esr????

[jb190281]

Ive recently been for a blood test, tested for numerous things such as thyroid, diabeties, etc. Theyve all come back ok, apart from something called ESR. Does anybody know what this tests for, what an imbalance indicates etc? thank you

[Eve]

It's to show up inflammation.

Did they say what your ESR was? It's a number and the higher the number over norm (based on your age and sex) the more the indication of inflamation.

Men have a lower norm than women and it raises with your age.

Roughly...

Men under 50 years old: less than 15 mm/hr
Men over 50 years old: less than 20 mm/hr
Women under 50 years old: less than 20 mm/hr
Women over 50 years old: less than 30 mm/hr

I have a raised ESR as I get a lot of swollen joints with arthritis.

Some more info here...

http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/an alytes/esr/test.html

The results should be taken in context though as some people with severe inflammation in illnesses such as lupus can have ESR rates in the hundreds.

[jb190281]

the receptionist didnt go into detail - she wasnt medically trained! she said the doctor wanted to see me as routine, but i just didnt know what this ESR was

[sqad617]

ESR....Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate. Jenna1978 has given you an excellent explanation. One reading is not necessarily significant and may need to be repeated. It is rather an "out of date" test due to it being non specific. Used to be used to monitor the sicces or otherwise of a treatment i.e TB, if successive ESR's are falling, then the treatment is working. Ask what the figure was, and could you have it repeated.

[jb190281]

thanks very much for your feedback, its eased my mind a little