ESR rate of your body may be detected through the blood test. You may be wondering what ERS is. ESR is the abbreviation for Erythrocye Sedimentation Rate or simply the ‘sed rate’. ESR test is performed to check the presence of any infection, disease or condition in the body that might be causing inflammation somewhere. You may say that this test does not directly help to identify the disease then why is it prescribed. Although it does not exactly diagnose the disease in the body or health condition, it reveals to the doctor what other tests may be required to actually diagnose the disease. If one is undergoing treatment for any disease, this test lets the doctor know how well the patient is recovering. The test studies inflammatory condition in the body such as arthritis, lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid. If the person has a high fever and there is problem in the muscles, joint ache or arthritis, this test can be prescribed.
The nature of the test
Sed Rate test is normal kind of test like blood sugar test. The professional uses sterilized needle to draw the blood from the veins of the patient. The blood when is collected to the test tube is sent to the lab. Indeed, it is a simple kind of test which gets completed in a few minutes time. When the needle pricks, slight pain may be experienced by the person. This test is however not 100% reliable and will have to be accompanied by other kinds of tests in order to figure out the real problem.
Higher ESR result and what it suggests
High ESR in the body might result from a variety of reasons. Some of the reasons that may result to higher level of ESR are Thyroid disease, simple old age factor, pregnancy, kidney disease, any kind of arthritis, Temporal Arteritis or others. If the ESR is higher, it suggests that the person is having any of the below stated conditions:
- Giant Cell Arteritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Primary macroglobulinemia
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica
There may be some kind of infection resulting to higher ESR rate. They are given below:
- Rheumatic fever
- Skin Infection
- Tuberculosis
- Bone Infection
- Systemic Infection
What does the lower level of Sed Rate suggest?
If the ESR rate is low, it is not that much a problem. But, if the test result shows the rate as extremely low, then there may be any of the following conditions:
- Polycythemia
- Leukocytosis
- Congestive Heart Failure
- low fibrinogen level
- Hyperviscosity
If the ESR level is slightly higher or lower, it is not that much a problem. Before you draw any conclusion, it is better to talk to the physician. The ESR blood test is a great way to learn about infection or inflammation in regions of the body. If the report shows abnormal ESR, immediate medical help will be required. The test is simple, inexpensive and non-specific. The degree of inflammation is measured quite easily. It may also be used to assess response to a therapy or treatment.