How to Reduce RBC sedimentation rate

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a test that can show the level of sedimentation and inflammation in the body. This test measures the time it takes for red blood cells to settle to the bottom of an ultrathin test tube. If your ESR is relatively high, your body is probably also inflamed and needs treatment. Inflammation can be treated with diet and exercise. You should also consult your doctor to rule out other conditions that cause an elevated ESR. You may need to have the ESR test more than once.

Table of Contents

Reduce inflammation and ESR with diet and exercise

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Exercise regularly with high intensity if possible. To exercise at a high intensity, you will have to really exert yourself when exercising. The activity you choose should make you sweat, raise your heart rate, and you’ll have to say, “Oh, that’s hard!” Exercise for at least 30 minutes, and at least 3 times per week. ^{[1] X Trusted Source American Heart Association Go to Source} This activity has been shown to significantly reduce inflammation. ^{[2] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

High-intensity activities include jogging or brisk cycling, swimming, aerobics, or climbing. ^{[3] X American Heart Association Trusted Source Go to Source}

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Use moderate-intensity exercises instead of high-intensity exercise. If you have never really exercised before or your health condition does not allow for high-intensity exercise, you can do lighter exercises for at least 30 minutes. Even just a little exercise a day can reduce inflammation. ^{[4] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to the source} Keep working until you feel like you’ve reached the point of “Okay, this exercise is pretty heavy but I’m still not overdoing it.” ^{[5] X American Heart Association Trusted Source Go to Source}

Walk around the neighborhood at a brisk pace or sign up for a water aerobics class.

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Practice yoga meditation every day for 30 minutes. Meditation yoga is a type of yoga that puts you in a state of being half awake and half asleep. This type of yoga helps you to completely relax physically and mentally. At least one study demonstrated that this activity significantly reduced ESR increases. How to practice meditative yoga as follows: ^{[6] X Research source}

Lie on your back on an exercise mat or a comfortable surface.
Listen to your yoga instructor’s instructions (download an app or search for audio or video if you can’t find a yoga studio that teaches the genre).
Allow the breath to naturally come in and out of your body. ^{[7] X Research Sources}
Do not move your body during exercise.
Allow the mind to drift from one point to another, remaining conscious but not focused.
Reaching the state of “sleep under the control of consciousness.”

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Avoid processed foods and foods containing sugar. These foods contain a harmful type of chpesterp (LDL) that can cause inflammation in the body. ^{[8] X Trusted Source Harvard Medical Schop Go to the source} Inflammation can also increase ESR. In particular, you should avoid chips and other fried foods, white bread, pastas, soft drinks, red and processed meats, margarine or lard. ^{[9] X Trusted Source Harvard Medical Schop Go to Source}

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Eat fruits, vegetables, nuts and healthy oils. These foods are all basic components of a healthy diet along with lean meats like chicken and fish. There are also anti-inflammatory fruits, vegetables, and oils that you should incorporate into your meals several times a week, which include: ^{[10] X Trusted Source Harvard Medical Schop Go To source}

Tomato
Strawberries, blueberries, cherries and/or oranges.
Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and collard greens
Almonds and/or Walnuts
Fatty fish (high in oil) such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines
Olive oil

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Add herbs like oregano, cayenne pepper, and basil to the dish. These ingredients have natural anti-inflammatory properties, so you should add them to your main meals whenever possible. Fortunately, herbs are also great seasonings that can enhance the flavor of food. You can also take ginger, turmeric, and white willow bark to help reduce inflammation and lower ESR levels. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Look online for recipes you like that use herbs.
With ginger and white willow bark, you can use a teapot to make herbal tea.
Do not use white willow bark if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. ^{[12] X Research Source}

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Drink plenty of fluids daily. While dehydration may not make your inflammation worse, staying hydrated is essential to avoid muscle and bone damage. ^{[13] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to the source} If you’re increasing your activity levels to reduce inflammation, it’s important to drink plenty of water to avoid injury. Try to drink at least 1-2 liters per day. ^{[14] X Research Source} Drink water as soon as you have any of the following symptoms: ^{[15] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to source}

Extremely thirsty
Exhaustion, dizziness or confusion
Less urinating
Dark colored urine

Treatment for high ESR test results

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Ask your doctor to understand the test results. As with most other tests, the normal range can vary from laboratory to laboratory. When you receive your test results, talk to your doctor to understand your condition. Overall, the normal range would be: ^{[16] X Trusted Source MedlinePlus Go to source}

Less than 15 mm/hr (millimeters per hour) for men under age 50.
Less than 20 mm/hr for men over 50.
Less than 20 mm/hr for women under 50 years old.
Less than 30 mm/hr for women over 50 years old.
0-2 mm/hr for infants.
3-13 mm/hr for children from birth to puberty.

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Ask your doctor if your erythrocyte sedimentation rate is elevated or very high. Several conditions can cause ESR levels to rise above normal, including pregnancy, anemia, thyroid disease, kidney disease, or cancers such as lymphoma or multiple myeloma. Very high ESR levels can indicate lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or a serious infection somewhere in the body. ^{[17] X Trusted Source MedlinePlus Go to Source}

Very high ESR levels may also be a sign of very rare autoimmune disorders such as allergic vasculitis, giant cell arteritis, hyperfibrinogenemia, macroglobulinemia, necrotizing vasculitis, or polymyalgia due to rheumatism.
Infections associated with very high ESR levels can be in the bones, heart, skin, or the entire body. This condition can also be a sign of pulmonary tuberculosis or rheumatic heart disease.

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Your doctor will order other tests to diagnose the disease. Elevated or high ESR levels can indicate problems, so your doctor will almost certainly order other tests to check your condition. While you wait for your doctor to determine what types of tests to do, you should relax and don’t panic. You can raise your concerns with your doctor, talk to family and friends to feel more reassured thanks to everyone’s support. ^{[18] X Trusted Source MedlinePlus Go to Source}

A single ESR test cannot provide diagnostic results.

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Do the ESR test several times. Elevated ESR levels are often associated with chronic pain and inflammation, so you may need to be checked regularly. Monitoring ESR levels during routine visits will help your doctor know about your pain and inflammation. Hopefully with the right treatment regimen, your disease will be in remission! ^{[19] X Research Source}

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Support the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with drugs and physical therapy. Unfortunately, rheumatoid arthritis cannot be completely cured. However, you can manage and relieve the symptoms. Your doctor will likely prescribe a combination of a slow-acting antirheumatic drug (DMARD), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen, and a steroid medication. ^{[20] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

A physiotherapist or occupational therapist can help you learn exercises to maintain mobility and flexibility in your joints. They can also teach you alternative methods for performing everyday tasks (like pouring water into a cup) in the event of severe pain.

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Prevent lupus flare-ups with NSAIDs and other medications. Every case of lupus is different, so you need to talk with your doctor to determine the most appropriate treatment regimen. NSAIDs can relieve pain and reduce fever, and corticosteroids can control inflammation. Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may also prescribe antimalarial and immunosuppressive drugs. ^{[21] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

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Treat bone and joint infections with antibiotics and/or surgery. An elevated ESR level can be a sign of a number of different infections, but most accurately indicate an infection in the bones and joints. These infections are especially difficult to treat, so your doctor will do several other tests to determine the type and cause of the problem. In severe cases, you may need surgery to remove the infected tissue. ^{[22] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

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Ask your doctor to refer you to an oncologist if you are diagnosed with cancer. Very high ESR levels (above 100 mm/hr) can be a sign of malignancy or the presence of cells that can invade surrounding tissues and spread cancer. ^{[23] XTrusted Source National Cancer Institute Go to Source} In particular, high ESR levels can indicate multiple myeloma cancer. ^{[24] X Research Sources} If you are diagnosed with the disease with other blood tests, scans, and urine tests, your oncologist will work with you to develop a special treatment plan. ^{[25] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

ESR . level test

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See your doctor if you think you need an ESR test. The ESR test is most often used to find out if there is an infection that is causing your pain. If you have unexplained fever, arthritis, muscle aches, or significant inflammation, an ESR test can help your doctor better understand the cause and severity of the problem. ^{[26] X Trusted Source MedlinePlus Go to Source}

ESR testing can also be helpful in diagnosing unexplained symptoms such as loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, headaches, or neck and shoulder pain. ^{[27] X Research Source}
ESR testing is rarely done alone. Usually your doctor will at least order a quantitative C-reactive protein (CRP) test. ^{[28] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source} This test is also used to check for inflammation in the body. ^{[29] X Research Sources}

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Discuss with your doctor the medications you are taking. There are many prescription and over-the-counter medications that can increase or decrease the natural erythrocyte sedimentation rate. If you are taking these medications, your doctor may ask you to stop taking them a week before your blood test. Do not change medications without consulting your doctor. ^{[30] X Research Source}

Dextran, methyldopa, holy grail, penicillamine, procainamide, theophylline, and vitamin A may increase ESR levels.
Aspirin, cortisone, and quinine can lower ESR levels.

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Tell the healthcare provider which arm you want to draw blood from. Usually, blood will be drawn from the inside of the elbow. Although there should be no pain or swelling after the blood test, you should also ask if blood can be drawn from the non-dominant arm. Healthcare workers also need to find the vein that is easiest to draw blood from. ^{[31] X Research Source}

Choosing the right vein will make the blood test process a little faster.
If they can’t find an easy vein in both arms, they can look for another site to draw blood. ^{[32] X Research Source}
You should also tell the person drawing the blood about any previous times you’ve had this type of blood test. If you pass out or faint during the blood test, they may have you lie down so you don’t get sick or faint. If you usually don’t feel well when you have a blood test, you should get someone to drive you back and forth.

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Relax while taking blood for testing. The medical staff will tie a rubber band around your upper arm and use cotton swabs dipped in alcohol to disinfect. They will then insert a needle into the vein and draw blood into the tube. When the blood is drawn, they pull out the needle and remove the bandage. Finally, the nurse or doctor will give you a pad to press on where the blood was drawn. ^{[33] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source}

If you’re nervous, don’t look at your arm while they’re drawing blood.
They may need more than one vial of blood. Don’t worry if this happens.
They may use a compression bandage to apply pressure and stop bleeding faster after you leave the clinic. You can remove the bandage at home after it has been on for a few hours. ^{[34] X Trusted Source National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Go to Source}

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Know that the blood site may be bruised or red. Usually, the site of the blood draw will heal in just 1 or 2 days but may be slightly red and even bruised as it heals. This phenomenon is normal. ^{[35] X Research Source} In rare cases, the vein where the blood was drawn may become swollen. ^{[36] X Research Sources} This condition is not serious but can be painful. The first day you should apply ice, then switch to warm compress. Make a warm compress by heating a damp washcloth in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Apply a towel to the painful area every 20 minutes, several times a day.

Test the temperature of the towel by placing your hand over the towel. If the steam is so hot that you can’t keep your hands above it, wait for 10-15 seconds to cool down before trying again.

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Contact your doctor if you have a fever. If the site of blood draw becomes more painful and swollen, you may have an infection. This is a very rare reaction. ^{[37] X Research Source} However, if you do have a fever, call your doctor right away.

If you have a fever of 39℃ or higher, your doctor may recommend going to the emergency room. ^{[38] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Advice

When it’s time to draw blood, drink plenty of water. This will help swell the vein and make it easier to draw blood. You should also wear a shirt with wide sleeves.
Pregnancy and menstruation can temporarily increase ESR levels, so tell your doctor if you are pregnant or having periods.

Steps

Reduce inflammation and ESR with diet and exercise

Treatment for high ESR test results

ESR . level test

Advice

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