Picture this: You're sitting in your doctor's office for your annual check-up, feeling pretty good about life. No aches, no pains, energy levels are decent. Then your provider mentions those dreaded words: "Let's get some lab work done."
Your first thought? But I feel fine!
Ever wondered why your doctor wants to poke and prod when nothing seems wrong? The truth is, some of the most important health insights happen when we can't feel what's going on inside our bodies.
"Routine lab work is essential to good health," explains Dawn Greer, FNP–BC, MSN, APRN, a nurse practitioner at St. Mary's Regional Hospital. "You might not feel ill, but there can be underlying changes occurring."
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Your body's silent conversations
Think of routine lab work as eavesdropping on your body's internal conversations – the ones happening 24/7 that you're not invited to hear. While you're going about your day feeling perfectly normal, your blood is carrying countless messages about how your organs are functioning, how your metabolism is running, and whether any troublemakers are starting to cause problems.
It's like having a security system for your house. You might not see the intruder trying to pick your lock, but the alarm system catches it before they get inside. Your lab work is that early warning system for your health.
By the time many health conditions start making you feel sick, they've already been setting up shop in your body for months or even years.
"Routine lab work, at least yearly, allows us to identify health issues before they become illnesses," Dawn says. "This allows us to make recommendations on lifestyle changes to improve your health and reduce your risk for chronic illness."
Think about it this way: would you rather discover you have prediabetes when a simple blood test catches elevated sugar levels, or wait until you're dealing with full-blown diabetes and its complications? The earlier you know, the more options you have.
What your doctor is really looking for
"The most common labs ordered during annual visits include screening for diabetes with a glucose check, cholesterol with a lipid panel, and thyroid disease with a TSH," Dawn explains. "And sometimes a complete blood cell count to check for anemia and infection."
If you're managing a condition like high blood pressure or diabetes, these tests become even more important. They help your care team see how well your treatment is working and make adjustments before small problems become big ones.
The story your blood tells
You might be amazed by how much a small vial of blood can reveal about your health.
"Routine labs can detect conditions such as prediabetes or mildly elevated cholesterol as well as other conditions," explains Dawn. "These conditions can turn into diseases with lasting and lifelong health conditions. We can make suggestions and you, the patient, can make decisions."
Here's what some of the most common tests are checking for:
Cholesterol Panel (Lipid Panel)
This test examines the different types of fats floating around in your bloodstream – HDL (the helpful "good" cholesterol), LDL (the problematic "bad" cholesterol), and triglycerides. When LDL or triglycerides get too high, they start building up in your arteries like rust in old pipes, increasing your risk for heart disease and stroke. Catching elevated levels early gives you and your provider time to tackle them through lifestyle changes or medication before they cause serious problems.
A1C or Glucose Test
These tests measure sugar in your blood, but in different ways. A glucose test is like taking a photograph – it shows your blood sugar level right now. An A1C is more like a movie – it shows your average blood sugar over the past 2-3 months. Both help spot prediabetes or diabetes before you experience the classic symptoms like excessive thirst or frequent urination. Managing blood sugar early protects your heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves from damage down the road.
TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone)
Your thyroid is like your body's thermostat, controlling your energy levels, weight, mood, and how fast your metabolism runs. When it's not working properly – either running too fast or too slow – you might feel "off" without being able to pinpoint why. The TSH test helps identify these imbalances so they can be corrected, often dramatically improving how you feel.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
This test examines your blood's building blocks: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. It can detect anemia (which might explain why you've been feeling tired), signs of infection your body is fighting, or other blood-related issues that might be flying under the radar.
Kidney and Liver Function Tests
These tests check how well your body's major filtration and processing systems are working. Your kidneys filter waste from your blood, while your liver processes nutrients and toxins. These tests are especially important if you take regular medications or have conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes that can affect these organs over time.
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Making Sense of the Numbers
Getting your results back can feel overwhelming. All those numbers and medical terms can look like a foreign language. But here's the good news: you don't have to decode them alone.
Your provider's job is to translate those numbers into plain English and help you understand what they mean for your health. If something needs attention, they'll walk you through your options.
"We'll discuss what an expected normal result would be, if yours is abnormal, and how we can move forward to identify the cause of the abnormal lab and most importantly, work on improving it."
Your health investment that pays dividends
Getting routine lab work done is one of the simplest, most cost-effective investments you can make in your long-term health. It takes just a few minutes of your time, but the insights it provides can guide important decisions about your care for years to come.
If it's been a while since your last round of tests, or you're not sure what you might be due for, don't hesitate to reach out to your primary care provider. They'll help you figure out what makes sense for your unique situation.
A partnership in your care
At Intermountain Health, we believe that good healthcare starts with understanding. Routine lab work is just one tool that helps us get a complete picture of your health, but it's an important one.
Whether you visit us in person or connect virtually, your provider uses lab results not just as numbers on a page, but as conversation starters. They help us have real talks about your health, offer support that's tailored to you, and take meaningful steps together toward keeping you healthy.
Because at the end of the day, the best health surprises are the ones we prevent from happening in the first place.