Your body contains various blood cells. Each cell plays a vital role in the effortless functioning of your body. The cells present in your body are:
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Your body contains various blood cells. Each cell plays a vital role in the effortless functioning of your body. The cells present in your body are:
- Red blood cells
- White blood cells
- Platelets
Of all three, the red blood cells constitute the hemoglobin in your body. How do you measure if the red blood cells are of the proper size and perform the correct function? The only method to do so is to undergo an MCV blood test. Since most of you have no idea about an MCV blood test, we are here to help you.
In this blog, we will discuss in detail if a high count of MCV indicates the presence of cancerous cells. So, let’s check what the blog has to say to us.
About the MCV blood test
MCV or mean corpuscular volume is the unit through which the medical professionals measure the average size of the red blood cells in a blood sample. The red blood cells take the oxygenated blood from the heart and transfer it to the various parts of your body. This supports the healthy functioning of the different tissues and organs of your body.
The purpose of an MCV test is to check the size of your red blood cells. In addition to this, the MCV test also checks if your body is prone to any severe medical condition related to blood disorders. So, if you have anemia or anemic tendencies, the MCV test can identify it. Broadly, the MCV test checks out if your body fails to carry out and distribute the required amount of blood in the various organs and tissues.
The instrument with which the healthcare professional performs the MCV test is known as the RBC indices. With the help of these RBC indices, the medical professional can get detailed information regarding the physical features of your red blood cells. It also gets a detailed account of the complete blood count. The size of the red blood cell in your body can vary from person to person.
When to get an MCV test?
Generally, the doctors include a complete blood count test in an MCV test. So, if a doctor asks you to undergo an MCV test, he might also instruct you to perform a complete blood count test afterward for a better analysis. In certain cases, the complete blood count test is considered a follow-up of the entire diagnostic process.
People with anemic tendencies and anemia should undergo the MCV blood test. However, if you notice the signs and symptoms, know that you need an MCV blood test for proper diagnosis and treatment:
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
- A feeling of irritation
- Tingling sensation and numbness in the fingers, feet, and hands
- Facing difficulty concentrating and thinking
- Feeling weak and tired more often
- The white portion of the eye changes to blue
- Mouth ulcers
- A desire to eat ice or related other non-eatable items
- Having a pale-colored skin
- Fragile nails that break easily
- Shortness of breath
- Soreness in the tongue
- Abnormal menstrual bleeding
Read more: Why Personalised Training is Essential for Long-Term Fitness Success
What to know about the MCV test?
To conduct an MCV test a healthcare professional will collect the blood sample. To collect the blood sample the healthcare professional will insert a needle in the crook of your elbow, suck out some blood, put it in a vile, and send it to the lab for testing.
Generally, for an MCV test, you do not need to prepare for anything beforehand. This entity depends on your health assessment. In some cases, the health care professional may ask you to fast for a certain time period before submitting the blood sample. Make sure to ask and clarify all your doubts before undergoing the test.
To conduct the test these are the steps that medical professional generally follows:
Step 1: Such blood tests can only be conducted by a licensed professional. The first step of the test is to locate the vein from which the professional will draw the blood. For this, normally they choose the arm, hand, or crook of your elbow.
Step 2: Next, the professional will tag a little bit of alcohol on a cotton ball and use it to clean the area for proper needle insertion.
Step 3: The third step involves tying a rubber band around your upper arm. This gives enhanced visibility of the vein and helps the healthcare professional to inject the needle well.
Step 4: Now, he pleases the needle in your vein and uses little pressure to insert it to suck an adequate amount of blood. Once, the syringe is filled with the blood, the transfer blood into an empty vial.
Conclusion
Therefore, red blood cells constitute a major portion of your health, and undergoing the MCV blood test can tell you the condition of these red blood cells. Make sure to perform the test under experienced hands and from a reputed clinic to get accurate results.