I have had an ESR level of between 35 and 48 since january. 5 blood tests in total. any one know why?
Question:
I starting to get quite worried as my G.P just keeps telling me to repeat it.
Im not in any pain and have no other symptoms!
Answers:
Since ESR is a nonspecific marker of inflammation and is affected by other factors, the results must be used along with the doctor’s other clinical findings, the patient’s health history, and results from other appropriate laboratory tests. If the ESR and clinical findings match, the doctor may be able to confirm or rule out a suspected diagnosis. An elevated ESR, without any symptoms of a specific disease, will usually not give the physician enough information to make a medical decision.
Before doing an extensive workup looking for disease, a doctor may want to repeat the ESR test after a period of several weeks or months.
Moderately elevated ESR occurs with inflammation, but also with anemia, infection, pregnancy, and old age.
The normal range for ESR is under 20. Other than that, I wouldn't be able to tell you why he would keep checking it. Ask him.
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