What happens if erythrocyte sedimentation rate is high

Ever felt worried after getting your blood test results? Especially when your doctor talks about a high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)? It’s normal to feel scared, but knowing what it means for your health is key. A high ESR is an inflammatory marker that shows different health issues in your body.

When your ESR is high, it means your red blood cells settle faster than usual in a test tube¹². This happens because of more inflammation in your body. This can be due to infections, autoimmune disorders, cancers, or other diseases². The normal ESR range changes with age and gender, with higher limits for women and older people¹².

A high ESR can cause symptoms like tiredness, joint pain, fever, and losing weight without trying². Sometimes, a high ESR can mean serious health issues like heart diseases, autoimmune conditions, or cancers². But, remember, an ESR test alone can’t say what’s wrong. It just tells your doctor there’s inflammation, so they can do more tests.

Key Takeaways

• A high ESR shows more inflammation in the body, from many causes.
• Normal ESR ranges change with age and gender, with higher limits for women and older people.
• Symptoms of a high ESR include tiredness, joint pain, fever, and unexplained weight loss.
• Persistently high ESR levels might mean serious health issues, but the test alone can’t pinpoint a condition.
• If your ESR is high, your doctor will likely do more tests to find the cause and plan treatment.

Understanding Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), or the sed rate test, is a blood test. It shows how fast red blood cells fall in a test tube in one hour. This tells us about the body’s inflammatory response³.

This test helps doctors find and track health issues. It shows if there’s inflammation in your body³.

Definition of ESR

ESR is a simple test that shows how fast red blood cells settle at the bottom of a test tube⁴. The speed is measured in millimeters per hour (mm/h). A high ESR means red blood cells fall faster, which can mean many things like infections or cancer³⁴.

How the ESR Test is Performed

The ESR test is done at a doctor’s office or hospital⁴. A small blood sample is taken in an upright tube. Then, the rate at which red blood cells settle is measured after one hour³.

Normally, red blood cells sink slowly. But, inflammation makes them stick together, making them heavier and fall faster³. The result is in mm/h and depends on your symptoms and other tests⁴.

An abnormal ESR test means there’s inflammation, but it can’t pinpoint a disease³. Doctors use it with other tests to diagnose or track diseases³.

Factors That Can Affect ESR Results

Many things can change your erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) results, even when you’re not sick. Knowing what these are helps you understand your ESR test better. This is important for your health journey. Let’s look at some key factors that can change ESR levels.

Age and Gender

Age and gender really matter when it comes to ESR values. Women’s ESR is usually twice that of men’s⁵. People over 65 have ESR values that are also twice as high as those between 18 and 35⁵. Women tend to have higher ESR values than men, and these values go up with age⁶.

For women under 50, a normal ESR is under 20 mm/hr. For men under 50, it’s under 15 mm/hr⁶. These ranges help doctors understand your ESR results better.

Pregnancy and Menstruation

Pregnancy and menstruation can also change ESR levels. Pregnancy makes ESR results go up⁶. This is because of changes in plasma volume and protein composition during pregnancy. Menstruation can also make ESR go up temporarily.

Telling your doctor if you’re pregnant or menstruating is important when you have an ESR test.

Obesity and Diet

Your BMI and diet can also affect ESR results. Studies show that BMI and metabolic syndrome are linked to higher ESR values⁵. Eating a lot of fat before the test can also make ESR go up. To get accurate results, fast for a few hours before the test and stay healthy with a balanced diet and exercise.

Medications and Supplements

Some medicines and supplements can change ESR levels. Always tell your doctor about all the medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you take. This includes over-the-counter drugs and illegal substances. Some drugs, like NSAIDs and corticosteroids, can affect ESR results.

Your doctor will consider this when looking at your test results. You can learn more about the ESR test and its implications from trusted sources.

Conditions Associated with High ESR Levels

Many health issues can raise your erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). These include inflammation, infections, and autoimmune disorders. Knowing what can cause high ESR helps you and your doctor figure out what to do next.

Inflammatory Diseases

Inflammatory diseases often raise ESR levels. This includes rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, and temporal arteritis⁷. Inflammatory bowel disease and vasculitis can also increase ESR. These conditions cause inflammation in the body, which the ESR test can detect.

Infections

Infections, especially systemic ones, can also raise ESR levels. This includes bone infections, heart infections, tuberculosis, and severe skin infections⁷. When fighting an infection, the body makes more proteins. This can make red blood cells settle faster, leading to a higher ESR reading.

Autoimmune Disorders

Autoimmune disorders happen when the body attacks its own cells and tissues. Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and polymyalgia rheumatica are examples⁷. Less common disorders like allergic vasculitis or giant cell arteritis can also cause very high ESR levels⁷.

Cancers

Certain cancers, like lymphoma and multiple myeloma, can also raise ESR levels⁷. Cancer cells can make substances that affect how fast red blood cells settle. This can increase ESR. If your ESR is high and you don’t know why, your doctor might do more tests to check for cancer.

High ESR levels can suggest these conditions, but the test alone can’t confirm a diagnosis. You’ll need more tests and a full check-up from a healthcare professional to find out why your ESR is high.

Symptoms of High ESR

If your doctor thinks you might have inflammation, they might test your ESR. Symptoms that might lead to this test include headaches, fever, and weight loss⁸. High ESR levels can also show in joint stiffness and neck pain⁸.

High ESR levels don’t mean you have a specific disease. More tests might be needed to find the cause⁹. Conditions like arthritis and kidney diseases can raise ESR levels⁹.

Infections and some cancers can also increase ESR levels⁹.

Your healthcare provider will look at your ESR results and your health history to make a diagnosis⁹.

Things like pregnancy and exercise can affect ESR levels⁸. Very high ESR levels might point to rare conditions⁷.

If you have symptoms like these, see your doctor. They can help figure out what’s wrong and how to treat it⁸.

Diagnosing the Cause of High ESR

When your doctor finds a high Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), they start a detailed process to find the cause¹⁰. It’s key to know that an ESR test alone can’t say what’s causing the inflammation¹⁰. Your doctor will look at your medical history, do a physical check, and run more tests to figure out what’s wrong.

Medical History and Physical Examination

Your doctor will first ask about your health history and symptoms. They’ll also do a physical check. This helps find clues about why your ESR is high. A study found that 47 out of 112 patients had a known rheumatic disease, while 65 did not¹¹. The average age of patients was 56, showing age and history are key in diagnosis¹¹.

Additional Blood Tests

Your doctor might also do more blood tests, like the C-reactive protein (CRP) test. Like ESR, CRP shows inflammation in the body. Research shows CRP levels are higher in infections than in new rheumatic diseases or cancers, with a p-value of less than 0.05¹¹. This means CRP can help tell different causes of inflammation apart.

Imaging Tests

In some cases, your doctor might suggest imaging tests. These tests can show inflammation or damage in your body. By looking at your medical history, physical examination, CRP test, and imaging tests, your doctor can get a clearer picture of what’s causing your high ESR.

Remember, an elevated ESR is not a diagnosis in itself, but rather a signpost pointing towards an underlying condition. By working closely with your healthcare provider and undergoing the necessary diagnostic tests, you can uncover the root cause of your high ESR and take steps towards appropriate treatment and management.

Treatment Options for High ESR

If you have a high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), your doctor will help you find a treatment. They will look at the cause of your inflammation. The treatment will depend on the cause and how bad your symptoms are.

Addressing the Underlying Condition

The main goal is to find and treat the cause of your inflammation. This might mean antibiotics for an infection, medicines for autoimmune diseases, or cancer treatments. By treating the cause, your doctor aims to lower your ESR.

Medications to Reduce Inflammation

Your doctor might also give you medicines to fight inflammation. These can include:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): These are over-the-counter medicines like ibuprofen and naproxen. They help with mild to moderate pain and inflammation.
• Corticosteroids: For serious inflammation, your doctor might give you corticosteroids like prednisone. They calm down your immune system and reduce inflammation.
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs): If you have an autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis, DMARDs can slow the disease and reduce inflammation.

Doctors might use NSAIDs, Corticosteroids, DMARDs, and Biological Response Modifiers if lifestyle changes and natural remedies don’t work¹².

Lifestyle Changes

Changing your lifestyle can also help lower inflammation and manage a high ESR. Some good changes include:

1. Regular exercise: Try to exercise at least five days a week. It helps fight inflammation and keeps your body healthy¹².
2. Managing stress: Stress can make inflammation worse. It’s important to find healthy ways to deal with stress¹².
3. Quitting smoking: Smoking can raise your ESR and make inflammation worse. Quitting is very important¹².
4. Eating well: Eat foods that fight inflammation like omega-3 fish, berries, broccoli, and green vegetables. Turmeric and green tea are also good for reducing ESR¹².
5. Drinking enough water: Staying hydrated is key, especially when you exercise¹².

Changing your diet and lifestyle can help lower ESR levels naturally¹³. Natural remedies like ashwagandha and turmeric tea can also help¹³. Panchakarma treatments and Rasayanas can boost your immunity and lower ESR levels¹².

By working with your doctor and making lifestyle changes, you can manage your high ESR and reduce inflammation.

Monitoring ESR Levels

If you have a condition with high ESR, watching your ESR levels closely is key. It shows how well your treatment is working and how active your disease is. Your doctor will decide how often to test you based on your condition and needs.

Frequency of Testing

How often you get tested for ESR depends on your condition and symptoms. Sometimes, you might need to get tested every few weeks. This is common for conditions like temporal arteritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, and rheumatoid arthritis¹⁴.

In other cases, you might only need to get tested every few months or once a year. This helps track your health and spot any changes in your condition.

Tracking Treatment Progress

ESR levels help check if your treatment is working. If you’re being treated for a condition with high ESR, like an autoimmune disorder or infection, your doctor will watch your ESR levels¹⁵. If your ESR goes down, it means your treatment is helping and your inflammation or disease activity is decreasing.

But remember, a high ESR doesn’t mean you have a specific disease. Your doctor might do more tests, like imaging or other blood tests, to understand your health better¹⁶. Some people might have inflammation without a high ESR.

To track your treatment, your doctor will keep testing your ESR at set times. By looking at your ESR levels over time, they can see if your condition is getting better, staying the same, or getting worse. This helps them adjust your treatment as needed.

Regular monitoring of ESR levels is crucial for individuals with conditions associated with high ESR, as it helps healthcare providers assess disease activity, evaluate treatment effectiveness, and make necessary adjustments to ensure optimal management of the underlying condition.

ESR vs C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test

Both Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) tests check for inflammation. They are used in diagnostic tests but differ in how they work.

CRP is often the first choice for adults to check for inflammation. It changes faster than ESR, making it better for quick changes in inflammation.

In British Columbia, Canada, ESR needs a special request. CRP is usually the go-to test. The cost is close, with ESR at $10.61 and CRP at $10.31¹⁷.

In Alberta, doctors often ask for both tests. But, tests together only match 67% to 81% of the time¹⁸. A US study found saving $250,000 to $400,000 a year by not doing both tests together¹⁸.

CRP is the top choice, but ESR is useful in some cases. For example, in systemic lupus erythematosus or bone infections¹⁷. A normal CRP is under 1.0 mg/dL, and ESR under 20 mm/hr¹⁹.

High sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) helps predict heart disease risk. If you want hsCRP, ask for it. An hsCRP over 2 mg/L might mean starting statins for heart risk¹⁷.

The normal ESR range changes with age and gender¹⁹:

• Under 60 years:
  • Male: Less than 12 mm/hr
  • Female: Less than 20 mm/hr
• Over 60 years:
  • Male: Less than 30 mm/hr
  • Female: Less than 35 mm/hr

In summary, CRP is usually the better test for quick inflammation changes. But, ESR is still useful for long-term inflammation monitoring.

When to Seek Medical Attention

If you have ongoing pain, stiffness, fever, or weight loss, see a doctor fast⁸. These signs might mean you have an inflammatory disease⁸. High ESR levels, along with these signs, help doctors find the cause⁸.

If you already know you have a condition with high ESR, talk to your doctor if things get worse⁸. High ESR can mean many things, like arthritis, anemia, or even cancer²⁰. Very high ESR levels might mean serious diseases like multiple myeloma²⁰.

Remember, seeking timely medical attention for persistent or worsening symptoms is key to receiving an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Your doctor might do more tests if your ESR is off²⁰. These could be blood tests, X-rays, or biopsies²⁰.

Talk to your doctor about any odd ESR results²⁰. They’ll look at your ESR, medical history, and other tests to figure out what’s wrong⁸.

Your health is very important. If you’re worried about your symptoms or ESR results, get help from a doctor⁸.

Preventing Conditions That Cause High ESR

While we can’t stop all conditions that raise ESR, a healthy lifestyle helps a lot. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and managing stress are important. Avoiding smoking and too much alcohol is also key²¹.

These habits help fight inflammation and keep you healthy. They might lower your risk of diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. This disease often has high ESR levels²².

Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

Exercise is great for your body and helps control inflammation. Try to do 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of hard exercise each week. Also, do strength training twice a week²¹.

Eating well is also important. Eat lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. This diet fights inflammation and keeps you healthy. Staying at a healthy weight and eating right can help manage ESR levels²¹.

Regular Check-ups and Screenings

Seeing your doctor regularly is key. They can catch problems early and treat them fast. They’ll check your ESR levels and look for risks²¹.

High ESR levels mean you might have health issues that need quick action²¹. For example, high ESR levels can mean a higher risk of dying from stomach cancer²². Blood tests and scans can spot health problems early. This lets you get the right treatment quickly.