It’s perhaps the simplest and most efficient way for doctors to get a look at what’s happening in your body, with no cutting required. That’s right, we’re talking about blood tests.

Did you know that you have nearly five liters of blood circulating throughout your organs, tissue, and veins every day? Because blood travels throughout nearly every part of your body, it’s a terrific indicator of your overall health. But to read and understand your blood, you first need to have a blood test.

Yes! At Bloomfield and Plymouth Urgent Medical Care, we offer blood tests as a part of our commitment to preventative care and wellness. In addition to blood tests, we also offer EKGs, x-rays, lab work, pregnancy tests, and skin biopsies.

At a minimum, you should be getting blood work done each year in addition to your annual physical. You may also want to have bloodwork done if:

• You’re experiencing unusual symptoms that will not go away. From sudden and unexplained nausea to pain in one area of your body, blood work can help identify any abnormalities within your body.
• You want to know more about your health. It’s true, you may want to get blood work done even if you feel perfectly healthy. Because one of our main goals is to provide preventative care to all patients, we advise them to know as much about their health as possible.
• You want to reduce your risk of certain diseases. Blood tests can identify an existing problem in its earliest and most treatable stage. They can be used to identify heart, lung, and kidney conditions, in addition to many other illnesses.

Depending on what tests you’re having done, a blood test can sometimes be as simple as a finger prick. If you’re testing for several diseases, multiple vials of blood may be necessary. However, aside from the initial prick of the needle, blood tests are relatively pain-free and straightforward procedures.

If there are specific guidelines on how to prepare for your type of bloodwork, our office will generally tell you before your appointment. General guidelines to follow include avoiding drinking or eating anything other than water for about 8-12 hours before the test. Try to eat less fried and fatty, and avoid alcohol 1-2 days before the test. You should also avoid physical activity and stress prior to your blood test.

When getting bloodwork done, urgent care centers will usually be significantly less expensive than the emergency room. There is a high chance your insurance will be accepted and even without insurance, you will be paying much less out-of-pocket at urgent care than at a hospital. Routine, non-panel tests are usually much cheaper than a full panel of bloodwork, but most insurances cover routine tests or more.

Find out more about the wellness and preventive care services offered at our Urgent Care Centers by calling our Bloomfield location or Plymouth location. We serve patients from Plymouth MI, Bloomfield Hills MI, Livonia MI, Novi MI, Worden MI, Canton MI, Southfield MI, Troy MI, Farmington Hills MI and BEYOND.