ESR 31 means : Is ESR 31 dangerous - causes, symptoms

Published Date : 2023-12-01T13:31:03.637Z

Updated Date : 2024-05-15T19:05:00.468+05:30

What is ESR?

ESR, stands for Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate. It is the rate or speed at which red blood cells (erythrocytes) settle down to the bottom of a standardized tube. ESR measures how fast the cells go down by gravity. This speed depends on many factors like what kind of other proteins are present in the blood and in what amounts.

ESR is measured by the ESR test, a commonly performed test in many laboratories.

The test is important because it is a measure of inflammation or infection - the value of ESR is usually high in conditions like cancers, tuberculosis, infections, fevers and also in anemia and advanced age.

It is a common test in many blood test panels, and is usually done to rule out infection or inflammation as a cause of your symptoms

The test usually takes upto an hour to perform, but as far as the patient is concerned, all it needs is a single blood sample.

How is ESR measured?

ESR is measured in the laboratory. This is not a test that can be done at home. To measure ESR the laboratory will first collect a sample of blood. If you have ever had a blood test before, this will be familiar to you.

The blood is collected by inserting a small needle in your vein, and collecting about 3-4ml of blood in a tube

The blood is then filled into a glass tube, that is standardized height and width. This blood is then allowed to settle over an hour inside the tube

Over time a clear portion emerges at the upper end of the tube, and the red cells settle at the bottom

The length of the clear portion is measured and it is then entered into your report as the ESR in mm per hour

What is the normal range of ESR and how is an ESR of 31 graded?

Different sources mention slightly different normal ranges for ESR. The normal range also varies slightly based on the method of measurement. When measured by the Westergren method, the normal range for ESR is mentioned below for adult males, adult females and children.

Normal Range and Grading for Adult Males : ESR 31 mm/hr

Normal Range and Grading for Adult Women : ESR 31 mm/hr

Normal Range and Grading for Children : ESR 31 mm/hr

What does an ESR of 31 mean?

An ESR level of 31 is considered to be above normal or elevated. Whilst, this may not be an immediate cause for worry, you should get a detailed physical and medical examination from a qualified medical practitioner. There are numerous reasons why the ESR may be above normal that are themselves normal, which are termed physiological causes, these are listed in a subsequent section.

Is ESR 31 good?

An ESR of 31 is not a good value. In adults, or children this value is above normal and needs investigating.

Is ESR 31 bad?

An ESR of 31 is bad in all populations and should be further investigated.

Is ESR 31 dangerous?

An ESR of 31 is elevated but not necessarily dangerous Note that an ESR is basically a measure of the thickness of your blood and itself is not a thing or an entity. It on its own will not harm you, rather the underlying cause is what needs to be investigated.

Is ESR 31 normal?

An ESR of 31 is not normal and is classified as elevated.

What are the causes of an ESR of 31 mm/hr?

An ESR of 31 can have various causing including the following :

• Obesity : Higher than normal weight, leads to increased inflammation in the body and can lead to an increased ESR. Increased body weight is positively correlated with most inflammatory markers, and ESR is one of them
• Aging : ESR is known to increase with age, and also is known to be higher in females. The value of ESR changes considerably after the age of 55-60 and is much higher in elderly patients or those who are very old.
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) : Smokers and people exposed to pollution and coal dust, may develop diseases of the lungs, in which they have a long standing cough. This can lead to increase in ESR due to the inflammation in the lungs.
• Heart Disease : While heart disease is a relatively rare cause of increased ESR, rheumatic fever, can lead to increased ESR levels.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis : Arthritis is one of the most common causes of elevated ESR. ESR is almost always increased in patients of arthritis. The disease is seen in people with certain genes, and it often leads to painful joints, in the fingers or the back. The disease invariably needs treatment with medications.
• Certain Medications : Various medicines can impact your body's constitutional balance. These include medicines for inflammation, which can themselves alter the ESR. If you are on different types of medicines make sure to inform your doctor or laboratory before getting the ESR done.
• Pregnancy : During pregnancy, a mother's body changes considerably, ESR is one of the measurements in the blood count that rises. Pregnancy is a state in which the mothers total volume of blood also increases, together with many other small changes. ESR also increases in pregnancy.
• Vasculitis : Vasculitis is another autoimmune disease. In this disease there is inflammation inside the blood vessels. Sometimes this affects small vessels, sometimes large ones and sometimes medium sized vessels. Blood vessels in the lungs, kidneys or even the brain can be affected. This usually leads to an increased ESR.
• Liver Disease : Certain liver conditions can be associated with higher ESR. Infections by viruses like Hepatits B and C can cause inflammation in the liver, and also increase the ESR level.
• Giant Cell Arteritis : In simple english, this is an inflammation of the blood vessel lining. It leads to symptoms in various organs and systems in the body. ESR is elevated due to the inflammation
• Infection : ESR is more commonly elevated in chronic infections like Tuberculosis(infection by the M.Tb bacteria), leprosy, syphilis, or parasitic infestations. These infections usually cause a persistent increase in the levels of antibodies. These antibodies change the composition of the blood and as a result the ESR increases.
• Inflammation : Inflammation means swelling or fever or a painful condition. Any inflammatory condition in the body can cause an elevation in ESR. Inflammation causes an increase in various plasma proteins, that fight the fever/infection. This causes the ESR to rise as an after-effect. The ESR itself is not a thing or an entity, it is a byproduct of the inflammatory processes.

What are the causes for a falsely elevated ESR value of 31?

There are certain normal or physiological conditions in which the ESR May be falsely elevated or elevated without any abnormality.

• Strenuous Exercise : Sudden, intense physical activity, of any kind, can lead to an inflammatory response from the body. Inflammation can be in the muscles, joints or tendons and this can lead to a rise in ESR. Patients are advised to avoid intense activity before providing their sample for the ESR test as it can cause significant deviations from the mean.
• Dehydration : Dehydration leads to increased thickness of blood, this is because water is lost, so the blood becomes hyperviscous and thick. Dehydration can lead to increased ESR, as anything that makes the blood thicker, usually causes the ESR to increase.
• Menstrual Cycle : In females, ESR may show various fluctuations from normal during the menstrual cycle. During menses, there is a small rise in the ESR, due to the small amount of inflammation that accompanies the shedding of the uterine lining. This is expected as there is bleeding during the menstrual phase of the menstrual cycle.
• Pregnancy : Pregnancy produces a physiological or natural increase in ESR. If you are pregnant, make sure that your doctor/lab uses the normal ranges of pregnancy for ESR. ESR can change by a lot during pregnancy especially in the later few months.
• Obesity : Obesity is when your weight is too much for your height. People who are obese often suffer from metabolic syndrome, a condition with poor tolerance for sugar and fats. ESR is found to be increased in obese patients.
• Sleep Deprivation : Staying awake for long hours, and not getting enough sleep are associated with an increase in inflammation in the body. This is also reflected in the levels of ESR, which are higher in people who suffer from sleep deprivation.
• Circadian Rhythms and Sleep : ESR Levels are higher during the second half of the day, with higher values in the afternoon, around 3 pm. These changes are normal and happen due to changes in other hormones in the body that also follow a circadian rhythm.
• Altitude Changes : ESR may be reduced at higher altitudes. An increased ESR level at a high altitude, is a sign of concern, as it normally reduces at higher altitudes due to changes in hemoglobin.
• Dietary Factors : Eating foods heavy in fats or cholesterol causes an increase in the ESR level, a couple of hours after the meal. This effect is probably due to the increased levels of the fats in the blood. Thus if you had your ESR test a couple of hours after a heavy meal, you may need to test it again, while fasting.
• Menopause : ESR increases in women after meonopause, or the normal cessation of menstruation. Part of this is due to a drop in the levels of female hormones. Age is another factor, as advancing age is associated with higher ESR.
• Stress : An stress on the body like heavy exercise, emotional stress, a sudden illness and similar factors can produce an increase in the level of ESR.
• Race/Ethnicity : ESR levels have been found to be higher in blacks, as compared to whites. This difference is independent of all other factors like age, gender etc. Make sure to check with your doctor for more information.

What does an ESR of 31 in pregnancy mean?

The normal range of ESR during pregnancy is different in the different months or trimesters of pregnancy. This is because pregnancy causes a small rise in the ESR, which is considered normal. The following table lists the normal ranges.

Trimester	Lower Limit	Upper Limit
1st	4	57
2nd	7	47
3rd	13	70

Based on these criteria, your ESR of 31 can be classified as below.
If you are in the first three months of pregnancy an ESR of 31 is normal
If you are in the second trimester or months 3-6 of pregnancy an ESR of 31 is normal
If you are in the third trimester or months 7-9 of pregnancy an ESR of 31 is normal

What are the symptoms of an ESR of 31 ?

ESR itself does not cause any direct symptoms. The symptoms of ESR are due the underlying disease process. The following is a list of symptoms that may be associated with an ESR of 31 :

• Fatigue : Feeling tired all the time is a feature of several of the causes of ESR. ESR itself does not cause any symptoms. Fatigue is commonly seen in anemia, cancers, infections and autoimmune diseases, all of which are the causes of a raised ESR.
• Unexplained Weight Loss : Loss of weight, without any change in your daily intake of calories or exercise is a cause of concern and is seen in many of the causes of ESR. Weight loss associated with rise in ESR is one of the cardinal signs of Tuberculosis. Tests for a sudden loss of weight may help you to learn more about your condition.
• Swollen Lymph Nodes : A very common sign seen in chronic diseases like Tuberculosis, some blood cancers are swollen lymph nodes. These are swellings in the neck region. ESR is often increased when the lymph nodes are swollen. Read about tests for swollen lymph nodes to know more.
• Nausea and Vomiting : Feeling of sickness and vomiting.
• Abdominal Pain : Pain in the stomach is a very non-specific complaint. If it is due to an infection or appendicites, it may be accompanied by a high ESR level.
• Muscle Aches : Pain in the muscles may be a sign of an inflammatory process. Muscle pain is very hard to pinpoint, but it may be the beginning of a fever or infection. ESR is sometimes increased in injuries to multiple muscles like after an accident or fall.
• Joint Pain : Joint pain is often seen in Arthritis and different autoimmune disease that may be causing the rise in your ESR levels. Joint pain may be in the small joints of your hands or the bigger joints like shoulders or knees. Joint pains may also be seen in some infections like dengue, which can also cause a rise in ESR. Read about tests for joint pains to know more.
• Loss of Appetite : Decreased desire to eat is one of the most common symptoms of chronic infections. This is common in cancers, tuberculosis and some infections. This may be accompanied by a rise in ESR.
• Cough : Chronic cough, or coughing persistently with other symptoms may be a common symptom that is linked with a rise in ESR.
• Shortness of Breath : Shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing may be due to a chest infection, allergies, pneumonia or even tuberculosis. If accompanied by a high ESR level it may be a cause of concern.
• Difficulty Sleeping : Insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns.
• Skin Rashes : Autoimmune diseases may show skin rashes, such as SLE. This may be one of the rarer symptoms with a high ESR level
• Depression : Persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.
• Photosensitivity : Increased sensitivity to sunlight.
• Vision Changes : Blurred vision or other visual disturbances may be seen in some autoimmune diseases of the blood vessles in the head. These diseases produce headaches and a high ESR level
• Fever : Fever is often accompanied by a rise in ESR. Fever is caused by proteins released by the liver in response to inflammation. The same proteins cause a rise in ESR. Fever is a rise in temperature above normal, and is one of the most common symptoms associated with ESR and may be seen in conditions like dengue. Read more about tests for dengue here.
• Irregular Menstrual Cycles : Changes in menstrual patterns for women.
• Hair Loss : Hair loss may be seen in severe deficiencies and these may also cause a rise in ESR due to inflammation in the body.
• Cognitive Impairment : Memory problems, may be seen in chronic diseases like HIV, which will also be seen together with a rise in ESR.
• Neurological Symptoms : Tingling, numbness, or weakness.
• Night Sweats : Night sweats are a common symptom in Tuberculosis, as well as some tropical diseases. Night sweats, together with weight loss and an increased ESR are all suggestive of a chronic inflammatory process. Night sweats refer to waking up in bed, drenched in sweat, despite there being adequate cooling in the room. Tests for night sweats may shed more light on this symptom.
• Recurrent Infections : This means repeatedly getting infections, and it can be a sign of a deficient immune system. These disorders may produce a rise in ESR as a part of the inflammatory proceses.
• Headaches : Severe headaches, especially in male patients above 50, may be a sign of an autoimmune disease of the blood vessels. If headaches are the only symptom, combined with an elevated ESR, then you should get yourself to a rheumatologist at soonest. Learn more about tests for headaches here.
• Digestive Issues : Changes in your bowel habits, constipation and diarrhea ,if present, alternatingly are all signs of irritable bowel syndrome, which itself is often associated with an elevated ESR.

Which foods can reduce an ESR of 31 mm/hr?

Based on a study by Hulander et al, eating foods that lower inflammation can lead to a lowered value of ESR. The following foods can be consumed to try to reduce inflammation.

• Probiotics : Probiotic foods help to reduce inflammation, and specifically Reactive Oxygen Species, that are the cause of many of the components of inflammation. Reactive Oxygen species cause damage to tissues and inflammation. Probiotics improve the gut health and help reduce inflammation contributing to reduce ESR.
• Vegetables : Vegetables are rich in fiber and minerals and vitamins. All are essential components of helping to combat oxidation and infections. This helps to bring down the ESR.
• Nuts : Walnuts, contain the highest content of plant-based polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including ALA. Other nuts are also rich in anti inflammatory chemicals that help to reduce inflammation. This brings down the ESR levels.
• Whole Grains : Whole grains are a great food to reduce inflammation in the body. They are packed with nutrients, anti oxidants, phytochemicals and dietary fiber, all of which are necessary to reduce chemicals responsible for information like CRP, interleukins and others. All these properties make them great foods to reduce inflammation and consequently reduce ESR, as long as its cause is inflammation. Consuming whole grains will not help if the cause of an elevated ESR is cancer, or a chronic infection which will have to be treated first.
• Fatty Fish : Fish like salmon and mackarel are rich in Long Chain and omega fatty acids. These are natural anti-inflammatory agents and have been shown to reduce inflammatory markers both before and after food intake. A diet that mixes in balanced amounts of these foods, help to reduce inflammation and consequently ESR.
• Legumes : Legumes, such as lentils and chickpeas, contain peptides, polyphenols and saponins, all of which are very potent anti-inflammatory agents. Specifically acting against chronic inflammation which is a key factor that causes an elevated ESR, legumes can help reduce ESR.

What other tests should be done with an ESR of 31 ?

For an ESR of 31, other tests can be done to further ascertain the immune status of the body, as well as rule out infections or malignancies if any.
The following table lists other tests that can be done.

Lab Tests Related to ESR

Living with an ESR of 31

An elevated ESR level is not something you should take lightly or live with. If the cause is an infection or inflammation, this should be investigated or treated. If the cause is a chronic disease or a cancer, you should get medical advice. Consulting a medical practitioner is essential if your ESR remains at 31 for a prolonged period of time.

What is the ESR to CRP ratio and why does it matter?

The ESR to CRP ratio is the ratio of the Erythryocyte Sedimentation Rate in to the C-Reactive Protein Value. The ratio has value in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. If the value is below 2 it indicates that the patient has an infection in addition to the SLE. If the value is above 15 it is more likely to be a flare up of SLE. You can find the ratio calculated for various values of CRP given your ESR value of 31

What is my ESR:CRP ratio for an ESR of 31 ?

ESR	CRP	Ratio	Means
31	1.0	31.0	More likely to be autoimmune disease flareup of SLE
31	1.5	20.7	More likely to be autoimmune disease flareup of SLE
31	2.0	15.5	More likely to be autoimmune disease flareup of SLE
31	15.5	2.0	More likely to be infection
31	16.0	1.9	More likely to be infection
31	16.5	1.9	More likely to be infection
31	17.0	1.8	More likely to be infection
31	17.5	1.8	More likely to be infection
31	18.0	1.7	More likely to be infection
31	18.5	1.7	More likely to be infection
31	19.0	1.6	More likely to be infection
31	19.5	1.6	More likely to be infection
31	20.0	1.6	More likely to be infection
31	20.5	1.5	More likely to be infection
31	21.0	1.5	More likely to be infection
31	21.5	1.4	More likely to be infection
31	22.0	1.4	More likely to be infection
31	22.5	1.4	More likely to be infection
31	23.0	1.3	More likely to be infection
31	23.5	1.3	More likely to be infection
31	24.0	1.3	More likely to be infection
31	24.5	1.3	More likely to be infection
31	25.0	1.2	More likely to be infection
31	25.5	1.2	More likely to be infection
31	26.0	1.2	More likely to be infection
31	26.5	1.2	More likely to be infection
31	27.0	1.1	More likely to be infection
31	27.5	1.1	More likely to be infection
31	28.0	1.1	More likely to be infection
31	28.5	1.1	More likely to be infection
31	29.0	1.1	More likely to be infection
31	29.5	1.1	More likely to be infection

References

1. Dapper DV, Didia BC. Haemorheological changes during the menstrual cycle. East Afr Med J. 2002 Apr;79(4):181-3. doi: 10.4314/eamj.v79i4.8874. PMID: 12625671.
2. https://applications.emro.who.int/imemrf/Sci_Med_J_1991_3_1_171.pdf
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2571720/