A lab report can look intimidating — abbreviations, numbers, ranges and the occasional bold letter. You do not need to interpret it yourself, but knowing how it is laid out makes the conversation with your doctor much easier.
The parts of a typical report
Most reports list your details and the date, then one line per test: the test name, your result, the unit it is measured in, a reference range, and sometimes a flag such as H (high) or L (low) when a value falls outside that range.
What a reference range really means
A reference range is the span of values found in most healthy people, as measured by that particular lab. Ranges differ between labs and can depend on age and sex — which is why a value slightly outside the range is not automatically a problem.
A flag is not a diagnosis
Your doctor reads results alongside your symptoms, your history and your other results. A single flagged number rarely tells the whole story — so try not to search each value online and worry before you have spoken to them.
Questions worth asking
What does this result mean for me? Does it change my treatment? Do I need another test, and when? Is there anything I should do differently in the meantime?
Keep your results together
Results are most useful compared over time. Keeping every report in one place lets you and your doctor see whether a value is stable, improving or changing.
This article is general information, not medical advice. For anything specific to you, talk to a doctor — and in an emergency, go straight to the nearest emergency service.
