Blood white blood cells: species, norm. Increased or reduced levels of leukocytes in the blood: Causes

A decrease or increase in blood leukocytes negatively affects health. Let's look at how to normalize this indicator.

Content

White blood cells are called leukocytes, which carry out the most important function in our body - protection. You can find out the level of leukocytes by passing a general blood test. In turn, the number of leukocytes in the blood gives the doctor a clear understanding of whether there is some kind of ailment in the human body or not.

Blood white blood cells: species, norm

White blood cells are divided into 5 species, each of which performs its function in our body. So exist:

Neutrophils. Our blood contains the most, and their main function “capture” of harmful microorganisms and their subsequent destruction. Neutrophils also contribute to the restoration of damaged tissues.
Basophiles. There are so few such Taurus in our blood that even with their complete absence, it cannot be said that this is a deviation from the norm. Basophils take part in blood coagulation.
Eosinophils. They respond to allergic reactions of the body, as well as to the presence of parasites and infectious ailments in the body.
Lymphocytes. They are directly involved in the production of immunity.
Monocytes. Monocytes perform about the same function as neutrophils. They find the causative agent of the disease and neutralize it by “capture” and destruction.

It must be said about the norm of leukocytes in the blood that it differs significantly depending on the age of the person. At the same time, it is worth noting that the sex of a person practically does not affect the number of leukocytes.

In a person, without any ailments, the leukocytic composition of the blood has approximately the following values:

Neutrophils - 55%
Lymphocytes - 35%
Monocytes - 5%
Eosinophils - 2.5%
Basophils - up to 0.5–1%

In general, the normative indicators of leukocytes in the blood are the following:

At the birth of a child-10-30*109/l.
From the moment of birth to 1 week-9-15*109/l.
From 1 to 2 weeks-8.5-14*109/l.
From 2 weeks to 6 months-7.7-12*109/l.
From 6 months to 2 years-6.6-11.2*109/l.
From 2 years to 4 years-5.5-15.5*109/l.
From 4 to 6 years-5-14.5*109/l.
From 6 to 10 years-4.5-13.5*109/l.
From 10 years to 16 years-4.5-13*109/l.
Adults-4-9*109/l.
Pregnant women in the early stages-4-11x109/l.
Pregnant women in the late stages - up to 15x109/l.

These indicators can slightly deviate from the norm, since there are a number of factors contributing to this. Among the main:

Eating food before passing the analysis
Physical activity, even minor
Blood donation time
The impact of environmental temperature (hypothermia, overheating)

Increased level of leukocytes in the blood: causes

The state of a person in which the level of leukocytes increases in his blood is called leukocytosis. It is worth noting right away that leukocytosis is not a disease, it is just a marker that signals us that the body is actively protected from some kind of ailment in the body. It should also be noted that not always an increased level of leukocytes in the blood is a signal of the disease, sometimes physiological causes lead to an increase.

The physiological reasons for increasing the level of leukocytes in the blood include:

Eating immediately before blood donation or for 8 hours before delivery.
Excessive physical activity. This refers to a serious training, for example, in the gym, pool, etc.
Stressful situation. The analysis will not be correct if a person takes biomaterial during or immediately after a strong shock, stress, fright.
PMS. A few days before the onset of menstruation, it is not recommended to donate blood, since the analysis may not be entirely correct.
Bearing a child. In women waiting for the baby, the level of leukocytes can differ significantly from the norm of an adult, but this will not be a pathology.
Delivery, after which less than 2 weeks passed. During this period, the woman’s immune system is restored, “comes to their senses” after stress and therefore there may be more leukocytes in the blood than indicated in normal.
Exposure to ambient temperature. Due to severe hypothermia and overheating, a blood test may also not be correct.

If a blood test shows an increased level of leukocytes, but in general the patient's condition is satisfactory, it does not disturb and does not hurt, then most likely the causes of such indicators were precisely the above factors. In this case, the patient will be prescribed re -survey of biomaterial in order to make sure that the increase in leukocytes is physiological.

In the event that increased leukocytes in the blood signal the ailment, leukocytosis is called pathological.

The reasons for such leukocytosis are also a lot:

The presence of some bacterial infections in the body. Infections can affect the respiratory system, and the gastrointestinal tract, and the reproductive system.
The presence of inflammation in the body, which is caused not by bacteria.
Various injuries, burns, blood loss, etc.
The presence of radiation disease in the body.
Treatment with steroid hormones, a side effect of their use.
Oncological ailments.
Allergic reaction.

It is worth saying that the leukocytosis itself does not manifest in any way, it does not have any special symptoms and signs and it can be detected exclusively by blood test. However, if the leukocytosis is pathological, then a person will have a number of symptoms of the ailment that this leukocytosis provoked. It is according to such symptoms and blood tests that the doctor can assume a probable diagnosis.

Reduced level of leukocytes in the blood: Causes

Blood white blood cells can not only be increased, but also lowered. This condition is usually called leukopenia. She, like leukocytosis, can be physiological and pathological. Physiological reasons include all the same factors like stress, improper blood donation, etc.

Pathological reasons include the following:

An innate disease, which is characterized by a lack of necessary substances for the formation of new cells.
Bone marrow tumor.
Human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
The presence of infections caused by viruses and infections in the body.
In women who bear the baby, leukocytes can be lowered due to problems in the digestive tract, ailments of the endocrine system, a lack of necessary vitamins and nutrients in the body.

In this case, the doctor also prescribes a second analysis and, according to its results, assesses the state of human health, and also makes a preliminary diagnosis.

Blood leukocytes: how to bring it back?

In the case of increasing or lowering leukocytes in the blood for physiological reasons, they can be brought back to normal:

Do not eat before passing the analysis and do not overload yourself. Take your mode in order, sleep at least 8 hours a day.
Take the analysis in a calm environment and not be nervous.
Take the analysis not during the PMS and not within 2 weeks after childbirth.
Introduce more fruits and vegetables into your diet in order to saturate the body with the necessary nutrients.

If we are talking about a pathological decrease or increase in blood leukocytes in the blood, then it is necessary not to bring them to their indicator, but by the state of our health by treating the disease, which influenced a change in the level of white blood cells.

As soon as the doctor makes you the correct diagnosis and selects the right, effective treatment, the indicators will begin to return to normal. Well, after a complete recovery, the specialist will again direct you to a blood test in order to make sure that the treatment has given the necessary results and the indicator of leukocytes is normal.

As you can see, the increase and decrease in the level of leukocytes in the blood does not always indicate the presence of a disease in the body. Before starting additional studies, you need to re -take the analysis and only if it is bad, sound the alarm.