What Do My Lab Results Mean?

One of the most frightening things I learned while in veterinary school was that blood results are not of course determined abnormal by a lab test until the body is 70% sick. I found that to be true in my own condition as well. When I first started on my path toward becoming a naturopath, I knew I had pre-cervical cancer. I was depressed and wanted to die. Yet, only one liver enzyme was a bit out of whack when a nurse drew my blood for a life insurance policy. How could this be? And what surprised me most was how general the rest of my results were.

Well, I've corrected all those abnormal results and have my life back. I also have a whole new bag of tricks at my disposal.

Jigsaw Name Puzzles

Another thing I've found over the years was that my clients had no idea what their lab results meant (or their pet's lab results), what a "rule out" was, or what they could do naturally to fix the abnormal values. Everything seemed so complex for them, and by not comprehension the results (often population in the healing profession use big words that most population can't understand) this disempowered my clients.

Because I saw a need for this information, I sat down and compiled a handout that explains lab tests in lay terms, but there are some things you should know:

1. Reference "normal" ranges and unit measurements can vary from lab to lab (sometimes up to 30% difference).

2. Other factors influencing test results include, dietetic preferences, sex, age, race, species, menstrual cycles, estimate of exercise, use of non-prescription drugs (aspirin, cold medications, vitamins, etc.), prescribe drugs, alcohol consumption, range and handling of the specimen.

3. For best comparisons of lab results, tests should be done by the same laboratory.

4. Always use the general ranges printed on the lab description of that singular sample.

5. Blood tests can have false positives and negatives. If the blood cells have not been handled properly, they break. If components to the test are expired, they may not work correctly. If the temperature is wrong, this may also skew the results. And what if there is a new someone in the lab who doesn't even do the test correctly? Would you trust those results? When in doubt, you may want to repeat inescapable tests.

6. Interpretation of blood tests takes knowledge of the fundamental disease process and experience. If your lab results are exterior the general range, we propose that you discuss them with your doctor. Often it is not the modern result, but the turn from a old test that is most helpful in trying to place a determination on a condition.

7. Some tests cost more than others. If you can help the physician understand why a inescapable test may be leading for you and they can interpret it in their mind, they can interpret it to your insurance enterprise and you may get to your determination quicker saving time, money, and aggravation.

8. All diseases have "rule outs." There are a estimate of things that might cause a high or low level in a blood test, and these need to be "ruled out" by other tests or observations or even by intuition and gut instinct. Some of the possibilities will have more weight and be more very imagine because of your lifestyle habits, your environment, your age, and your history.

For those diseases that are the most likely diagnosis, other tests may be included to rule that singular disease "in" or "out" depending on the results of these additional tests. This is much like putting a jigsaw puzzle together and searching for the exact placement of the pieces to the puzzle. inescapable clues (pieces to the puzzle) may fit in one part of the puzzle or another if you just look at the color of the piece (or your symptoms in this case.) You just have to keep trying to see if the piece fits. The same goes with disease. If we are lucky, we match the piece of the puzzle with the precise name/diagnosis for the disease.

What Do My Lab Results Mean?