PHLEBOTOMY AFTERCARE

The following aftercare advice is essential to help reduce the risk of treatment complications, to improve your comfort/healing and to help achieve the best possible results from treatment.

Please follow the aftercare advice for phlebotomy (taking blood).

• You may have some localised tenderness in the site that the blood was taken from afterwards, this should usually resolve within 48 hours.
• You may experience bruising after having blood taken. Bruising is common and may take 1-2 weeks to resolve.
• Keep the area clean afterwards.
• In the unlikely event of bleeding afterwards from the site of the blood test, sit quietly and apply firm pressure to the area for 20 minutes. You can use a swab, clean cotton wool pad, a clean towel or flannel.
• You must seek medical attention and contact your practitioner if you experience any signs or symptoms of infection after the blood test. Infection can present as hot, red shiny skin, there may be pus formation and you may have a fever or feel generally unwell.
• You must contact your practitioner as soon as possible if you experience any other unwanted side effects after having blood taken.