Why are white blood cells low?

One of the elements of human blood is leukocytes. These are white (colorless) blood cells, the level of which allows you to determine the state of the immune system. Leukocytes are the main helpers of man in the fight against all kinds of infections, in the restoration of tissues. Having determined the level of leukocytes, you can find out the general condition of both an adult and a child. When leukocytes in the blood are lowered (leukopenia), there is a weakening of human immunity. And, consequently, the probability of developing viral infections is high. What is the cause of leukopenia? We'll talk about this below.

How to find out the number of white blood cells?

To determine the level of white blood cells, it is enough to pass the most common general blood test in any medical institution. The analysis is carried out in the morning on an empty stomach. Infants are advised to donate blood two or two and a half hours after feeding. Urgent analysis can be carried out within an hour. However, you can determine the level of leukocytes in a shorter period of time - 15-20 minutes. The analysis does not take much time - only about 2 minutes. It should be noted right away that only the determination of the number of leukocytes is not enough to make a diagnosis. This is the beginning of a more thorough follow-up examination.

What are the symptoms of a decreased number of white blood cells?

The lowered white blood cell count (below 4000 in 1 μl) - leukopenia - leads to weakening, exhaustion of the body and manifests itself in the following symptoms:

- high body temperature;

- cardiopalmus;

- anxiety;

- headache;

- dizziness;

- general weakness of the body.

What are the causes of the decrease in leukocytes in the blood?

So, the analysis revealed that leukocytes in the blood are lowered. The reasons for this may be different. Possible viral infections, such as colds, flu, rubella, viral hepatitis. Also, bacterial infections (brucellosis, typhoid fever), oncological diseases, connective tissue diseases (rheumatism, polyarthrosis, lupus erythematosus), diseases of the spleen and liver, radiation sickness can also be the causes of the decrease in leukocytes.

If the leukocytes in the blood are lowered, then the human body can not resist the infections, as the leukocytes produce special antibodies that protect our body from the harmful microorganisms that enter it. And at their low level a person becomes extremely vulnerable to any infections.

Treatment of leukopenia

In cases where leukocytes in the blood are lowered, treatment is necessary. However, before his choice, it is necessary to clearly determine the cause of leukopenia. This is due to the fact that urgent treatment is required for patients when the leukocytes in the blood are lowered due to a malfunction in the functioning of the bone marrow. In other cases, such a rapid treatment, consisting in stimulating the formation of leukocytes, is not required. To date, there is a large number of different drugs that help cope with low levels of white blood cells. The doctor-therapist or hematologist determines which of them will be required for a specific case.