my wbc is high. What does that mean?

My wbc is high. What does that mean? High white cell count, also known as leukocytosis, is a normal immune response. It can cause by:

– A bacterial or viral infection

– An inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis

– An allergy

– Leukemia or Hodgkin’s disease

– Tissue damage from a burn injury or surgery (3,5)

Treatment for leukocytosis varies based on the cause and severity of the condition, ranging from:

• Taking vitamins
• Taking antibiotics
• Surgery to replace or repair the bone marrow
• Blood transfusion
• Stem cell transplant (4)

WBC stands for White blood cells, which are a part of your immune system and help the body fight off infections and other diseases. They move throughout the body, looking for invaders and attacking any unknown organisms.

A white blood count measures the number of white cells in your blood. Its normal range varies from person to person, depending on age and gender:

· Newborn Infant                         13,000–38,000 per μL

· 2-week-old infant                      5,000–20,000

· Children                                       5,000 to 10,000

· Adult men                                   5,000 to 10,000

· Adult women                             4,500 to 11,000

Note that WBC levels are different in pregnant women. In the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, it can be 5,800 to 13,200 per cubic millimeter (1,2).

Abnormal counts

In the following, we will examine abnormal white blood cell count. For instance, what does it mean if the white cell count is lower than normal, in a lab result? or my WB is high. What does that mean?

Conditions that can cause low white blood cells or leukopenia include:

– Bone marrow damage.

– Cancers that affect the bone marrow

–  An autoimmune disorder, such as lupus

– Drug exposure (chemotherapy)

– Vitamin deficiency (B12)

– HIV/AIDS (3,4)

* You can enter your lab test results online and get a personalized interpretation, including your condition in each test, definition, reasons for increased or decreased results, dietary and lifestyle recommendations, potential treatments, drug interactions, etc.