What causes ESR to increase in the human body. Causes of elevated ESR in the blood of children and adults. What to do if the reasons for the increase are not determined
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate is a test used to detect inflammation in the body.
The sample is placed in an elongated thin tube, red blood cells (erythrocytes) gradually settle to the bottom, and the ESR is a measure of this settling rate.
The test can diagnose many disorders (including cancer) and is a necessary test to confirm many diagnoses.
Let's figure out what it means when the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in the general blood test of an adult or child is increased or decreased, should we be afraid of such indicators and why does this happen in men and women?
Women have higher ESR values; pregnancy and the menstrual period can cause short-term deviations from the norm. In pediatrics, this test helps diagnose rheumatoid arthritis in children or.
Normal ranges may vary slightly depending on laboratory facilities. Abnormal results do not diagnose a specific disease.
Many factors such as age or medication use, can affect the final result. Drugs such as dextran, ovidone, silest, theophylline, vitamin A can increase ESR, and aspirin, warfarin, cortisone can reduce it. High/low readings only tell the doctor about the need for further examination.
False promotion
A number of conditions can affect the properties of blood, affecting the ESR value. Therefore, accurate information about the inflammatory process - the reason why the specialist prescribes a test - may be masked by the influence of these conditions.
In this case, the ESR values will be falsely elevated. These complicating factors include:
- Anemia (low red blood cell count, decreased hemoglobin in serum);
- Pregnancy (in the third trimester, ESR increases approximately 3 times);
- Increased concentration of cholesterol (LDL, HDL, triglycerides);
- Kidney problems (including acute kidney failure).
The specialist will take into account all possible internal factors when interpreting the results of the analysis.
Interpretation of results and possible reasons
What does it mean if the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in the blood test of an adult or child is increased or decreased, should we be afraid of indicators that are higher than normal or lower?
High levels in blood test
Inflammation in the body provokes red blood cells to stick together (the weight of the molecule increases), which significantly increases their rate of settling to the bottom of the test tube. Increased sedimentation levels may be caused by the following:
- Autoimmune diseases – Libman-Sachs disease, giant cell disease, polymyalgia rheumatica, necrotizing vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis (the immune system is the body’s defense against foreign substances. Against the background of an autoimmune process, it mistakenly attacks healthy cells and destroys body tissue);
- Cancer (this can be any form of cancer, from lymphoma or multiple myeloma to bowel and liver cancer);
- Chronic kidney disease (polycystic kidney disease and nephropathy);
- Infection, such as pneumonia, pelvic inflammatory disease, or appendicitis;
- Inflammation of joints (polymyalgia rheumatica) and blood vessels (arteritis, diabetic angiopathy of the lower extremities, retinopathy, encephalopathy);
- Inflammation of the thyroid gland (diffuse toxic goiter, nodular goiter);
- infections of the joints, bones, skin, or heart valves;
- Too high serum fibrinogen concentrations or hypofibrinogenemia;
- Pregnancy and toxicosis;
- Viral infections (HIV, tuberculosis, syphilis).
Because the ESR is a nonspecific marker of inflammation foci and correlates with other causes, the results of the analysis should be taken into account together with the patient’s health history and the results of other examinations (complete blood count - extended profile, urinalysis, lipid profile).
If the sedimentation rate and the results of other tests coincide, the specialist can confirm or, conversely, exclude the suspected diagnosis.
If the only elevated indicator in the analysis is ESR (against the background of a complete absence of symptoms), the specialist cannot give an accurate answer and make a diagnosis. Besides, a normal result does not exclude disease. Moderately elevated levels may be caused by aging.
Very large numbers usually have good reasons, such as multiple myeloma or giant cell arteritis. People with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (the presence of abnormal globulins in the serum) have extremely high ESR levels, although there is no inflammation.
This video describes in more detail the norms and deviations of this indicator in the blood:
Low performance
Low sedimentation rates are generally not a problem. But may be associated with such deviations as:
- A disease or condition that increases red blood cell production;
- A disease or condition that increases white blood cell production;
- If a patient is being treated for an inflammatory disease, the degree of sedimentation going down is a good sign and means that the patient is responding to treatment.
Low values can be caused by the following reasons:
- Elevated glucose levels (in diabetics);
- Polycythemia (characterized by an increased number of red blood cells);
- Sickle cell anemia (a genetic disease associated with pathological changes in cell shape);
- Severe liver diseases.
The reasons for the decline could be any number of factors., For example:
- Pregnancy (in the 1st and 2nd trimester, ESR levels drop);
- Anemia;
- Menstrual period;
- Medicines. Many medications can falsely lower test results, such as diuretics and medications that contain high calcium levels.
Increased data for diagnosing cardiovascular diseases
In patients with cardiac or myocardial disease, ESR is used as an additional potential indicator of coronary heart disease.
ESR used for diagnostics– (inner layer of the heart). Endocarditis develops due to the migration of bacteria or viruses from any part of the body through the blood to the heart.
If symptoms are ignored, endocarditis destroys the heart valves and leads to life-threatening complications.
To make a diagnosis of endocarditis, a specialist must prescribe a blood test. Along with high levels of sedimentation rates, endocarditis is characterized by a decrease in platelets(lack of healthy red blood cells), the patient is often also diagnosed with anemia.
Against the background of acute bacterial endocarditis, the degree of sedimentation may increase to extreme values(about 75 mm/hour) is an acute inflammatory process characterized by severe infection of the heart valves.
When diagnosing congestive heart failure ESR levels are taken into account. This is a chronic, progressive disease that affects the power of the heart muscles. Unlike regular “heart failure,” congestive heart failure refers to the stage in which excess fluid accumulates around the heart.
To diagnose the disease, in addition to physical tests (echocardiogram, MRI, stress tests), the results of a blood test are taken into account. In this case, analysis for an extended profile may indicate the presence of abnormal cells and infections(sedimentation rate will be higher than 65 mm/hour).
At myocardial infarction An increase in ESR is always provoked. The coronary arteries deliver oxygen in the blood to the heart muscle. If one of these arteries becomes blocked, part of the heart is deprived of oxygen, causing a condition called “myocardial ischemia.”
Against the background of a heart attack, ESR reaches peak values(70 mm/hour and above) for a week. Along with increased sedimentation rates, the lipid profile will show elevated levels of triglycerides, LDL, HDL and cholesterol in the serum.
A significant increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate is observed against the background acute pericarditis. This, which begins suddenly, causes blood components such as fibrin, red blood cells and white blood cells to enter the pericardial space.
Often the causes of pericarditis are obvious, such as a recent heart attack. Along with elevated ESR levels (above 70 mm/hour), an increase in urea concentration in the blood was noted as a result of renal failure.
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate increases significantly against the background of the presence of an aortic aneurysm or . Together with high ESR values (above 70 mm/hour), blood pressure will be elevated; in patients with an aneurysm, a condition called “thick blood” is often diagnosed.
conclusions
ESR plays an important role in the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. The indicator appears to be elevated against the background of many acute and chronic painful conditions characterized by tissue necrosis and inflammation, and is also a sign of blood viscosity.
Elevated levels directly correlate with the risk of myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease. For high subsidence levels and suspected cardiovascular disease the patient is referred for further diagnostics, including an echocardiogram, MRI, electrocardiogram to confirm the diagnosis.
Experts use erythrocyte sedimentation rate to determine foci of inflammation in the body; measuring ESR is a convenient method of monitoring the progress of treatment of diseases accompanied by inflammation.
Accordingly, high sedimentation rates will correlate with greater disease activity and indicate the presence of possible conditions such as chronic kidney disease, infections, thyroid inflammation and even cancer, while low values indicate less active disease development and its regression.
Although sometimes even low levels correlate with the development of some diseases, for example, polycythemia or anemia. In any case, consultation with a specialist is necessary for a correct diagnosis.
It happens that when taking a test, an increased ESR level in the blood is detected. Many people panic, not even knowing what it is. Let's figure out what an increase in ESR means, what it means and how it can affect health.
The medical abbreviation ESR stands for erythrocyte sedimentation rate. This indicator characterizes the presence of an inflammatory process in the body.
Red blood cells are blood bodies and are an integral part of it. These are the most basic blood cells. Their quality, quantity and sedimentation rate directly depend on the general state of health, the presence or absence of any diseases, and age, gender, and chronic diseases also play a role in the sedimentation rate of blood bodies.
ESR is of great importance because it diagnoses pathologies in the body. To determine this indicator, you need to take a blood test. Blood consists of two important components. The first is plasma, and the second is blood bodies - erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets.
In a healthy body, all these indicators should be normal.
If at least one parameter deviates, it is worth undergoing a full diagnosis, since all organs and systems are interconnected and if at least one indicator is violated, changes in others will begin over time, which can lead to various diseases.
An analysis to determine the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is prescribed in the following cases:
- routine medical examination
- monitoring of health status in hospital during therapy
- if infectious diseases are suspected
- in the presence of malignant and benign neoplasms
In principle, a blood test can completely reveal the clinical picture of the body’s condition, therefore, when contacting specialists, the analysis is a necessary measure, based on which the doctor sees whether there are diseases and what their nature is. Thanks to this, it is possible to establish a diagnosis and prescribe a course of treatment.
Methods for diagnosing ESR (preparation and procedure)
As mentioned above, ESR is diagnosed by a blood test. To undergo the examination, there are several recommendations, adherence to which will help to establish all the parameters as accurately as possible. Firstly, blood is donated early in the morning, with the exception of critical situations and inpatient care.
Preparing for analysis:
- On the eve of the test, it is better to avoid heavy, fatty, salty or too sweet foods.
- It is also better not to smoke for 1-2 hours before taking blood, as tobacco smoke can distort blood counts.
- It is strictly prohibited to drink alcohol 1-2 days before donating blood.
- Before diagnosis, it is recommended not to eat or drink tea/coffee.
- Also, if the patient takes medications or traditional medicine during this period, it is necessary to inform the doctor about this, since some substances can artificially affect the number of platelets, leukocytes or red blood cells.
- In addition, physical and emotional stress is undesirable on the eve of blood sampling.
In laboratory conditions, blood is placed in a test tube and left for some time. At first it is of uniform consistency and color, but soon the blood is divided into two parts: red blood cells settle to the bottom and it becomes thick and dark, and a clear and light liquid remains on top - this is plasma, which no longer contains red blood cells. Blood cells settle within a certain period of time, this is the ESR indicator. Since the cells settle in the flask, the value is measured in millimeters per hour. This is how the “digit mm/hour” is designated.
More information about ESR can be found in the video:
Red blood cells tend to connect with each other. Due to this, they become heavier and settle. But if there is an inflammatory process or any pathology in the body, then a special substance is released in the blood that accelerates the union of red blood cells. Accordingly, if they settle too quickly, this indicates some health problems.
If, upon receiving the result of a blood test, an abnormality in erythrocyte sedimentation is detected, then additional diagnostics are prescribed to determine the cause. And only then the doctor will be able to establish a diagnosis and recommend a treatment method.
Diagnosis of erythrocyte sedimentation rate can be carried out in several ways:
- Westergren's method, in which blood from a vein is mixed with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and diluted with saline. In an hour, the analysis result will be ready. This method is considered the most common for checking ESR.
- Panchenkov’s method - an anticoagulant is drawn into a special laboratory capillary at 100 divisions, then biological material taken from a finger is added there. The flask is installed in a vertical position. After an hour, the result will be ready.
Normal for age and pregnancy
The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is a purely individual indicator and depends on many factors. On average, the standard value is considered to be from 2 to 15 mm/hour.
But it should be borne in mind that for women, men, children of different ages and for pregnant women, the standard indicators are different:
- newborn babies – 0-2 mm/h
- children, 1 month old. – 2-5 mm/h
- children up to six months – 2-6mm/h
- children from 6 months to one year – 3-10mm/h
- from one to 6 years – 5-11mm/h
- from 6 to 14 years old, girls – 2-15mm/h
- from 6 to 14 years old, boys – 1-10mm/h
- women, up to 35 years old – 8-15mm/h
- women, after 35 years – up to 20 mm/h. considered normal
- men, up to 60 years old – 2-10mm/h
- men over 60 years old – up to 15-16 mm/h
In addition, indicators can increase or decrease with poor nutrition, alcohol consumption, and a sedentary lifestyle, which can lead to problems with the cardiovascular system.
In women, regardless of age, during pregnancy, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate can be four to five times higher than the normal norm. This is not a pathology, since many changes occur during pregnancy and ESR is one of them. For a pregnant woman, up to 40-45 mm/h, this is a normative indicator.
Reasons for increasing ESR
As already written above, an increased level of ESR signals the development of an inflammatory process in the body. But if we look more globally, there can be a lot of reasons for increasing the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, the most common among them:
- diabetes
- anemia
- tuberculosis
- cancer
In infants, the causes of increased ESR may be the following:
- teething, which usually causes increased body temperature
- violation of the mother's diet during breastfeeding
- worms
- lack of vitamins
- while taking paracetamol
According to statistics, in 40% of cases the cause of an increase in the number of red blood cells is respiratory viral infections, tuberculosis, and infection of the genitourinary system. Also, some medications can affect an increase in ESR, the use of which must be reported to your doctor.
What to do? How to normalize ESR in the blood
If it turns out that the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is increased, the doctor usually prescribes additional diagnostics to find out the exact reasons that violated this indicator. Additional tests and examination will be able to clarify the clinical picture completely.
After this, the doctor prescribes a course of treatment for the detected disease. After treatment, it is recommended to take another blood test to make sure that the therapy was beneficial.
In addition to the medications prescribed by a specialist, you can additionally help yourself at home using traditional medicine. These can be decoctions and syrups, but they are based on immunostimulating components. These include lemon, calendula, rose hips, string, linden, honey and all bee products. To avoid harm, before self-treatment, it is important to make sure that there is no allergic reaction to these components.
The article reveals information about the essence and causes of increased ESR in the blood, as well as what the consequences may be for men, women and children.
When diagnosing the state of human health, one of the first indicators that is measured is ESR - erythrocyte sedimentation rate. This research gives the doctor a direction in which his subsequent actions will take place.
What does an elevated ESR in the blood indicate?
Deviation from the normal state does not indicate serious pathologies. The phenomenon of an increased number of red blood cells in medicine is called polycythymia. This happens for various reasons. in the first stages of the disease, ESR begins to increase. After 2 weeks, the rate of red blood cells reaches its maximum. But not everything happens the same way for everyone; there are exceptions. The main factor influencing the level of ESR in the blood is the type of disease that became the precursor to its increase.Deviation from the norm may be a signal of the following phenomena:
- A viral disease, for example, ARVI
- The presence of a bacterial infection in the body
- Pathologies associated with the kidneys
- Rheumatism
- Diabetes mellitus;
- Insufficiency of the cardiac system
- Lymphoma
- Other disorders of the body
ESR norm - table
The normal ESR level in the blood is different for each person. The main differentiating factors are age and gender. The main measuring unit of ESR level is the distance for the time during which blood compounds fall to the bottom of the container. When the rate of descent is higher than normal, this is a sign that the body has a strong response to the inflammatory factor and characteristic severe inflammation.
The following are indicators of normal ESR in the blood of children, women and men.
Initially, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is influenced by those factors that are included in the clinical analysis formula. The level of red blood cells mainly changes the rate, namely the increase and decrease of pigments and bile acids.
Possible causes of elevated ESR in the blood
One of the influential reasons why the erythrocyte sedimentation rate increases is the presence of inflammation in the body.
In general, a number of reasons can be identified for which the ESR indicator exceeds its normal parameters:
- Infection. Bacterial infections signal themselves by exceeding the norm. The most common foci of such diseases are the respiratory tract and genitourinary system
- Diseases characterized by tissue decay: purulent diseases, malignant neoplasms, tuberculosis and heart attack
- Autoimmune diseases. Examples of such problems include lupus erythematosus, arthritis, thrombocytopenic purpura and others. A change in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate occurs due to the fact that all of these diseases greatly change the blood plasma, as a result of which it becomes defective
- Kidney diseases. There are often cases of increased ESR due to the fact that the level of protein in the blood drops, which is excreted from the body through urine and, in turn, affects the renal vessels
- Pathologies associated with metabolism (diabetes mellitus or thyrotoxicosis)
Advice: it is necessary to take into account the fact that even a minor cold can provoke an increase in ESR. For this reason, for a comprehensive blood test, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of a cold.
Among women
The reasons for increased ESR in females can be quite different. For women, the following key points are characteristic, which lead to an acceleration of erythrocyte sedimentation:- Pregnancy period
- Menstruation period
- The period after childbirth
- The period that precedes menopause
In men
Men have their own reasons for increasing ESR, namely:- Oncological diseases
- Infectious diseases of the genitourinary system
- Tuberculosis
- Hepatitis
The child has
In children, certain processes occur in the body that lead to changes in the ESR level. The reason for the acceleration of red blood cells is most often the process of inflammation. In addition, a deviation from the norm may occur due to a violation of sleep patterns, the period when teeth are cutting through, or a gastric disorder.Advice: It is strongly recommended that before taking ESR tests, you tell your doctor about how healthy your lifestyle is. And also, about the presence of smoking or other above-mentioned factors that can provoke a surge in red blood cells. This will allow the doctor to quickly recognize the causes of non-compliance with the ESR standard.
What is ESR: video
In the video, the information is conveyed by a doctor who specializes in complex blood tests. It essentially talks about what the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is, the reasons for the violation of this phenomenon and its consequences.Thus, it is important to do a comprehensive blood test regularly. In this case, it will be possible to avoid serious problems in the future.
An important test that allows doctors to diagnose patients is a complete blood count. It helps to identify important parameters, including ESR (so-called soy). When everything is fine with the body, soy in the blood will not be increased or decreased, but deviations are not excluded.
What is ESR?
ESR stands for “erythrocyte sedimentation rate.” This indicator, determined during the analysis, reflects the ratio of protein fractions in plasma. Without a medical education, you will not understand why you have high levels of soy in your blood and what to do to correct the situation, but we will help you figure it all out.
For many years, laboratory examination has been used to identify the intensity of inflammatory processes. Often, an increase in this indicator indicates a variety of infections, diseases and even heart attacks. Most often, the reason is inflammatory processes, but we will look at different reasons for the increase in soybeans.
Reasons for inflammation
Penetration of infection into the human body causes the onset of inflammatory processes, leading to an increase in ESR. Vivid examples include such disorders and diseases as:
- tuberculosis;
- inflammation of the respiratory tract and organs;
- damage to the urinary system;
- inflammation of the pelvic organs;
- viral hepatitis;
- cholecystitis and pancreatitis.
Also, elevated soya levels in adult men and women are always detected in rheumatological diseases, including arthritis, polymyalgia and rheumatism. A variety of kidney diseases can also contribute to an increase in this indicator.
Increased soybean as a symptom of cancer pathologies
What does elevated soy in a person’s blood mean should be determined by a doctor, since sometimes the cause is serious pathologies. For example, with tumors in the lungs, kidneys, mammary or prostate glands, on the uterus and ovaries, in the bronchi and other organs, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate may increase (this is clearly visible in tests).
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Not so strongly, but still, soy increases in adults and children with cancer that affects the blood in the body. Among them, doctors distinguish leukemia, myelosis, lymphoma, macroglobulinemia and other cancerous diseases that are life-threatening to patients.
Reasons in physiology
Elevated soy does not always mean the development of diseases or pathological processes, and sometimes it’s all about physiological reasons. For example, when the ESR is elevated in an adult or child, treatment may not be required if:
- before taking the test, the patient ate a hearty meal;
- a person is on a strict diet or practices fasting;
- a woman is pregnant, has recently given birth, or has started her menstrual cycle;
- allergic reactions occur.
Without additional tests and examinations, if elevated levels of soybean are detected, the doctor will not be able to accurately determine the root cause of the deviation.
Video
False violations in the soybean indicator
In medicine, there is such a thing as a false increase in soy - this is when the problem is not diseases or pathologies, but is not the norm either. For example, the ESR may jump due to obesity, but there are other reasons:
- high cholesterol concentration;
- recent vaccination against hepatitis;
- taking oral contraceptives;
- long-term intake of vitamin complexes, which contain a lot of vitamin A.
Temporary hormonal changes for one reason or another can also contribute to the growth of soybeans when tested, especially by women.
Why does soybean increase in men and women?
As for adult women, the reasons for their increase in ESR in the blood are often due to hormonal changes, but not only:
- the beginning of a woman's menstrual cycle;
- taking hormonal medications;
- pregnant women also show increased levels of soy;
- overeating fatty foods (in women, the indicator jumps more because of this).
In men, soybeans can increase without reason. In about every tenth man this figure is slightly elevated, but this is not a cause for concern. It is also sometimes a matter of individual habits and lifestyle: smoking a large number of cigarettes, passion for alcohol.
High soy in children
Only a pediatrician or another pediatrician will answer you exactly what elevated soybean levels mean in a child, but most often the reason is the following:
- teeth are being cut (this is especially true for children at about 1 year of age and later);
- lack of vitamins in the body;
- unbalanced diet.
Experienced doctors consider it pointless to treat high levels of soybean in children, especially if other blood parameters are normal. If additional signs of abnormalities are detected, additional examination is required to make an accurate diagnosis and timely treatment.
What do you do if you have high soya?
When blood tests reveal an increased ESR, the doctor must prescribe a comprehensive study taking into account the identified symptoms and the patient’s well-being. During the course of therapy, you will have to re-donate blood several times - this is required to control the dynamics of the disease. When the treatment turns out to be correct, the indicator gradually normalizes.
You must be prepared for the fact that there will be no quick results. Soy usually returns to normal within a few weeks or even months. Also, good doctors never resort to using any means without obvious reasons, since an increase in the indicator itself is not a pathology.
Donating blood for soy determination is required not only for diseases. For example, this is done by women during pregnancy, and doctors also recommend that all adults undergo this test at least once a year for preventive purposes. When deviations are identified, doctors will have to figure out what it means and what is best to do to normalize the situation.
Although ESR is a very important indicator, most people know little about it. Some may not even know what the norm is. However, let's first find out what this indicator is.
What does ESR mean?
In fact, this is not a term, but an abbreviation. Full explanation of ESR is the erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
The study of this indicator began in 1918, when the Swedish scientist Robin Fareus discovered that at different ages and during pregnancy, as well as during various illnesses, red blood cells behave differently. Later, other scientists, Westergren and Winthrop, began working on developing methods for studying their behavior. Even now, this parameter is measured during However, when the ESR is elevated, few people understand what this means. But you shouldn’t mindlessly panic about such news, there are too many factors that can And even if you have some kind of inflammation or disease, it is likely that now you can cure them without difficulty. The main thing is to urgently contact a specialist.
What is the normal ESR rate?
The norm is influenced by factors such as age and gender.
The reasons for increased ESR in the blood in women may also be pregnancy. But of course there are many other factors. The following ESR table for women will help determine your norm (note that these indicators do not take into account special conditions of the body, which will be discussed a little later).
Everyone under 14 years of age has the same ESR rate. Only age matters, so if you are looking for the norm only for girls and cannot find it, then there is no need to worry.
Age is not the only criterion. The factors can be the most unexpected, for example, a too heavy breakfast at best, and a malignant tumor at worst.
If so what does this mean?
There can be many reasons for this test result. But basically, doctors share 6 main reasons why women have higher ESR than normal:
Deviation of red blood cells from the norm can be either an increase or a decrease. Mostly, there is an increase in ESR, but there are also cases of its decrease. There can be many factors: poisoning, hepatitis, or simply blood pathologies. As a rule, the latter appears already in adulthood. Also, under some conditions, vegetarianism can cause changes in red blood cell levels.
There are three methods by which this parameter is usually monitored: Westergren, Padchenkov, Wintrob.
The most universal technique used around the world to determine ESR is the Westergren technique. Blood from a vein is mixed with sodium citrate and left for a while (about an hour) in a test tube. The results obtained using this method are considered more accurate.
Pachenkov’s method differs from the previous one only in that blood is taken from capillaries and is used only in the countries of the former USSR. The results are the same as in the first method, but usually Westergren is trusted more.
The latter, the Wintrobe method, is special in that the blood is not diluted, but an anticoagulant is added to it and analyzed in a special tube. This method has disadvantages, since if the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is too high (more than 60 mm/h), the analysis cannot be performed.
What does the result of the analysis depend on?
Numerous factors can affect the activity of red blood cells, so many details are taken into account when determining the results and whether they correspond to the norm. The reasons for increased ESR in the blood in women may lie in the time of the procedure, age, lifestyle, health status and other nuances.
The indicator is mainly influenced by:
- taking oral contraceptives;
- anemia;
- time of the procedure;
- immunoglobulins in the body;
- allergy;
- menstruation;
- too rich breakfast;
- inflammation.
Red blood cells settle due to gravity, since they weigh more than plasma. The ESR itself will not show what the problem is, but together with other parameters it will already be possible to make a diagnosis. The analysis can also help to detect hidden ailments and pathologies, due to which it will be possible to begin their treatment on time. Any therapist will be able to determine a possible diagnosis if other symptoms are obvious, but in some specific cases a more detailed diagnosis will be needed.
How to return ESR to normal?
When something in the body goes beyond a healthy state, any person has a natural desire to return everything to normal.
And how to do this? Only cure the cause, that is, the disease that caused the increase in ESR. Of course, self-medication will not lead to anything good. Instead of looking for the necessary antibiotics and other drugs on your own on the Internet, it is better to immediately contact a specialist. It is he who will prescribe the necessary course of treatment after determining the diagnosis. After successful treatment of the disease, the ESR will return to normal after some time (2-4 weeks in adults and up to 6 weeks in children).
In case of anemia, iron-containing foods, proteins and some traditional methods will help restore the indicator, but in this case it is also better to consult a doctor.
If you are simply dieting, fasting, or experiencing a special physiological state (pregnancy, lactation, menstruation), the indicator will return to the desired level as soon as your normal physical condition is established. In this case, there is nothing to worry about.
Elevated ESR in children
If you are worried about your child, then know that this indicator often increases with infectious diseases and inflammation, especially together with a violation of the norm of other blood test parameters and a general deterioration in physical condition, as well as with typical symptoms of diseases. Another factor may be the use of certain medications.
Below is a list of diseases that are characterized by an increase in ESR during the examination: infections (acute respiratory infections, bronchitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, cystitis, hepatitis, fungus, cystitis, etc.), diseases of the liver, kidneys, biliary tract, anemia, tuberculosis, blood diseases, gastrointestinal tract -intestinal tract, cardiovascular system, metabolic disorders, endocrine gland dysfunction (diabetes), oncology, bleeding, trauma.
In childhood, most diseases and ailments are more easily tolerated than in conscious or even older age, but only if they are detected in time. Therefore, it is very important to regularly show your child to the doctor.
Conclusion
We were able to figure out what ESR means, what its norm is, what can cause violations, and how not to suffer from them. Remember that only a doctor can draw correct conclusions about test results.
If, after receiving the results of a blood test, you want to find out the reasons for increased ESR in the blood of women, then first make sure that your physiological condition is normal. If your body is not affected by any of the special factors listed above (fasting, pregnancy, etc.), then you should undergo a more detailed examination by a doctor. Only a specialist will be able, taking into account the individual characteristics of the body, to figure out what is wrong with you after a detailed diagnosis. That is why it is important to regularly undergo preventive examinations with the whole family, because the desire to stay healthy plays a key role. And although this factor was discovered a long time ago, it still continues to help doctors fulfill the Hippocratic oath, and mere mortals enjoy a healthy life.