Blood Donation Facts and Myths: Well you Have To know

World Blood Donor Day is celebrated every year on June 14 to thank blood donors who save lives every day. It also encourages people all over the world to donate blood voluntarily. It is one of the eight global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organisation. We need to donate blood because every two seconds, a person requires blood.

 

There are some very common myths regarding blood donation that prevent people from coming forward and donating blood regularly.

 

Let’s bust 13 myths that hold you back from being a blood donor

 

Myth 1: Blood donation hurts

 

Fact: The needle prick is the only pain one feels when donating blood. The area on the arm heals within a day or two. The weakness post donating blood can be dealt with by drinking plenty of water and eating.

 

Myth 2: If you smoke, you cannot be a blood donor

 

Fact: You can donate even if you are smoker. However, you must be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 50 kilograms. Also, you should avoid smoking for three hours after donating blood and also stay away from alcohol for 24 hours.

 

Myth 3: Donating blood makes the immune system weak.

 

Fact: There is no such lasting danger to the immune system when you donate blood. While the Red Blood Cells return to normal within a few days, the White Blood Cells take a few weeks, however, if the body finds itself in danger, they can be produced quickly.

 

Myth 4: Blood donation is time consuming.

 

Fact: Blood donation takes 45 minutes to an hour only. The donation process itself takes barely 10-12 minutes, but the entire process from filling out forms to taking refreshments after donation takes that amount of time.

 

Myth 5: Blood donors become obese

 

Fact: Blood donation doesn’t affect your body weight at all, it remains unchanged unless you decide to reward yourself with too much junk post-donation — and that is your responsibility and has nothing to do with blood donation.

 

Myth 6: People who weigh heavier are eligible for donating blood, those who weigh lighter aren’t.

 

Fact: As long as you weigh above 50 kgs, donating blood has nothing more to do with your weight — only because a person below that weight would probably have to face relatively more weakness issues than a person who is above 50 kgs. Also, your weight has nothing to do with the amount of blood your body produces!

 

Myth 7: If you’re diabetic, blood donation isn’t for you.

 

Fact: You cannot donate blood only and only if you take supplements to fix your diabetes, like insulin. You CAN donate blood if you control your diabetes with the help of lifestyle changes and pills. Those who have heart problems and blood pressure from type 2 diabetes, however, might not be able to donate in exceptional cases.

 

Myth 8: High BP patients cannot be blood donors.

 

Fact: Those with blood pressure between 180 systolic and 100 diastolic can very well donate blood. This frame might be considered high, but it does not isolate you from donating blood. Moreover, blood pressure medicines do not interfere with the process at all.

 

Myth 9: People with seasonal allergies don’t qualify for donating blood.

 

Fact: Seasonal allergies do not interfere with blood donation, just like any other mild cold and cough does not affect your daily routine. So, “I have a cold,” is an absolutely lame excuse for not giving your blood to someone who needs it.

 

Myth 10: Blood donation isn’t for women

 

Fact: No, seriously, how does blood have anything to do with gender? That women bleed every month anyway, so they shouldn’t? The logical argument could be that women have a lower haemoglobin count than men due to their biological setup. Women naturally survive in lower haemoglobin levels. So, blood donation affects them the same way that it would affect a man. Thus, unless women are pregnant, lactating, anaemic, or suffering from some medical issue that lowers haemoglobin count — they can donate blood.

 

Myth 11: A blood donor is prone to infections.

 

Fact: A fresh nee

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