ESR stands for erythrocyte sedimentation rate. It is a test that indirectly measures how much inflammation is in the body. This test can be used to monitor inflammatory or cancerous diseases. It is a screening test, which means it cannot be used to diagnose a specific disorder but it is useful in detecting and monitoring tuberculosis, tissue death, certain forms of arthritis, autoimmune disorders, and inflammatory diseases that cause vague symptoms.
Normal results would be less than 15-20 mm/hr (millimetres per hour) or less than 30 mm/hr for a woman over the age of 50. For a new born baby it would be 0-2 mm/hr and for a child ages 1-13 it should be between 3 and 13 mm/hr. A high ERS result could indicate Anemia, Endocarditis, Kidney disease, Osteomyelitis, pregnancy, Rheumatic fever, Rheumatoid arthritis, Syphilis, Systemic lupus erythematosus, Thyroid disease, Tuberculosis or other inflammatory conditions.
An extremely high ERS level could indicate Body-wide (systemic) infection, Giant cell arteritis, Hyperfibrinogenemia (increased fibrinogen levels in the blood), Multiple myeloma, Macroglobulinemia - primary, Necrotizing vasculitis or Polymyalgia rheumatica.
If you have a high ESR, the only way to cure it would be to have a diagnosis from your doctor who can then establish the underlying cause of the problem and prescribe some medication in the hope that this will either help or cure the problem. Your ESR should return to normal levels as soon as a diagnosis is provided and treatment begins to reduce any inflammation in the body, whatever the cause may be. You may need to be on medication for the rest of you life to keep your ESR at a healthy level or you may have medication for a few months which could cure you of the problem.
Normal results would be less than 15-20 mm/hr (millimetres per hour) or less than 30 mm/hr for a woman over the age of 50. For a new born baby it would be 0-2 mm/hr and for a child ages 1-13 it should be between 3 and 13 mm/hr. A high ERS result could indicate Anemia, Endocarditis, Kidney disease, Osteomyelitis, pregnancy, Rheumatic fever, Rheumatoid arthritis, Syphilis, Systemic lupus erythematosus, Thyroid disease, Tuberculosis or other inflammatory conditions.
An extremely high ERS level could indicate Body-wide (systemic) infection, Giant cell arteritis, Hyperfibrinogenemia (increased fibrinogen levels in the blood), Multiple myeloma, Macroglobulinemia - primary, Necrotizing vasculitis or Polymyalgia rheumatica.
If you have a high ESR, the only way to cure it would be to have a diagnosis from your doctor who can then establish the underlying cause of the problem and prescribe some medication in the hope that this will either help or cure the problem. Your ESR should return to normal levels as soon as a diagnosis is provided and treatment begins to reduce any inflammation in the body, whatever the cause may be. You may need to be on medication for the rest of you life to keep your ESR at a healthy level or you may have medication for a few months which could cure you of the problem.