According to doctors, a quick way for an adult to learn about the state of health is to check the white blood cells in the blood, only to figure out what the increased or lowered level will indicate is not easy. For a competent reading of the analysis, one must understand the meaning of these cells, know the permissible fluctuations in the normative indices. The most acute question is what is more terrible: a way out of the upper or lower border?
What is the leukocytes in the blood
Human blood is a movable connective tissue that is divided into plasma - the main fluid medium, and dense( uniform) elements:
- erythrocytes;
- platelets;
- leukocytes.
The latter are white blood corpuscles that form the middle layer of gray in the settled part. If we look at the blood in the laboratory at multiple magnification, small spheres of irregular shape with a rough( fleecy) surface - that's what leukocytes are in the blood test. The white color of their body is due to the lack of coloration( unlike red blood cells).Lymphocytes, like other blood cells, are synthesized by the bone marrow. The total share of all blood cells does not exceed 50%, the number of leukocytes should be less than that of platelets and red blood cells.
Responsible for
Leukocytes are of great importance for the protective functions of the body, as they participate in immune reactions, synthesizing specific T cells. Far from medicine to a person they are known as "lymphocytes": their role is to recognize infectious agents that penetrate the body and destroy them. If the process of leukocyte emission of lymphocytes was performed correctly, the immune system will stimulate the production of antibodies, which is important for infectious diseases and any inflammatory processes.
How many live
The life of each form of white blood cells varies: granulocytes die after 10 days, and especially important for immunity, lymphocytes can function in the body for several years before they are replaced. Monocytes have the shortest life span: 1-2 hours, since they are faced with the simplest task. Destruction of all forms occurs in the spleen, or in the zone of the inflammatory process.
Types of leukocytes
An important indicator determining human health is not only the total number of leukocytes, but also the percentage of their varieties, according to which doctors and hypotheses about the causes of abnormalities. The leukocyte formula is:
- Neutrophils. Belong to the number of granular white blood cells. The fall in the level of neutrophils leads to loss of the body's ability to protect itself from bacterial and fungal infections. The dead neutrophils on the site of inflammation are pus.
- Lymphocytes. The main defenders of the body in viral infections, described earlier: they recognize and destroy foreign agents.
- Monocytes. Perform the role of "janitors" - they are needed to clean the focus of inflammation from dead alien particles.
- Basophiles. They are ancillary cells that mobilize the remaining granular white blood cells to the site of inflammation.
- Eosinophils. Granulocytes performing antiallergic function.
White blood cell norm
The level of white blood cells is not fixed: even within a day, it fluctuates, because it is closely related to external factors. The physiological increase in the number of leukocytes is affected by:
- excess protein in the diet;
- time of day( before going to sleep there is a rise in leukocyte count)
- weather conditions( immune system reaction to temperature changes);
- stress;
- pregnancy;
- monthly.
The constant concentration of leukocytes in an adult is always lower than the rest of the blood cells: in comparison with erythrocytes - 1000 times. Doctors specify that a newborn blood test will show a very high level of leukocytes - 3 times more than an adult. After their number gradually decreases, the difference in men and women is seen only after 21 years. The limits of normal indicators can be tracked according to this table:
| Units / L | |
|---|---|
| Newborns | 7-32 * 10 ^ 9 |
| Children under 3 years old | 6-17 * 10 ^ 9 |
| Children 4-6 years old | 5-12 * 10 ^ 9 |
| Children 7-10 years old | 6-11 * 10 ^ 9 |
| Adolescents 11-15 years old | 4,2-9,5 * 10 ^ 9 |
| Adults( women) | 3.98-10.4 * 10 ^ 9 |
| Adults( male) | 4,2-9 * 10 ^ 9 |
| Elderly | 3,7-9 * 10 ^ 9 |
| Pregnant | 4-11 * 10 ^ 9 |
Leukocytes in the blood are elevated
Any fluctuations in the level of white blood cells - both up and down- in medicine have their names: the increase is marked with the word "leukocytosis".By the nature of the prerequisites for it, it can be pathological or physiological. About natural fluctuations above mentioned: physiological leukocytosis in women can contribute to pregnancy, menstruation, childbirth, and in persons of both sexes and all ages - physical activity, stress and food intake. Talk about pathological leukocytosis is required in more detail, since it can indicate a dangerous disease.
Causes of leukocytosis
The woman has reasons to encounter an increased level of white bulls more than men: pregnancy is one of the natural prerequisites for which doctors admit a deviation from the above norm to 15 * 10 ^ 9 U / L, and this will not bea sign of the disease. Similarly, in cases where a blood test was taken after eating, or physical exertion, severe stress. If the elevated white blood cells are not a situational phenomenon, it is confirmed by repeated analysis and strong abnormalities, the cause may be covered in:
- bacterial infections;
- viral diseases;
- inflammatory reactions of any etiology;
- of renal failure;
- anemia;
- internal bleeding;
- trauma to the skin( wounds, burns);
- Allergies.
Special mention requires a strong deviation from normal indices - when the level of leukocytes exceeds 100,000 * 10 ^ 9 U / l: the production of white blood cells in such an amount the body can produce only with leukemia( leukemia).Mostly this problem is diagnosed in children. If the number of leukocytes has increased only to 10,000 * 10 ^ 9 U / l, this may be due to the presence of inflammatory processes in the body, the nature of which should be investigated.
Features of
The increased leukocyte count in the blood( excluding leukemia) may not be felt, especially when it comes to children: they deviate from the norm only when carrying out a detailed analysis. With infectious diseases and even colds, the course and symptomatology are classic for SARS and ARI:
- the temperature rises( a characteristic sign of inflammation);
- observed weakness, lethargy;
- weight decreases;
- is losing appetite.
As leukocytosis in the blood develops, more severe symptoms appear that are related to the process of disintegration of blood cells:
- enlargement of the spleen, liver;
- bruising;
- abdominal pain.
What to do
If an elevated white blood cell count has been diagnosed, a comprehensive examination will be required:
- makes a peripheral blood smear;
- again hand over the detailed analysis( on probability of increase of basophils);
- is biopsy( lymph nodes, bone marrow, liver).
It is possible to restore the normal production of white blood cells only by eliminating the cause of the failure, so the treatment methods will be determined by the cause of the leukocytosis. In acute infections, the use of antibiotics is possible, with blood pathologies, chemotherapy is not excluded. Additionally, the appointment of
- Antacids is used to reduce the proportion of acid in the urine.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs( NSAIDs or antihistamines if leukocytosis is associated with allergies).
Reduced leukocytes
Deviations from the norm, according to the doctors, mainly go up, but leucocyte level decrease, called leukopenia, is not excluded. Physiological prerequisites for it are few: this is only 12% of cases in Europeans( for people of Negroid race is the norm), which have the nature of congenital pathology. The work of immune cells in constitutional lakopenia does not change, so treatment for such people is not required. For the abnormal decrease in the level of leukocytes from the lower boundary of the norm, the prerequisites are always serious.
Causes of
If the bone marrow function is impaired, it can not produce leukocytes in full, their number falls by 2 units or more and remains at a minimum level for a long time. From analysis to analysis, this indicator can be reduced. In adults, this is mainly due to:
- chronic infections of an infectious nature( HIV, tuberculosis);
- malignant diseases of lymphoid tissue;
- the presence of poor-quality tumors;
- severe blood loss( more than a liter);
- metastases in the bone marrow;
- intoxication;
- hepatitis.
Regardless of age and sex, a decrease in the number of white blood cells is observed against the background of taking antibiotics and non-steroid drugs, sepsis. In children, the formed leukocytes can be destroyed instantly due to a pathological process, mainly of a congenital nature. The doctors put a special emphasis on:
- deficiency of vitamin B12;
- of aplasia / bone marrow hypoplasia.
How to improve
If low level of white blood cells causes a decrease in immunity, doctors can recommend correction of nutrition to increase the white blood cells( or their separate groups) in blood plasma:
- use pomegranate, beet juice;
- to increase the share of fresh fruits( especially reds in the diet,
- to eat buckwheat and oatmeal,
- to remove meat and by-products.)
In addition, it is necessary to resort to the drug therapy that the doctor should prescribe: The following drugs( mainly injections) are good results:
- LeukogenIt is not toxic, does not tend to accumulate, the course of admission is 1-3 weeks
- Leukomax injected subcutaneously, mainly recommended for neutropenia, used only under medical supervision
How to raise leukocytesin the blood folk remedies
Drug methods can be practiced only after consulting a doctor, as they are selected with caution. If leukopenia is not associated with a congenital disease, you can try the following folk recipes:
- Buy pollen, mix with honey( 2: 1), givestand for 3 days and eat in the morning for 1 tsp, washing down with warm water.
- During the month, drink an oat broth: boil 3 tbsp.l.of the purified grains in 700 ml of water( 10 minutes), filter. Single dose - 50 ml, drink in the morning and in the evening.