Immunity is a phenomenon that is biological in nature. It provides automatic support for both the balance of the genetic 'not-self' and 'self' in the body, mainly under foreign surroundings and on a long-term basis. It involves the immune system developing and releasing mechanisms to help provide this support. If your immunity is low you might suffer from illnesses and diseases.
In simple words the immune system is a natural defense mechanism in a person's body. It guards us from invisible viruses and bacteria. If the immune system is compromised, there are several consequences that are of a serious nature. There are a number of immune system tests that are available to help doctors find out the condition of a person's immune system. Before finding any cure, it is important that an accurate diagnosis is obtained with the help of immune system blood tests. This is because many common symptoms are shared by diseases. If we mistakenly treat ourselves for the wrong disease or illness this might cause a delay in treating the actual problem. Blood tests for the immune system are generally recommended by your doctor to evaluate the health of the immune system.
Your doctor may recommend that you go in for the immune complex test for immune system testing. This test helps in demonstrating the immune complexes that are present in the blood. With this we get an estimation of the level of immune complex disease. Precaution has to be taken while drawing blood for this test. This test is usually recommended by the doctor when he/she feels that there is some malfunctioning of your immune system and therefore, care should be taken to see that infection does not take place.
The general method used to detect immune complexes involves obtaining a tissue through biopsy, and then using various techniques with precise antibodies. However, sometimes it becomes difficult to detect the complexes still present in the circulatory system and that is why blood samples are useful. Different test methods might be used and there is no standardized test that is available.
Your doctor will collect a blood sample from you. You need not fast or abstain from food or drink before the test. There is hardly any risk involved, but some minor after effects such as hematoma, slight bleeding from the place where the blood was drawn, or fainting might even occur. If your results are normal then there is no detection of immune complexes in the body. If some complexes are detected in the blood it will help in the diagnosis of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and SLE. However this test is not conclusive and has to be combined with some other studies as well