Why are neutrophils in the blood increased and what to do about it

What are neutrophils

Neutrophils Blood Basics are a type of white blood cell, a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight all kinds of infections. Moreover, this type of blood cells is the most numerous.

Up to 70% of the Blood Basics of all leukocytes in the human body are neutrophils.

Doctors call them immediate response cells. Having detected a virus or bacterium, neutrophils rush to the attack with lightning speed. Even if for this you have to leave the bloodstream and go to the tissues of the body.

The more clearly the immune system sees a certain threat, the more neutrophils are produced in the bone marrow and the higher their level in the blood.

What is the level of neutrophils considered high

The normal Complete Blood Count (CBC) neutrophil count is 1,800 to 7,800 per microliter of blood (or 1,8-7.8 x 10⁹ / L).

A condition when an unusually high number of neutrophils in the body Evaluation of Patients with Leukocytosis - more than 11 × 10⁹/ L is called Neutrophilia, or Neutrophilic Leukocytosis.

How to know if neutrophils are elevated

Neutrophilia does not have any specific symptoms. As a rule, an excess of this type of blood cells is detected during a general blood test, to which the therapist refers a patient who complains of feeling unwell.

Why are neutrophils elevated?

The most common Neutrophilic Leukocytosis and the most obvious cause of neutrophilia is infection. The most noticeable and most often the number of neutrophils increases with bacterial ones. What are the causes of neutrophilia in leukocytosis? diseases.

However, other reasons can also lead to an increase in the level of neutrophils in the blood test. What are neutrophils and what do they do?:

Serious injury. For example, fractures, burns, complex surgeries.
Inflammatory diseases. These include colitis and other intestinal inflammations, vasculitis (vascular inflammation), hepatitis (liver inflammation).
Taking medications. For example, based on corticosteroids.
Pregnancy.
Obesity.
Emotional or physical (stress-related) stress.
Certain types of cancer. For example, leukemia. It attacks the bone marrow, which produces blood cells. And it can increase the production of neutrophils.

How to treat neutrophilia

By itself, an increased level of neutrophils in the blood does not need treatment. For the reason that it is only a symptom.

The doctor's task is to diagnose the disease or condition that triggered neutrophilia. And then - to cure or correct it. After that, the level of white blood cells in the blood will return to normal by itself.

When neutrophilia can be dangerous

Almost never. We repeat once again: this is not a disease, but just a symptom.

It is extremely rare, if a person suffers from an aggressive form of leukemia, in which the bone marrow produces a huge number of neutrophils, neutrophilia leads to serious problems. An excess of white blood cells makes the blood too thick. Therefore, the risk of thrombosis - in particular, stroke and heart attack - increases dramatically. But in people who do not have blood cancer, its thickening due to neutrophilia is excluded.