As you probably know, the sed test is a form of blood test. Its sole responsibility is to measure the level of inflammatory activity in your body. So in answer to your question, when your sed test is elevated, it means that the amount of inflammation in your body is higher than normal.
The way the test works is as follows: Your blood is put into a long, thin tube and left to rest. As it does, your red blood cells filter to the bottom. When inflammation exists in your blood, these red cells clump together, which increases their density and causes them to fall more quickly than blood with a lower inflammation level would. After one hour, the scientist measures the distance these cells have fallen. The greater the distance, the more inflamed your system is, and thus the higher your sed rate is.
Sed tests used to be more popular but with the onset of quicker, less invasive test methods they've fallen a little by the wayside. Today, they're most commonly used in suspected cases of giant cell arteritis, rheumatoid arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica. Sed tests are helpful in measuring inflammatory symptoms and monitoring the success of a treatment program, and though they are used as diagnostic tools, they only indicate the potential that a problem exists. They do not provide adequate information to offer an independent diagnosis.
As with all blood tests, there are a number of factors that can complicate the analysis of the results. Among these are pregnancy, diabetes, anaemia and heart disease. Elevated sed rates are also common in people who suffer from allergies. Your doctor will be able to provide you with a more specific explanation of your sed rate, why it is elevated, what it means for your health, and how you can reduce it to a healthier level.
The way the test works is as follows: Your blood is put into a long, thin tube and left to rest. As it does, your red blood cells filter to the bottom. When inflammation exists in your blood, these red cells clump together, which increases their density and causes them to fall more quickly than blood with a lower inflammation level would. After one hour, the scientist measures the distance these cells have fallen. The greater the distance, the more inflamed your system is, and thus the higher your sed rate is.
Sed tests used to be more popular but with the onset of quicker, less invasive test methods they've fallen a little by the wayside. Today, they're most commonly used in suspected cases of giant cell arteritis, rheumatoid arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica. Sed tests are helpful in measuring inflammatory symptoms and monitoring the success of a treatment program, and though they are used as diagnostic tools, they only indicate the potential that a problem exists. They do not provide adequate information to offer an independent diagnosis.
As with all blood tests, there are a number of factors that can complicate the analysis of the results. Among these are pregnancy, diabetes, anaemia and heart disease. Elevated sed rates are also common in people who suffer from allergies. Your doctor will be able to provide you with a more specific explanation of your sed rate, why it is elevated, what it means for your health, and how you can reduce it to a healthier level.
