It’s likely that at some point in your life, you’ll have blood drawn for either a medical test or for donating blood. The process for either procedure is similar and usually much less painful than most people think. Show Read on to find out how to prepare for your next blood draw. If you’re a medical professional, we’ll provide a few tips for enhancing blood drawing techniques. Before you have a blood draw, it’s important to know if you need to follow special instructions before your test. For example, some tests require that you fast (don’t eat or drink anything) for a certain amount of time. Others don’t require you to fast at all. If you don’t have any special instructions other than an arrival time, there are still some steps you can take to try to make this process easier:
You may wish to mention if you have a preferred arm for a person to draw blood from. This could be your nondominant arm or an area where you know a person taking your blood has had success before. The time it takes for a blood draw usually depends upon the amount of blood needed. For example, donating blood can take about 10 minutes, while obtaining a small amount of blood for a sample may take just a few minutes. While the process may vary depending on who is drawing the blood and for what purpose, the person performing the blood draw will follow this general procedure:
Some blood product types may take longer to donate. This is true for a special type of blood donation known as apheresis. A person donating via this method is providing blood that can be separated into further components, such as platelets or plasma. While drawing blood is ideally a fast and minimally painful experience, it’s possible that some people will feel very nervous about getting stuck with a needle or seeing their own blood. Here are some ways to minimize these reactions and stay calm:
The person drawing your blood has likely seen nervous individuals about to have their blood drawn before. Explain your concerns, and they can help walk you through what to expect. Most blood draws cause minimal side effects. However, it’s possible you could experience some of the following:
Most of these will subside with time. If you still experience bleeding from a puncture site, try holding pressure with a clean, dry gauze for at least five minutes. If the site continues to bleed and soak bandages, see a doctor. You should also see a doctor if you experience a large blood bruise known as a hematoma at the puncture site. A large hematoma can block blood flow to the tissues. However, smaller (less than dime-sized) hematomas will often go away on their own with time. Even if you’ve had a small amount of blood drawn, there are still steps you can follow to enhance how you feel afterward:
If you do experience any symptoms that you’re worried are out of the ordinary, call your doctor or the location that did your blood draw. Blood draws and blood donations should be a minimally painless process that has few side effects. If you’re interested in donating blood, consider contacting your local hospital or the American Red Cross, which can direct you to a blood donation site. If you do have concerns about side effects or the process itself, share these with the person taking your blood. There are many ways to soothe nerves and make the process smoother overall. |