What does SR mean in PHYSIOLOGY

A small sample of blood will be drawn from your arm and placed in an upright tube. The time it takes for red blood cells (erythrocytes) to settle at the bottom of the tube is then measured. This gives information about inflammation present in your body.

Normal values for men under 50 years old are typically between 0-15 mm/hr while women generally have higher values of 0-20 mm/hr. Values greater than 20 mm/hr in men and above 30 mm/hr in women may indicate underlying conditions such as infection or inflammation.

An ESR test does not carry any immediate risks and no special preparation is required before undergoing the test. However, there may be some minor side effects from having blood drawn such as lightheadedness, bruising or swelling at the puncture site on your arm where blood was taken.

It varies depending on why you're getting the test done. If you're being monitored for an existing condition, your doctor will advise you how often you need to have an ESR test done to track its progress. If it's being done as part of a routine health check up then it's usually performed every couple of years or so.

High levels of Sedimentation Rate (ESR) generally indicate that there's inflammation present in your body due to infection, injury or another underlying medical condition such as lupus, arthritis or vasculitis. Your doctor will likely order further testing following a high ESR result to determine what could be causing this internal inflammation.

It depends on several factors including type and intensity of exercise and overall physical fitness level but generally speaking short bouts of aerobic activity can help reduce mild inflammation which may improve your Sedimentation Rate results over time with regular forms daily exercise eg jogging, cycling etc.