Treating And Diagnosing Sepsis

Blood Tests

Your doctor is going to do at least 1 blood test to check for sepsis. Ladies, they'll draw some blood from 2 sites! These samples are going to be checked for infection, clotting problems, electrolyte imbalances, and even compromised liver and kidney function. However, you need more than just a blood test to reach a diagnosis of sepsis. Ladies, your doctor will pair blood tests with a physical exam. They need to know about your symptoms too!

One of the tests they'll do on your blood is a complete blood count (CBC). This measures how many white blood cells you have! Ladies, having lots of them says that you have an infection. Doctors will also check your C-reactive protein levels. This spots inflammation! They'll do a blood culture to see what bacteria lead to your condition. And if they check your blood clotting? Tests they'll do include platelet counts and d-dimer tests!

Wound Secretion Test

Your doctor also needs to do wound secretion tests to see if you have sepsis. Ladies, this will help figure out what caused the infection! This means that doctors will use the antibiotics that fight the specific bacteria and fungi that caused your condition! A wound secretion test spots fungi, bacteria, and viruses in wounds. And ladies, all you have to do is show up for the test! Oh, and tell your doctor about the medications you take. Other than that, it doesn't require prep!

Your doctor is going to clean your wound. You can even get numbing meds to make sure you're comfortable! If it's an open wound, doctors use a cotton swab. Closed wounds need a syringe! Deeper wounds will see doctors cutting into your skin a bit first.