You can order a blood test online and do it yourself at home. For at-home tests, the same accredited labs and methods are used to test your sample as the NHS.
It’s normal to be nervous about doing a blood test — it’s human nature not to like pricking yourself with a needle or looking at your blood. But the process is very straightforward, and while it might feel a little uncomfortable, it won’t be painful.
Venous blood test
With a venous blood test, all you’re likely to feel is a little pinch when the needle goes in. The blood being drawn out won’t hurt at all. You might have a small bruise where the needle went in.
Finger-prick blood test
As the name suggests, all you’ll feel is a small prick on your finger. The area the lancet went in might be a little tender afterwards.
There are a couple of things you can do before a blood test, so the process is as smooth as possible:
For some tests, you might need to stop taking certain medications. But you should only do this if your doctor has told you. You might also need to fast before a blood test.
Fasting means not eating or drinking anything except water for up to 8-12 hours before your test.
This is because when food and drinks are broken down and absorbed into your blood, it can affect your results — for example, having a high-fat meal right before a lipid test could cause your triglyceride levels to look higher than they actually are.
Blood tests that usually require you to fast include a:
Understanding your health should be quick and easy. That’s why our doctors share your results within 48 hours. And you can access your data at any time. We’ll email or text you to let you know your blood samples have been received, processed, and are ready to view online in your results dashboard.
For many tests, your blood will be analysed to measure the levels of a certain compound, enzyme, or antibody that might be present. This will be compared to a reference range to see if it’s within the normal range. These reference ranges can vary depending on your age, gender, ethnicity, and family history.
Along with reference ranges, all of the abbreviations and various units of measurement included in your blood test results can make it difficult to understand them. So it’s important to have a doctor or a health professional review and interpret your results for you.
National Health Services (2018). Overview: Blood tests. Retrieved 9 November 2018 from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/.