Blood Tests

Whenever you visit the hospital or your GP, you may be asked to give blood samples to be tested for a variety of reasons. This will help the doctor to monitor or help diagnose your condition.

Blood is usually taken from your arm. A tight band is placed around the upper arm to make the veins fill. The skin is then cleaned with an alcohol wipe to reduce the risk of infection. A needle is inserted into a vein to draw out blood. Generally, only one needle puncture is needed to get a number of blood samples taken at the same time.