In general, for adults a count of more than 11,000 white blood cells in a microliter of blood is considered high.
At the time of diagnosis, patients can have very, very high white blood cell counts. Typically a healthy person has a white blood cell count of about 4,000-11,000. Patients with acute or even chronic leukemia may come in with a white blood cell count up into the 100,000-400,000 range.
A low number of WBCs is called leukopenia. A count less than 4,500 cells per microliter (4.5 × 109/L) is below normal.
For men, a normal white blood cell count is anywhere between 5,000 and 10,000 white blood cells per μl of blood. For women, it is a reading of between 4,500 and 11,000 per μl, and for children between 5,000 and 10,000.
The specific number for high (above normal) white blood cell count varies from one lab testing facility to another, but a general rule of thumb is that a count of more than 10,500 leukocytes in a microliter of blood in adults is generally considered to be high, while 4,500-10,500 is considered within the normal range.
On its own, leukocytosis is usually not harmful. An abnormally raised white blood cell count is not a disease condition, but can point to another underlying cause such as infection, cancer or autoimmune disorders. An abnormally high white blood cell count should always be considered for its possible causes.
Not always. A high white blood cell count could signal certain types of cancer, such as leukemia or lymphoma, but it more often is a sign of inflammation or infection.
Disorders related to having a high white blood count include: Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, conditions that cause the immune system to attack healthy tissues. Bacterial or viral infections. Cancers such as leukemia and Hodgkin disease.
A high white blood cell count alone doesn't cause any symptoms. The symptoms you feel may come from the medical problem that your white blood cells are fighting. For example, if you have pneumonia, you may have a fever and trouble breathing. These are symptoms of pneumonia, not of a high white blood cell count.
Stress levels increase white blood cell count
This indicates a connection between elevated stress levels and the body's production of what are known as inflammatory leukocytes, a particular variety of white blood cell. Normally, inflammatory leukocytes are the body's defense system against infection and disease.
Based on the nature of the infection, it takes the body up to 5 to 25 days for the white blood cell count to return to normal.
Avoid foods rich in sugar, fat and salt. You can replace them with any food that lowers inflammation to reduce white blood cell count, like grapes, garlic, spices, nuts, soy protein, vinegar, and black and green teas.
Red blood cell (RBC) count: 3.93 to 5.69 million cells per cubic millimeter (million/mm3) Hemoglobin (Hgb, Hb): 12.6 to 17.5 grams per deciliter (g/dL) for males; 12.0 to 16 g/dL for females. Hematocrit (HCT): 38% to 47.7% White blood cell (WBC) count: 3,300 to 8,700 cells per cubic millimeter (thousand/mm3)
Your doctor will conduct a complete blood count (CBC) to determine if you have leukemia. This test may reveal if you have leukemic cells. Abnormal levels of white blood cells and abnormally low red blood cell or platelet counts can also indicate leukemia.
Blood tests are essential to accurate diagnosis of this complex disease. These tests can show whether you have leukemia cells or abnormal levels of normal cells: Blood smear: With this test, we take a drop of blood and look at it under a microscope.
When a high white blood cell count is not caused by general infections and immune system malfunctions or responses, it may be an indication of a more specific issue or condition, such as: Acute lymphocytic leukemia. Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) Allergy, especially severe allergic reactions.
Neutrophilic leukocytosis is seen in infections when the body fights off invading pathogens or reacts to foreign particles. Bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites may all trigger such a rise.
Two major types of white blood cell disorders are proliferative disorders and leukopenias. In the proliferative disorders, there is an increase in the number of white blood cells. This increase is commonly a reaction due to infection, but may, less commonly, be related to some types of cancer.
Leukemia, a type of cancer found in your blood and bone marrow, is caused by the rapid production of abnormal white blood cells. The high number of abnormal white blood cells are not able to fight infection, and they impair the ability of the bone marrow to produce red blood cells and platelets.
Cancers that affect the blood can also lower white blood cell count. These types of cancers include leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. High and low results in the white blood cell differential. Having results that show higher or lower than normal numbers of certain white blood cells can mean different things.
But, when there are too many white blood cells, it usually means you have infection or inflammation in your body. Less commonly, a high white blood cell count could indicate certain blood cancers or bone marrow disorders.
Blood tests known as 'inflammatory markers' can detect inflammation in the body, caused by many diseases including infections, auto-immune conditions and cancers. The tests don't identify what's causing the inflammation: it might be as simple as a viral infection, or as serious as cancer.