Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D. What is an ESR test? The ESR test can also be used to monitor inflammatory diseases. Why doctors request an ESR test. Signs that you should take an ESR test. Preparing for the ESR test. The ESR test. Risks of the ESR test. Different types of ESR tests. Normal ESR test results. Understanding abnormal ESR test results. Causes of high ESR test results. Causes of low ESR test results.
What happens after the test. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Peggy Pletcher, M. A high ESR tells your healthcare provider that you may have an active disease process in your body. You may need this test if you have symptoms of one of the diseases that may cause ESR to go up. You may also need this test if you have already been diagnosed with a disease that causes a high ESR.
The test can allow your healthcare provider to see how well you are responding to treatment. The ESR blood test is most useful for diagnosing or monitoring diseases that cause pain and swelling from inflammation. Other symptoms may include fever and weight loss. These diseases include:. ESR is not used as a screening test in people who do not have symptoms or to diagnose disease because many conditions can cause it to increase.
It might also go up in many normal cases. ESR doesn't tell your healthcare provider whether you have a specific disease. It only suggests that you may have an active disease process in your body. You may have other tests if your healthcare provider is doing this test to diagnose a disease. A high reading means a lot of cells have settled, which suggest inflammation. You might need an ESR test if your doctor suspects that you have an infection or an illness related to inflammation.
As ESR is not specific, other tests might be needed to identify the location and cause of the inflammation or infection.
ESR is particularly useful in detecting two specific illnesses: giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica. A high ESR can indicate inflammation somewhere in the body, but it does not say where or indicate the specific cause. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Read more on Arthritis Australia website. This sheet has been written for people affected by polymyalgia rheumatica. It provides general information to help you understand how you may be affected and what you can do to manage it.
Read more on Autoimmune Resource and Research Centre website. Before any tests are done, the doctor will ask you about your symptoms and will often examine you for signs of arthritis or other autoimmune features. Read more on Know Pathology Know Healthcare website. Raynaud's disease causes spasm of the arteries leading to fingers and toes, causing them to feel numb and turn white, blue and red then tingle and feel painful. A faster-than-normal rate may indicate inflammation in the body.
Inflammation is part of your immune response system. It can be a reaction to an infection or injury. Inflammation may also be a sign of a chronic disease, an immune disorder , or other medical condition. An ESR test can help determine if you have a condition that causes inflammation. These include arthritis , vasculitis , or inflammatory bowel disease.
An ESR may also be used to monitor an existing condition. Your health care provider may order an ESR if you have symptoms of an inflammatory disorder. These include:. A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle.
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