What if my eosinophils are high

The healthcare professional will usually draw the blood from a vein over the front of the elbow area. Some people feel a slight pinch when the needle breaks the skin. Once they have collected enough blood, they will remove the needle and elastic band before using a cotton swab or a bandage to stop any bleeding.

The entire process is quick, taking only a few minutes. Some people may feel dizzy or nauseous at the sight of the blood, or they may have mild bruising around the draw site for a few days after the test.

A laboratory technician will stain the sample to highlight the eosinophils and other blood cells, and they will then count the number present under a microscope to give a result.

The test itself does not typically require preparation. However, people should tell their doctor if they take any medications, as they might affect the results. People having other blood tests at the same time may need to avoid eating for a period of time before the test.

A doctor can provide specific advice on this. The laboratory technician will send the results to the doctor, or directly to the person, usually within a few days to 1 week. Different laboratories may, however, have different normal reference ranges.

A person should ask a doctor to explain the results if there is any confusion. Abnormal results indicate that the eosinophil count is too high or too low. Below, we break down what these results might mean. Mild eosinophilia does not often cause symptoms, but moderate or severe cases can result in damage to organs in the body. If a person has a lower-than-normal eosinophil count but no cortisol production issues or excessive alcohol exposure, a doctor may look at other different white blood cell counts.

Lymph nodes enlarge but are usually White blood cells develop from stem cells in the bone marrow. Sometimes the development goes awry If the number of eosinophils is only slightly elevated, people usually do not have symptoms, and the high number of eosinophils in the blood is only discovered when a complete blood count is done for other reasons.

However, sometimes, particularly when the number of eosinophils is very high, the increased number of eosinophils inflames tissues and causes organ damage. The heart, lungs, skin, and nervous system are most often affected, but any organ can be damaged.

Symptoms are related to the organ affected. Accordingly, eosinophilic disorders are diagnosed according to the location where the levels of eosinophils are elevated:. Eosinophilic esophagitis Eosinophilic Esophagitis Eosinophilic esophagitis is an inflammatory disorder in which the wall of the esophagus becomes filled with large numbers of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell.

This disorder may be caused Eosinophilic pneumonia Eosinophilic Pneumonia Eosinophilic pneumonia comprises a group of lung diseases in which eosinophils a type of white blood cell appear in increased numbers in the lungs and usually in the bloodstream.

Certain disorders Often, people are first tested and treated for more common causes of their symptoms. For example, they might undergo testing for infection and even receive antibiotics even though no infection is found. Because people still have symptoms after treatment, doctors often take a sample of tissue for examination biopsy , which will show eosinophils within the organ that is affected.

Hypereosinophilic syndrome is an uncommon disorder in which the number of eosinophils increases to more than 1, cells per microliter of blood more than 1. Some people have a rare chromosome disorder. People of any age can develop hypereosinophilic syndrome, but it is more common in men older than The increased number of eosinophils can damage the heart, lungs, liver, skin, and nervous system.

This blockage causes unstable angina or heart attack myocardial infarction , depending on the location and amount Each ventricle has Symptoms may include weight loss, fevers, night sweats, fatigue, cough, chest pain, swelling, stomachache, rash, pain, weakness, confusion, and coma. Additional symptoms of this syndrome depend on which organs are damaged.

Elevated levels of white blood cells in your blood can be an indicator that you have an illness or infection. Elevated levels often mean your body is sending more and more white blood cells to fight off infections. An eosinophil count is a blood test that measures the quantity of eosinophils in your body. Abnormal eosinophil levels are often discovered as part of a routine complete blood count CBC test. Ongoing research continues to uncover an expanding list of roles performed by eosinophils.

It appears now that nearly every system of the body relies on eosinophils in some way. Two important functions are within your immune system. Eosinophils destroy invading germs like viruses, bacteria, or parasites such as hookworms.

They also have a role in the inflammatory response, especially if an allergy is involved. Inflammation is neither good nor bad. It helps isolate and control the immune response at the site of an infection, but a side effect is tissue damage around it. Allergies are immune responses that often involve chronic inflammation. Eosinophils play a significant role in the inflammation related to allergies, eczema, and asthma. Your doctor may discover abnormal eosinophil levels when a white blood count differential is performed.

A white blood count differential test is often done alongside a complete blood count CBC and determines the percentage of each kind of white blood cell present in your blood. This test will show if you have an abnormally high or low count of white blood cells. White blood cell counts can vary in certain diseases. There are no special preparations necessary for this test. Your doctor may advise you to stop taking certain medications. In adults, a normal blood sample reading will show fewer than eosinophil cells per microliter of blood.

In children, eosinophil levels vary with age. If you have over eosinophil cells per microliter of blood, then it indicates you have a disorder known as eosinophilia.