Do you know what ESR is and how high ESR levels affect your body or how complicated it can be if not diagnosed and treated on time? If not, do not worry. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is identified as an essential parameter of a blood test that is usually prescribed by your healthcare provider if any kind of inflammation or infection is detected in your body.
To give you a detailed analysis and provide you with in-depth knowledge on ESR, its effects on your body, the causes that lead to ESR, where to get an ESR test in Gurgaon, and the right way to plan for treatment, first let’s understand what ESR is in the first place.
What is an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)?
An erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is known as a blood test that detects if you have any inflammation in your body or not. As inflammation is your immune system’s response to injury, infections and many types of other conditions such as immune system disorders, certain cancers and blood disorders.
The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a blood test that is performed to measure the rate at which the red blood cells settle at the bottom of the test tube containing the blood sample. This test is ideally performed to diagnose any health condition that might lead to inflammation, as the rate at which red blood cells settle down gives your healthcare provider an approximate idea of any inflammation or acute infection in your body.
To take action for your health, it is essential to diagnose the diseases at the earliest possible time, but do you have any idea what causes and leads to ESR? If not, recognise it now!
Symptoms & Causes of ESR:
As ESR levels are known as determinants of disease and infection, high ESR symptoms usually appear in the following symptoms and illnesses:
Common ESR symptoms are:
- Headache- Elevated ESR levels lead to headaches, and it is the most common symptom of more-than-expected ESR levels.
- Fever- Fever is the second most common symptom of higher ESR levels. If you feel feverish consult your doctor.
- Loss of appetite: it is normal to experience loss of appetite when you ha increased ESR levels.
- Anaemia: It is found that the more severe the anaemia, the higher the ESR levels. If you believe you have been diagnosed with anaemia, it is better to consult with your doctor.
- Unexpected weight gain or loss: Higher ESR levels are directly associated with unexpected weight loss or gain. So if you believe your weight is increasing or decreasing rapidly out of nowhere, you should go for an ESR test.
- Joint or muscle pain or stiffness: High levels of ESR indicate high levels of inflammation, which leads to joint or muscle pain and stiffness.
The elevated ESR can show up differently for many individuals, so it is better to consult with your healthcare provider and go for an ESR test in Gurgaon or your nearby city right now. However, before getting tested, it is better to comprehend what causes lead to ESR.
High ESR Level Causes
High ESR levels can result from several conditions, and most of them are inflammatory diseases, which affect your immune system’s response and cause high ESR symptoms. The most important causes of high ESR are:
- Heart disease
- Kidney disease
- Obesity
- Thyroid disease
- Rheumatic fever
- Autoimmune disorders like lupus, arthritis, etc
- Vascular diseases like atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, etc.
- Traumatic events or accidents
- Tissue injury or ischemia
- Inflammatory infections that affect bone, heart, skin, lungs, etc.
- Certain types of cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, etc.
The above-listed causes of high ESR work as an alarm for you to tackle the higher ESR levels on time and to take the appropriate action regarding your health. However, before proceeding further, it is necessary to know the calculated ESR levels and what they indicate.
What is the normal range of ESR levels?
High ESR levels confirm the presence of high protein levels in the blood which causes faster clumping of RBCs than usual. The ESR test measures in millimetres (mm) and the normal range of ESR levels are:
- 0 to 15 mm/hour in men whose age is 50 years
- 0 to 20 mm/hour in men > 50 years of age
- 0 to 20 mm/hour in women 50 years of age
- 0 to 30 mm/hour for women over 50 years of age
The normal range of levels indicates the actual proportion of ESR, but when these levels get high, they cause a lot of trouble for your health. Even before getting tested and looking for a treatment, it is vital to know what possible changes you can make in your lifestyle to balance your ESR levels.
Lifestyle changes that help to balance your ESR levels
- Prevent infections and maintain hygiene: balancing your ESR levels helps to prevent infections that can affect your bones, heart, skin, lungs, etc. and maintain hygiene so that you can take a step towards living a healthy life.
- Exercise regularly: Regular physical exercise, particularly at a high level, is associated with balancing your ESR levels. Also, physical activities not only help you to stay fit and healthy but also help to maintain hormone levels in your body so chronic infections and diseases can be overcome at the right time.
- Follow a healthy diet and take enough nutrition- Following a healthy diet can effortlessly help you maintain your ESR levels. So, it is better to include a lot of veggies, take protein-rich carbs, drink coconut water, avoid citric acid, eat an apple a day, and carefully follow your doctor’s advice.
- Reduce your weight. Reducing your weight helps decrease ESR. Fighting obesity is one of the most effective ways of lowering inflammation and ESR. So, do the right thing and live a healthy life by maintaining your weight so that you can also combat certain chronic diseases.
- Avoid consuming alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. Smokers have higher ESR levels than anyone else due to their chronic inflammatory response, and people who are addicted to alcohol have higher ESR levels.
When you make the above-listed changes in your lifestyle, you will witness a positive effect on your health. However, it is advised to get tested on time and consult your doctor at the earliest possible time. As these changes can only help to an extent and don’t give a direct impact on your health.
What to do if ESR levels do not balance naturally?
The best thing you can do to balance out your ESR levels is to consult your doctor, the chances are very high that he/she will prescribe you to go for an ESR test in Gurgaon or your nearby city.
If an ESR test indicates that your red blood cells sink faster than normal, it will confirm that you have a medical condition that causes inflammation. The higher the ESR levels, the faster the level of inflammation. So having a proper consultation is a must before or after undergoing the ESR blood test.
However, in search of the best diagnostic centre in India, you can reach out to Redcliffe Labs without any doubt. From working with cutting-edge technology to making diagnostic services not only accessible but affordable to all, Redcliffe Labs has become the number one preference of top doctors and many individuals in India. So, lead a healthy life and book an ESR test in Gurgaon with Redcliffe Labs now!