CBC Test Explained: What 24 Parameters Say About Your Health

Whether it's a fever, weakness, or a routine checkup, the CBC (Complete Blood Count) is usually the first test any doctor orders. This single test analyses all three cell types in your blood.

Red Blood Cells — Your Oxygen Carriers

• Haemoglobin (Hb) — the oxygen-carrying protein. Normal: roughly 13–17 g/dL (men), 12–15 g/dL (women). Low Hb = anaemia, causing fatigue, breathlessness and pale skin.
• RBC Count, PCV/Haematocrit — the number and volume of red cells
• MCV, MCH, MCHC — the size and haemoglobin content of each cell; these help identify *why* anaemia is happening (iron deficiency vs B12 deficiency, for example)

White Blood Cells — Your Defence Force

• Total WBC Count — Normal: 4,000–11,000/µL. High usually signals infection or inflammation; low can indicate viral infections or other conditions.
• Differential Count — the mix of neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, monocytes and basophils. The pattern hints at the cause: bacterial vs viral infection, allergy, or parasites.

Platelets — Your Repair Team

• Platelet Count — Normal: 1.5–4.5 lakh/µL. Platelets clot your blood; low counts (seen in dengue, for instance) cause easy bruising and bleeding risk.

Why the CBC Is So Valuable

One small sample screens for:

• Anaemia and its probable cause
• Ongoing infections and their type
• Allergic tendencies
• Clotting problems
• General bone marrow health

No Preparation Needed

The CBC requires no fasting and takes minutes to collect. At Yourlab it costs just ₹300 with free home collection and reports within 12 hours — also included in every full body checkup package we offer.