Quick Answer: What does it mean when your white blood cells are low?

Is low white blood count serious?

A low WBC count can be serious because it increases your risk of developing a potentially life-threatening infection. Seek prompt medical care if you have a low WBC count and have signs of an infection, such as a fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, or skin lesions.

What are the symptoms of low white blood cell count?

If you have a low white blood cell count, you may:

• Have repeated fevers and infections.
• Get bladder infections that may make it painful to pass urine, or make you urinate more often.
• Get lung infections that cause coughing and difficulty breathing.
• Get mouth sores.
• Get sinus infections and a stuffy nose.

How can you increase your white blood cells?

While no specific foods or diet changes are proven to increase production of white blood cells, if you have low WBC (leukopenia), it is very important to practice good hygiene, hand-washing, and food safety practices. Neutrophils are the cells that fight bacterial infection.

How low is too low for white blood cells?

The definition of low white blood cell count varies from one medical practice to another. In general, for adults a count lower than 4,000 white blood cells per microliter of blood is considered a low white blood cell count.

What is the most common reason for low white blood cell count?

A low white blood cell count usually is caused by: Viral infections that temporarily disrupt the work of bone marrow. Certain disorders present at birth (congenital) that involve diminished bone marrow function. Cancer or other diseases that damage bone marrow.

Can stress cause low white cell count?

In addition, stress decreases the body’s lymphocytes — the white blood cells that help fight off infection. The lower your lymphocyte level, the more at risk you are for viruses, including the common cold and cold sores.

What foods to avoid if you have low white blood cells?

Avoid raw milk, any yogurt or cheeses made with raw milk, and unpasteurized juice. Be sure to wash all fresh fruits and vegetables well. You may want to switch from fresh fruits and vegetables to cooked, canned, or frozen fruits and vegetables during treatment. Make sure that canned foods are safe.

How can I increase my white blood cells at home?

Vitamin C.

Eating Vitamin C will help regulate the levels of white blood cells in your body. Fruits like lemons, oranges, and lime are rich in vitamin C, and so are papayas, berries, guavas, and pineapples. You can also get vitamin C from vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and bell peppers.

Can I test my white blood cell count at home?

The device developed at MIT may allow patients to test their own white blood cell levels at home, without the need for blood sampling. “Our vision is that patients will have this portable device that they can take home, and they can monitor daily how they are reacting to the treatment.

Does exercise increase white blood cells?

Exercise causes change in antibodies and white blood cells (WBC). WBCs are the body’s immune system cells that fight disease. These antibodies or WBCs circulate more rapidly, so they could detect illnesses earlier than they might have before. However, no one knows whether these changes help prevent infections.

How long does it take white blood cells to regenerate?

This is because your bone marrow restarts normal production of neutrophils. But it may take 3 to 4 weeks to reach a normal level again. When your neutrophil level returns to normal, you are ready for the next round of chemotherapy.

Does vitamin C increase white blood cells?

Boosts immunity

First, vitamin C helps encourage the production of white blood cells known as lymphocytes and phagocytes, which help protect the body against infection ( 21 ).

What is an alarming WBC count?

Normally you have between 4,000 and 11,000 WBCs per microliter of blood if you aren’t pregnant. Anything higher is considered leukocytosis. WBC counts between 50,000 and 100,000 per microliter usually mean a very severe infection or cancer somewhere in the body.

What is an alarming white blood cell count?

The specific number for high (above normal) white blood cell count varies from one lab testing facility to another, but a general rule of thumb is that a count of more than 10,500 leukocytes in a microliter of blood in adults is generally considered to be high, while 4,500-10,500 is considered within the normal range.

Is 3.8 WBC too low?

How many white blood cells (WBCs) someone has varies, but the normal range is usually between 4,000 and 11,000 per microliter of blood. A blood test that shows a WBC count of less than 4,000 per microliter (some labs say less than 4,500) could mean your body may not be able to fight infection the way it should.