbc test for and why do doctors recommend a crp and cbc test together?
Following is a comprehensive guide on the tests and what they can tell you:
Why do they test CBC and CRP together?
A cbc crp blood test is one of the normal diagnosis tests that doctors use when they start feeling that a person is sick.
Although the CBC provides an idea about an individual’s blood cell type, you have an idea of inflammation via the CRP test.
The combined cbc and c reactive protein tests i.e., the CBC Blood Count Test and the C Reactive Protein (CRP) test, aid the health professional in assessing whether more testing or treatment is required.
What does a CBC test detect?
CBC or complete blood count, also known as the CBC Blood Count Test, shows how many RBCs, WBCs, and platelets there are in a blood sample. It also shows if there are any issues with the levels of hemoglobin or hematocrit and MCV or mean corpuscular volume. These figures will show any number of blood ailments, infections, and the presence of anomalies.
A CBC is a mandatory feature of your health examination done on a yearly basis.
What does a CRP test detect?
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein made by the liver. Its concentration in the blood increases significantly in case of infection or injury and takes about 6-8 hours for this level to come back to normal range after a disease. A test for the concentration of C Reactive protein, the C Reactive Protein (CRP) test is usually done to check if there is an inflammation present in the body or how severe is the inflammation.
Though, the specific cut off values can be different from one lab to the other.
CRP Level (in mg/L) Interprtation
<10 Normal
10 – 40 Mild to Moderate
40 – 100 Moderate to High
>100 High – Severe infection
Another CRP test, called high-sensitivity or hs-CRP has different levels to identify the risk of heart diseases. It should be remembered that the test for CRP does not indicate any specific disease and is considered along with the CBC report of the patient and his or her symptoms.
What to do if you have the symptoms?
Some of the symptoms like lack of energy, fever, repeated infections, and constant joint or muscle pain should be checked up by a doctor. Do not try to analyze the test reports yourself. One should not try to treat themselves also.
When should one see a doctor?
People with these symptoms for several days should consult a doctor and order cbc and crp tests (the CBC Blood Count Test and the C Reactive Protein (CRP) test) . No person can simply ignore symptoms like fever, fatigue, pallor, easy bleeding, bruising and unexplained weight loss. It’s better to see a physician rather than leaving everything to symptoms to go away.
How is it diagnosed?
The investigation generally starts with a physical exam and medical history as determined by the doctor. The physician then may perform some laboratory tests based on this history and physical exam such as a CBC and C-reactive protein blood tests.
Based on the findings of these tests, further tests may be necessary in order to diagnose the underlying cause of the signs and symptoms.
Importance of diagnostic tests
Test accuracy and reliability, as test results often decide on treatment, it is crucial that each diagnostic test is accurate. Apollo diagnostics is one of the most trustworthy diagnostic centers and provides standard cbc and crp tests, including the CBC Blood Count Test and the C Reactive Protein (CRP) test, in addition to a variety of more specialized tests. Diagnostic centers like Apollo Diagnostics offer reliable test results.
A Note On Cost Of Cbc And Crp Testing
Cost of cbc and crp test in India, the cost of cbc and crp test differs from place to place, city to city and diagnostic laboratory to diagnostic laboratory. Instead of using any approximation, it is better to contact the Apollo diagnostics laboratories in the vicinity or any other local diagnostic lab in order to get the price of cbc crp test. Also, one should know that cbc and crp test price may differ if the patient or the patient’s relatives prefer to get a blood sample collected at the hospital or at their home.
More About Cbc And Crp Blood Tests
These two blood tests work together to help assess if someone is healthy. A CBC Blood Count Test is more used to assess the general health of someone’s blood, while a C Reactive Protein (CRP) test is primarily used to assess if there is inflammation. They are not intended to be diagnostic on their own but are typically used as part of the process to assess someone’s health, and they should book an appointment at a trusted diagnostic laboratory.