Inflammation is the body’s response while fighting an infection or healing injuries. The ESR test acts as an indicator of inflammation within the body as a high ESR indicates conditions such as autoimmune disorders or infections.
ESR is a non-specific test that is widely used as a marker of underlying illness as it is affordable and is a reliable indicator of inflammation. Thus, it is important to understand the causes and symptoms of elevated ESR, as well as the implications of having higher values.
ESR can be defined as the rate at which the red blood cells (RBCs) from a blood sample settle at the bottom of a test tube. When there’s inflammation or cell damage in the body, the cells stick together and settle at a faster rate, thus increasing ESR.
As mentioned above, ESR is a non-specific indicator of inflammation, which means increased ESR levels are not specific to a particular disease. Also, ESR levels may sometimes rise even in the absence of inflammation, since ESR is influenced not only by characteristics of RBC but also by the concentration of albumin protein and immunoglobulins present in the blood. Conversely, certain inflammatory conditions can exist even with a normal ESR level, which makes it a non-definitive diagnostic test.
If you are wondering what happens if erythrocyte sedimentation rate is high in the body, here is the answer to your question:
ESR is a marker of inflammation in the body and is not disease-specific. Therefore, elevated ESR does not cause (lead to) specific symptoms of its own. Rather, it reflects the symptoms of the underlying condition. Some high ESR causes and symptoms include:
If you are wondering what does high ESR mean, here’s what you can interpret and use it for:
Some of the reasons for raised ESR can be:
Besides diseases, ESR can be high in some physiologic conditions such as:
Occurrences of both false negatives and false positives are seen when measuring ESR. Also, since high ESR warrants further investigations to diagnose the underlying cause, it is essential to discuss your ESR results with a doctor for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Typically, a C-reactive protein (CRP) test is done alongside ESR for more insight. Other tests, such as imaging tests, may also be needed.
To conclude, elevated ESR results provide valuable clues about underlying health conditions. It’s crucial to remember that a high ESR is an indication of some conditions, not a diagnosis, and seeking professional medical guidance is essential. Your healthcare provider may suggest additional tests to arrive at a definitive diagnosis. Orange Health Labs can be your best partner in this journey with their packages for ESR testing like the complete blood count (CBC) with ESR – package and Haematology 2 (Hb TC DC & ESR) – package, and they can provide the quickest help at your doorstep.
Inflammation is the body’s response while fighting an infection or healing injuries. The ESR test acts as an indicator of inflammation within the body as a high ESR indicates conditions such as autoimmune disorders or infections.
ESR is a non-specific test that is widely used as a marker of underlying illness as it is affordable and is a reliable indicator of inflammation. Thus, it is important to understand the causes and symptoms of elevated ESR, as well as the implications of having higher values.
ESR can be defined as the rate at which the red blood cells (RBCs) from a blood sample settle at the bottom of a test tube. When there’s inflammation or cell damage in the body, the cells stick together and settle at a faster rate, thus increasing ESR.
As mentioned above, ESR is a non-specific indicator of inflammation, which means increased ESR levels are not specific to a particular disease. Also, ESR levels may sometimes rise even in the absence of inflammation, since ESR is influenced not only by characteristics of RBC but also by the concentration of albumin protein and immunoglobulins present in the blood. Conversely, certain inflammatory conditions can exist even with a normal ESR level, which makes it a non-definitive diagnostic test.
If you are wondering what happens if erythrocyte sedimentation rate is high in the body, here is the answer to your question:
ESR is a marker of inflammation in the body and is not disease-specific. Therefore, elevated ESR does not cause (lead to) specific symptoms of its own. Rather, it reflects the symptoms of the underlying condition. Some high ESR causes and symptoms include:
If you are wondering what does high ESR mean, here’s what you can interpret and use it for:
Some of the reasons for raised ESR can be:
Besides diseases, ESR can be high in some physiologic conditions such as:
Occurrences of both false negatives and false positives are seen when measuring ESR. Also, since high ESR warrants further investigations to diagnose the underlying cause, it is essential to discuss your ESR results with a doctor for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Typically, a C-reactive protein (CRP) test is done alongside ESR for more insight. Other tests, such as imaging tests, may also be needed.
To conclude, elevated ESR results provide valuable clues about underlying health conditions. It’s crucial to remember that a high ESR is an indication of some conditions, not a diagnosis, and seeking professional medical guidance is essential. Your healthcare provider may suggest additional tests to arrive at a definitive diagnosis. Orange Health Labs can be your best partner in this journey with their packages for ESR testing like the complete blood count (CBC) with ESR – package and Haematology 2 (Hb TC DC & ESR) – package, and they can provide the quickest help at your doorstep.