How not to be afraid to take blood from your finger. The problem of fear of donating blood from a finger prick

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My biggest fear

Rem – 01/16/2017 – 12:24
Fear. It's a terrible feeling. The fact is that I have been suffering from chronic follicular tonsillitis for quite some time. To prescribe the correct treatment, doctors must determine the source of the infection. But I can't donate blood. Today I tried. They couldn't take it out of hand. In my opinion, if I were burned at the stake, I would not experience the same agony as when I donated blood from my finger. In general, I can’t imagine a more terrible torment than when they draw your blood and squeeze your wound. Now, as I write this, I cringe in disgust and the pain I imagine. I CANNOT relax in any way, since my fear has completely physical reasons - my fingers (ring and middle) became extremely sensitive after, in distant childhood, an inexperienced nurse tore my nerve while drawing blood from my finger. That's when I lost consciousness for the first time. Now a light touch to the pad of the finger leads to the feeling of that pain. But this damn tonsillitis makes me donate blood. How to do it? I'm in terrible pain. It hurts all the time. The tonsils are rotting alive! I can’t swallow, speak, or even breathe normally. But I am ready to endure it, since the fear of blood sampling is much, much stronger. But I really wanted to become a singer... This world really looks like hell for me.

From early childhood, you have to take blood tests, and most children start screaming and crying when they take them. Why is a child afraid to donate blood? You are probably interested in knowing what to do in such a situation and what are its reasons.

Hemophobia treatment

Hemophobia is classified as an obsessive condition that is characterized by extreme fear of the sight of blood itself, not only in oneself, but also in other people. It follows that it is necessary for a person to develop resistance to the type of blood.

Hemophobia is rare as a serious illness. Often, a phobia is marked by minor manifestations that need to be eliminated using psychotherapeutic methods. Often a person exaggerates the degree of fear. Therefore, it is inappropriate to talk about the need for professional treatment of hemophobia in this case.

How to bring a hemophobe to his senses? It is necessary to tilt your head to your knees, thus increasing blood pressure. It is also possible to overcome attacks of hemophobia with the help of special exercises that help cope with panic fear. To do this, you need to tense your muscles while moving your limbs. This exercise stimulates blood circulation and also prevents fainting.

In some cases, it is necessary to look for the causes of hemophobia in deep changes in the psyche. An example is ,. In this case, hemophobia needs careful study and consultation with specialists. If hemophobia is expressed by obvious fears: a person does not go out into the street, making his home safe (knives, razors, paper books, notebooks are put away, corners of furniture are chipped), then in this case it is impossible to do without treatment of uncontrollable pathological fear from a psychiatrist.

How to donate blood for tests?

Most often, blood for testing is taken from a finger and a vein. This has its own characteristics and priorities. For example, blood is taken from a finger for a general analysis. It is well suited for determining the presence of red blood cells, platelets, leukocytes in the blood and the presence of ESR.

As for taking it from a vein, such an analysis is better suited for determining the presence of various infections in the blood and the amount of hormones. But for both the first case and the second, it is necessary to observe a number of certain measures. But in addition to all this, we can say for sure that the pain may be no more than a wasp sting on your finger. As for the vein, everything will be done with a little pinching. You should not be afraid of such a procedure, because on the contrary, it will help you cope with the existing disease and determine the threshold for its development.

Symptoms of hemophobia

An individual with such fear is plagued by a whole “bouquet” of unpleasant physiological and mental symptoms. When a person suffering from a phobia undergoes the “torture” (surrender procedure), he:

the breath stops, the heart starts to gallop;
lips are shaking, with hands and veins it’s the same story;
the legs become weak, and a person suffering from a phobia can easily faint.

Things are also bad mentally. Hemophobe:

begins to worry terribly, and is seized by wild panic;
madly wants to run away, hide, “wake up.” To someone suffering from a phobia, what is happening seems like a bad dream.

In children, the symptoms are slightly different. In babies:

severe hysteria begins. The baby is screaming, crying;
there is an attempt to hide. The baby clings to his mother and runs away. He asks for protection “from a bad woman with a scary needle.”

Physical manifestations of fear (headaches, indigestion) are also possible in children, but in a less prolonged severe form than in adults.

How to get rid of hemophobia yourself

To self-correct the condition, psychologists have developed a special five-step technique that tells you how to get rid of hemophobia. Let's look at each of the steps in more detail.

Talk

Sometimes simply speaking your thoughts out loud helps you realize the irrationality of your experiences and overcome anxiety. Contact a psychologist, a close friend, or talk to yourself about everything that worries you. Try to reason, find the root cause of fear, talk about its consequences and impact on your life. Such reasoning helps not only to change the attitude towards the problem, but also to find a way out of the current situation.

Exercises

In moments of panic or when you feel like you are about to lose consciousness, do the following exercises:

For five minutes, tense all the muscles of your body one by one. Start by clenching your fists and move up, then move to your shoulders, chest, stomach, legs. Practice this technique every day, then during an attack you will definitely not forget about it. This technique allows you to restore blood circulation and reduce the level of cortisol, the stress hormone.
Take 20 quick breaths. This will help quickly saturate the brain with oxygen.

Meditation

Meditation allows you to calm down and look inside the subconscious. This technique allows you to understand the connection between soul and body, teaches you to hear the soul and the body. The essence of meditation is to concentrate on your feelings, abandon any thoughts and ask yourself: “why are you afraid of blood?” You may not hear the answer right away, but if you practice meditation daily, you will learn to understand yourself.

How to meditate correctly to get rid of the fear of blood:

Choose a convenient time and place, make sure there are no distractions.
Find a comfortable position. It is not necessary to sit in the lotus position, but your back should be straight.
Try to relax your body with the power of thought.
After this, pay attention to your breathing.
Say a mantra (positive affirmation). You can supplement this stage with visualization.

If you catch yourself on extraneous sensations and thoughts, then immediately return to a relaxed state by force of will. Switching will happen less and less each time.

Psychotherapy

If the fear of blood is beyond your control, the fear of blood has reached such proportions that you cannot take the necessary test, or you have locked yourself within the walls of the house and thrown out all the sharp objects, then it is time to consult a psychotherapist. As part of the professional treatment of hemophobia, psychoanalysis, cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, hypnosis, and gestalt therapy are used. A specialist will study your case and select the optimal treatment. If necessary, the psychologist will prescribe sedatives.

How to overcome your fear of blood on your own

Try to communicate as much as possible with those who are not afraid of blood, but take your phobia seriously. Find out the stories of people who have suffered serious injuries or recovered from major blood loss. Think about what exactly scares you. Now you know emergency self-help methods, you don’t have to worry about fainting.

How not to be afraid to donate blood from a vein or finger - effective techniques for overcoming fear

Psychotherapeutic techniques help you to approach analysis calmly.

Technique “Imagine: there is no fear”

Blood can be made “not scary” by doing the following simple but effective mental therapy. Let's imagine that we are going for analysis. Everything goes as smoothly as possible. A friendly nurse gets the job done quickly. And the “terrible unbearable” pain is weaker than a mosquito bite.

“Measured portions” of blood donation videos also help. The videos will gradually instill “immunity” to “bloody” spectacles, and hemophobia will begin to disappear.

Technique "Utility"

Is as follows:

We instill the idea of the usefulness of surrender. We visualize the laboratory, imagine how doctors study the analysis and examine it under a microscope.
We bring to the subconscious: the procedure is a great benefit, the test helps prevent and detect diseases.

To make auto-training more effective, we need the help of a specialist. During the sessions of the experienced hypnologist Nikita Valeryevich Baturin, it will be possible to gradually dispel the phobia and remove fear from consciousness forever.

Relaxing breathing technique

Techniques related to breathing control are effective for the treatment of hemobophyia. A simple deep exhalation exercise will help bring panic under control. The main thing in the exercise is that the exhalation is longer than the inhalation.

When a person exhales, the body relaxes, when inhales, it tenses. Therefore, if you “stretch” your exhalation, the hemophobe will relax and become calmer.

Tension technique

This specific technique works well in combating fainting, the most unpleasant symptom of hemophobia, accompanied by a sharp drop in blood pressure.

The technique is as follows: we strongly strain the muscles of the chest, arms, and legs so that the face becomes flushed and the blood pressure quickly rises. We use hardware. At the same time, we watch a video where blood is taken from a finger and vein.

Behavioral cognitive therapy

In addition to the techniques described above, behavioral-cognitive therapy helps well against hemophobia. Together with a behavioral psychotherapist, a person changes his attitude towards analysis and begins to understand that there is nothing wrong with the procedure. The specialist gradually helps the person suffering from a phobia to “replace” panicky thoughts associated with analysis with more “realistic” ones.

Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis is also effective. Together with the psychoanalyst, the client searches for the cause of the appearance of fear, clears the mind of the attitude to be afraid, realizes it, and overcomes it. Many useful exercises are posted on YouTube.

Remember! Medications (antidepressants, tranquilizers) are rarely prescribed for hemophobia. Pathology is considered a problem that can be effectively dealt with through psychotherapy alone.

How not to worry before donating blood

What is anxiety before donating blood?
Why does anxiety occur?
Who is more susceptible to anxiety?
10 practical tips on how to relieve excessive anxiety before donating blood

Red is the color of life, passion. The color of blood is one of the most important fluids in the human body.

It brings oxygen to every cell of the body, allowing it to breathe. Delivers nutrients to organs and removes toxic waste products. Parts of the body deprived of access to this life-giving substance cease to function and die if blood flow is not restored in time.

A loss of more than one and a half liters of blood is considered fatal.

Therefore, it is not surprising that all situations that could hypothetically lead us to the loss of this precious fluid are subconsciously perceived as dangerous and bring psychological and sometimes physical discomfort.

Even such an innocent and necessary procedure as donating blood in a medical facility can become a real nightmare. Why this happens, how to avoid this and how to deal with this condition will be discussed in our article.

WHAT IS EXCITATION BEFORE DONATING BLOOD

Discomfort before this medical procedure can occur for several reasons:

The first is the so-called hemophobia or hematophobia, in other words - fear of blood. A fairly common mental disorder, occurring in mild form in 10% of the world's population. There are several variants of this condition, from intolerance to the sight of blood as such to rejection of the sight of only one’s own or only someone else’s blood. The severity of hemophobia can vary from a slight feeling of fear to uncontrollable panic attacks, with a sharp drop in blood pressure and loss of consciousness.
The second is the fear of physical discomfort and pain that may accompany the blood collection procedure. The latter option is often found when donating blood from a finger prick, since this particular method of conducting medical tests is quite painful.

WHY IS ANXIETY OCCURRED?

If we are talking about the fear of the sight of blood, then the leading role here is played by psychological trauma received by a person in the past.

For example: the child’s first blood draw was very painful, he was scared and in shock. In the future, he is likely to develop hematophobia, which will remain with him into adulthood.
Another example: a person finds himself in an extreme, life-threatening situation associated with bleeding (wounds, injuries). He clearly associates this danger with the type of blood (blood flowing from a wound), the brain remembers this associative chain, and later, at the sight of this red liquid (or any liquid resembling it), it begins to turn on an alarm, which leads to a panic attack.

In addition, we should not forget that aversion to the sight of blood (especially our own) is inherent in us at the physiological level, as a protective mechanism against injury and injury. Therefore, if the sight of this physiological substance causes you a slight rejection, and not a desire to jump up and run away, then this is absolutely normal.

In the case where fear is caused not by the sight of blood as such, but by the painfulness of the procedure, then we are talking more about a low pain threshold. It's no secret that all people experience pain differently. Someone can quite calmly endure the consequences of a fracture, but for others a light injection is perceived as the torment of hell.

In addition to the reasons given above, factors that increase general anxiety are psychological exhaustion and increased levels of anxiety.

In our dynamic life, in which we need to constantly run somewhere, always be successful, meet the high standards of unattainable ideals, there is no time or opportunity to relieve tension and relax.

Chronic stress is debilitating, undermines mental health, and exacerbates existing problems. In such conditions, phobias flourish.

WHO IS MOST SUBJECT TO EXCITATION

As can be seen from the previous paragraph, people who are in a state of chronic anxiety, as well as those who are accustomed to keeping their lives under strict control, are most susceptible to worries about this medical manipulation. It is very difficult for the latter to even admit the thought that someone could invade their holy of holies - the body, and they will not be able to control it.

In addition, children of anxious and overprotective parents are often susceptible to fear of medical procedures, since adults convey their wary attitude towards the world, causing unmotivated fears in the child. Moreover, it was noticed that if in a child’s close circle there are older relatives with hemophobia, then over time he also begins to be afraid of blood.

10 PRACTICAL TIPS ON HOW TO REMOVE EXCESSIVE ANXIETY BEFORE DONATING BLOOD

It is better to start preparing for an unpleasant procedure the day before. The main goal during this time is to reduce your overall anxiety and stress levels.

So, first of all, you need to try to relax.

An old, proven method can help with this: a bath with salt and aromatic essential oils. It is better to choose oils that have a calming effect: mint, lemon balm, lavender, ylang-ylang, cedar.

In addition to the aromas listed above, citrus oils reduce anxiety and improve mood: lemon, tangerine and bergamot. Incense is quite good at calming and relieving insomnia, but not everyone likes its specific aroma. When choosing oils, be guided by your own preferences.

It is very important that you like the scent. And don’t overdo it, just a couple of drops is enough.

The following is a measure to reduce anxiety and a way to set yourself in a positive mood. You can listen to calm music or sounds of nature. It is important to listen to music not with headphones; it is better that it be from an external source. Sounds should be calm and quiet, they should be perceived as background. This will allow you to set yourself up for relaxation.

Before going to bed, it is better not to watch TV and postpone the use of gadgets until the next day, this will allow the body to relax and tune in to sleep.

Do not forget that blood is not just donated on an empty stomach; at least eight hours must pass between the last meal and the analysis procedure, and even in this case, dinner should not be full of fatty and sweet foods. This may affect the results of the analysis and will have to be repeated.

An excellent dinner option would be cottage cheese with fruit, or baked chicken with vegetables.

Protein products will help you maintain a feeling of fullness for a long time; in addition, they are rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which is involved in the production of serotonin (the “happiness hormone”) and will help maintain presence of mind.

On the eve of the procedure, it is better to try to go to bed early, because the blood donation procedure is usually carried out early in the morning, and your emotional state will be much better if you get enough sleep. Various meditation techniques can help with this, for example this one (effectiveness tested from personal experience):

Take the position that is most comfortable for you. This can be the so-called “dreamer pose”: lying on your back, place your hands under your head, arms bent at the elbows, legs crossed.
Closing your eyes, mentally transport yourself to a cozy forest lawn or green summer meadow.
Imagine that you are basking under the warm sun, transparent clouds are slowly flying above you, trees and grass are rustling;
The world is filled with warmth and tranquility, the chirping of birds begins to subside, the crickets chirp louder, and the sun slowly sinks below the horizon, nature is preparing for bed.
The moon and stars appear in the sky, the world is full of peace and tranquility.
Focus on your breathing, breathing slowly and calmly. Try not to think about anything at all. There shouldn’t be a single word in your head. It's harder than it sounds, but guaranteed to help you sleep.

After waking up, drink plenty of clean, still water; this will slightly raise your blood pressure and make the blood more liquid, which will simplify the collection procedure.

If you need to donate blood from your finger, you can purchase a disposable lancet for blood collection in advance. This wonderful thing is sold in pharmacies and medical equipment stores, and makes a not-so-pleasant procedure almost painless. It is inexpensive, 7-15 rubles each. There are options for both children and adults.

Take something with you that will help take your mind off unpleasant thoughts and pass the time. It could be an interesting book, a favorite movie or TV series on your phone, or an exciting game. They will not allow themselves to be cheated, and will help make the wait for the analysis more comfortable.

Warn medical personnel about your fear of blood. This will allow them to react faster if you suddenly feel unwell.

During the procedure, try not to look. Admire the landscape outside the window, look at the posters. Don't focus your attention on this process. Let your thoughts be as far as possible from what is happening.

We hope these simple tips will help you cope with anxiety, and make blood sampling just one of many medical procedures that do not cause discomfort.

Causes of fear

Phobias never arise on their own. Often this is a consequence of experienced stress. Understanding what triggered your fear is already a big step towards overcoming it. The factors that caused the phobia can be divided into two groups: direct and indirect.

Direct (related to the type of blood, painful sensations during or after the analysis):

low pain threshold: each person perceives pain differently (what is mild discomfort for one, unbearable torment for another);
fear of consequences is associated with the same pain threshold (when donating blood from a finger, a person, due to his high sensitivity, loses consciousness, and then fear is caused not by the pain from the procedure, but by fainting);
instinctive fear is genetic (when we see blood, we believe that this is a potential threat to our health).

Indirect (related to the tension of the modern rhythm of life):

frequent stress;
fatigue;
lack of proper rest;
information about negative events that often appears in the media.

Such factors become an ideal environment for the development of old fears and the emergence of new ones.

Hemophobia (fear of blood) causes

The causes of hemophobia are psychological. Previously it was believed that this fear had a genetic predisposition, but studies on identical twins showed that the root cause of the phobia is society, as well as traumatic events, but not genetics. Therefore, in principle, this problem can be solved, you just need to find a good psychotherapist.

Hemophobia is divided into different groups. This unit is built on the reasons that cause a person’s negative reaction:

- fear of seeing someone else's blood;

- fear of seeing your blood;

- fear of seeing blood in animals, fish, people;

- fear of seeing blood at all.

Hemophobes, aware of their fear, avoid the services of traditional medicine and use herbs and meditation in treatment. Some people refuse to eat meat and eventually turn into complete vegetarians.

Why is a hemophobe afraid? The reason may be an alleged injury that poses a danger to life and health, or fear of a repeat of previous poor health when donating blood. Fear can come from childhood, when your mother scolded you for minor wounds or cuts.

The fear of blood due to war is one of the real causes of this phobia, which often affects both children and adults. The media contribute to this by openly broadcasting news channels from war zones, thereby provoking the development of hidden forms of phobias.

Often, the state of panic caused by hemophobia is attributed to a pain reaction accompanied by the appearance of bleeding, but not the fear of blood itself. Or often this behavior is attributed to a state of stress that is experienced when seeing other people’s injuries and injuries. It is worth noting that the majority of those suffering from severe forms of this phobia, who do not encounter bleeding in everyday life, reduce their source of fear to zero.

How to stop being afraid to donate blood from a vein or finger while being distracted

Many people find distraction methods helpful. During the procedure you should:

look out the window, at your feet, to the side;
count from ten to zero;
mentally repeat the words of the song;
fiddle with the handkerchief in your free hand;
listen to music on headphones;
talk to the “support service” (a relative or friend - provided that he is allowed to be in the office).

In this case, you should not take any sedatives, as they can distort the result and cause an incorrect diagnosis. In addition, you will then have to donate blood again, which will force you to experience unpleasant sensations again.

If independent attempts to cope with the problem have led nowhere, you should think about seeking psychotherapeutic help. Sometimes two or three sessions are enough to get rid of a disturbing phobia forever.

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Under the influence of time and with the development of our society, people are increasingly having inexplicable fears. Today, it is becoming normal and commonplace for a person to have phobias. No one will be surprised if you say that you are terribly afraid of spiders or confined spaces. For some, this fear is mild stress, but for others it causes panic attacks, which makes life much more difficult. Don't put up with your fears and take them for granted. One of the most common fears that people often face in modern life is the fear of donating blood.

Hematophobia and fear of donating blood

A fairly common pathological fear is hemophobia

(hematophobia). It is associated with a strong fear of blood: a person only needs to see a small drop of it to fall into panic. Naturally, in such a situation, the reluctance to get tested is quite understandable.

But the fear of donating blood is not necessarily caused by hematophobia. The reasons may be more obvious:

fear of pain (although the blood test does not imply serious interference with the integrity of the body, a certain discomfort is still present);
fear of contracting HIV or hepatitis if using unsterile/contaminated instruments;
the fear of one’s own helplessness, which grips many in hospitals and clinics (a person, due to lack of medical education, does not fully understand what he needs to do and is forced to blindly obey doctors).

As a rule, the fear of donating blood develops in childhood. Almost every child has a memory of how a strict nurse frantically squeezed out the treasured red drop from a numb finger or spent hours looking for inconspicuous veins, painfully sticking her hand with a needle in the process. The reasons for fear are always psychological and have no basis in reality. But this does not prevent even established adults from trembling in front of that “creepy” office.

Description of the phobia

This reaction to tests is caused by hemophobia, or fear at the sight of blood. People with this disease are seized with fear just at the thought of having to visit hospitals, not to mention the fact that they will have to donate blood from a finger, and even more so from a vein.

Hemophobes often turn to traditional medicine or ignore their diseases, thereby incurring a greater likelihood of irreparable consequences.

The situation becomes especially complicated if a child is afraid of blood, which is also not a rare occurrence. This type of phobia does not have deep roots, which means you have a chance to overcome it on your own. Fear of taking tests can also be caused by other factors, such as fear of the hospital, doctors, or sharp objects. It is necessary to first eliminate the primary phobia, and then its consequences.

How not to be afraid to go get your baby tested?

To reduce your baby’s fear before the procedure:

Let's try to tell the truth. We avoid stories that blood from a finger or vein is “like a mosquito bite.” Sometimes the analysis is done carelessly, the baby may jerk his hand, causing him pain. If the parents before the procedure convinced the baby that the manipulation was painless, then the baby will become terribly afraid to go and take the test again. And he will begin to trust the words of loved ones less;
in very gentle terms we explain to our child how everything will happen, so that the baby knows what to expect and is less afraid;
We say that after surrendering, the baby will receive something as a reward for his courage;
We explain to the child why the analysis is needed. We tell you that this protects you from unpleasant illnesses, because of which you have to lie in bed for a long time and drink bitter pills;
as a last resort, we can also donate blood, because parents are the main role models for children.

And we make sure to be close to the baby during the analysis. We try to distract, talk about something pleasant. We retell the plot of the cartoon and describe the gift for courage.

The fear of donating blood is irrational and pathological. To overcome a phobia, you need to learn to control your thoughts. Experienced psychologists and various simple therapeutic techniques will help you do this. Then the problem of how to stop being afraid to donate blood from a vein or finger will go away forever.

Symptoms of the disease

Many people are not even aware of their phobia, perceiving their condition as the norm. This approach to the problem is categorically wrong. Without awareness of your fear, you will never be able to get rid of it.

People with this phobia experience the following reactions when undergoing testing:

dizziness;
fainting;
nausea;
chills;
numbness of the limb;
sudden sweating;
panic attacks.

If a child suffers from the disease, he usually experiences increased agitation, screaming, crying, and hysterics. If the above symptoms are present, a routine examination will be a real test for the patient.

"Bad Veins"

There are times when a nurse cannot get into a vein. This happens due to the anatomical features of the vascular system, frequent puncture of veins for the purpose of administering drugs, and thrombosis. Typically, people with “bad veins” do not like to donate blood. If it is not possible to find a vein in the elbow, it is inserted into another part of the body.

If the nurse does not hit the vein, it is quite possible that she is inexperienced and just starting to work. If she fails to insert the needle after two tries, you can ask another nurse to come.

Consequences

Sometimes, after donating blood, swelling or bruising may appear from a vein. Doctors advise not to use this hand in everyday work in the coming days and apply cold to the injection site. If it hurts, you can take a painkiller. If swelling and pain do not go away for a long time, you need to consult a doctor.

Hematoma after blood sampling

Vomiting after donating blood. Actions after donating blood. What can and cannot be done?

Under no circumstances should you stand up suddenly immediately after the blood has been drawn. You need to wait at least 15 minutes, and then you can go about your business.
If you experience problems such as weakness or dizziness, you should inform the medical staff.

If you feel dizzy, you can easily cope with this: while sitting, lower your head between your knees, or move your legs above head level while lying on the couch.

Do not smoke for an hour after donating blood.
Do not carry heavy objects for 24 hours.
Your diet should exclude alcohol for at least 24 hours after the test.
You need to eat regularly and properly, drink enough water.
Vaccinations can only be done 10 days after donating blood.

It is better to refuse to donate blood before important events: exams, competitions, difficult and hard work (both mentally and physically).
Before drawing blood, you must answer the questionnaire strictly honestly and truthfully.
If you have already arrived home after taking blood, and you suddenly feel sick, the skin around the vein turns red and your head starts to feel dizzy, then sitting and doing nothing is simply dangerous. Contact the blood transfusion station immediately!
Juicy and fresh fruits are the best way to help your body cope with blood loss. You can eat a couple of apples, tangerines, oranges or peaches.
You cannot wet the needle mark (puncture site) for several hours; it is even better to wait until the evening.
You can actively engage in sports only after 3 or 4 days.
If there are no problems with your health, then you can get behind the wheel and operate the vehicle immediately.

Who can donate blood for tests?

Not only can everyone get tested, but they also need to. It is recommended to do this regularly to check your health status and the possible development of certain diseases. This is especially true for pregnant women, when careful and periodic checks of the health of the fetus and mother, respectively, are required. As for taking blood as a donation, anyone can do this:

weight more than 50 kg;
there are no chronic or acute diseases;
there are no various contraindications to the fence;
no problems with the cardiovascular system;
no alcohol addiction;
there were no previous blood transfusions with incompatibility;
There are no abnormalities of mental disorder.

Author: Boris
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Restrictions

There are no restrictions on taking a general blood test, because it happens literally instantly and there is no need to prepare for it. This can also be said about a blood test from a vein; the main thing in both cases is to go on an empty stomach so that everything is correct.

If a person has any type of disease, then blood can be taken only a limited number of times. This is due to the fact that the body is already in bad shape, and even the smallest change in blood volume causes enormous stress on health. Because of which people with such diseases donate blood a limited number of times, this restriction must be set by the attending physician.

With donation, not everything is so simple, it follows strictly regulated requirements, and if a person does not meet any requirement, then he is not allowed to donate blood as a donor. happens completely voluntarily.

During pregnancy, this is more relevant than ever, because the health of the woman and her child should be monitored, and blood tests, like nothing else, help with this.

The main criterion for donating blood is that the patient's weight must be more than 50 kg.

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In principle, few people like medical procedures. But when a person refuses to undergo the necessary tests only because of fear of donating blood, then we are talking about a full-fledged phobia. How to get rid of it?

Main symptoms

A child and an adult perceive threat differently. The baby's first defensive reaction is hysteria. In adult patients, the phobia manifests itself differently: he deliberately ignores the procedure. A person stocks up with a whole arsenal of excuses why he won’t be able to undergo the procedure. Manifestations of hemophobia:

uncontrollable panic attacks;
loss of consciousness;
confusion of thoughts;
shortness of breath (a person is suffocating and cannot take a deep breath);
cardiopalmus;
tremor of the upper and lower extremities.

Manifestations of hemophobia cannot be controlled; spontaneous reactions occur when there is a need to take blood. The fear of blood makes you nervous.

A panic attack is accompanied by increased anxiety. This condition may last for several hours after the procedure.

Hemophobia causes increased sweating, chills and chest pain. During an attack, a person poses a danger to himself and others.

A progressive phobia affects the perception of reality: dizziness and headaches, temporary clouding of reason. An obsessive condition needs urgent treatment.

Hemophobia (fear of blood) symptoms

Hemophobia manifests itself in uncontrollable fear at the level and is marked by the following symptoms: loss of consciousness at the sight of one’s own and others’ blood, pallor of the face, trembling, rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, horror in the eyes, jumps in blood pressure, tremors. Hemophobes cannot tolerate and therefore are afraid of all kinds of vaccinations and tests (from a finger or from a vein).

Symptoms of hemophobia often manifest themselves in a state of panic, which occurs unpredictably and is an attack of short-term anxiety. At the same time, hemophobes also complain of other unpleasant physical sensations. The following sensations occur: sweating, internal trembling, suffocation, chills, discomfort in the chest, nausea, instability, a feeling of dizziness, numbness in the limbs, decreased voluntary thinking. Sometimes hemophobes feel like they might go crazy at the sight of blood, so they avoid it at all costs, receiving a command of danger from the body.

How to stop being afraid to donate blood by finding a good clinic

Specialists in public clinics, hospitals, and laboratories are not very client-oriented. Why this happens is unnecessary to discuss. But there is always a choice: patients who are afraid of donating blood can go to a good private clinic. In this case, the person expects:

polite welcome;
a patient specialist who will help you overcome fear and try to make the procedure as comfortable as possible;
high-quality and sterile instruments.

It is possible that after the first visit to such a clinic, the fear will disappear. A person will understand the groundlessness of fear: after all, when the blood sampling procedure is approached carefully and diligently, then there are no inconveniences. An ordinary injection.

How much does it hurt when blood is taken from a vein?

A lot of people are completely calm about donating blood from a vein. But there are also those who wait with fear for the procedure to begin.

The following points usually cause concern:

Pain when piercing the skin - as a rule, these are people who are afraid of any injections;
Fear of infection;
“Bad veins” - a person who has difficulty finding a vein does not like to take this test due to the fact that the skin has to be pierced several times and in different places: on the elbow, wrist, forearm or lower leg.

And yet, the majority of people agree that taking blood from a vein is not painful; taking blood from a finger is much more painful.

How not to be afraid to give up - useful tips

To be bold:

Before going to the procedure, drink plenty of water. It will be easier for the nurse to “extract” blood from a vein or finger. Things will go much faster;
we explain to the nurse about the problem so that she can carry out the procedure quickly and carefully;
When we sit on the chair during the fence, we relax as much as possible. We think about something soothing and pleasant. We mentally repeat a mantra, for example this: “Relaxed, good, relaxed, good.” We take deep breaths and exhale slowly.

It is unwise to develop complexes because of a phobia. Fear will go away faster if you honestly admit to the medical staff: “I’m afraid to donate blood from a vein (or finger).”

Danger of infection

If medical personnel are negligent in their duties and use unsterile instruments, there is a risk of contracting various diseases that are transmitted through blood:

Hepatitis C.
Hepatitis B.
AIDS.
Syphilis.
Malaria.

Currently, most laboratories use only sterile equipment: disposable needles and vacuum tubes; the design features do not allow them to be used several times, which leaves a purely theoretical possibility of infection.

Blood from finger and vein

But don’t despair, the blood donation procedure will be useful for the baby, no less than for you; it will be necessary to be absolutely sure of the baby’s complete safety. If even all of the above does not help, and the fear does not subside, you can try to invite close relatives with you who will support and motivate.

Psychologists have proven that when close to family, a person feels much better and more confident. It is better to come to the appointment in advance, then you will have much more time to properly tune in and calm down.

The best thing is to come at a time when there are practically no people, then you won’t have to stand in line and additionally tell yourself that it will hurt. When you cross the threshold of the office, you need to think about something pleasant, you can even make a slight smile, all this will be necessary to maintain inner peace. If there are not many people in the queue, then to create a positive mood, you can talk with the doctor for a couple of minutes on some neutral topic, completely unrelated to this procedure.

After undergoing the procedure, you should rest for some time in the hospital to get yourself in order. After about 15 minutes, you should go outside to breathe in some air, causing additional relaxation, after which you can go home.

Preparing for research

Before donating biomaterial, the patient needs to prepare:

12 (at most) hours before visiting the clinic, refuse to eat. Tea, coffee and juices are considered food. Drinking water is not prohibited. In exceptional cases, you can eat an apple or drink unsweetened tea 60 minutes before donating blood.
Stop taking antibiotics and other medications 2 weeks before the test.
Before the procedure (30 minutes before), avoid hot baths, psychological stress and physical exercise.
Do not smoke on the day of submitting your biomaterial.
If you have an ultrasound, x-ray, physiotherapy, rectal examination or reflexology scheduled on the day of your blood draw, donate blood first. The listed procedures may distort the initial indicators.

The ideal time to visit a laboratory technician is from 7 to 12 am. This is the period immediately after sleep, when hunger is not yet so noticeable. In addition, indicators can vary significantly throughout the day.