I want to start off by talking about the (probably) the most common test ordered by any clinician:
The Complete Blood Count (CBC).
Over the next few posts, I will simplify what each component of the CBC means, what we look for and what yours might be telling you.
Let’s talk about the WBC.
WBC stands for White Blood Cells. They are also called leucocytes or leukocytes.
Leuko= white, cyte = cells
White blood cells are the foundation of our immune system. They fight infections, create immunity, they play a role in allergies, autoimmune diseases etc.
Just like with the hemoglobin, the WBCs have a normal range in which they should fall. It can vary from lab to lab, but, typically, the normal range for an adult human being is 4-11 ×103 cells per microliter of blood.
Your doctor may refer you to a hematologist if your WBCs are persistently high or persistently low. A few causes of high or low WBCs are listed below
High WBCs | Low WBCs |
|---|---|
Infection | Vitamin deficiencies- B12/folate |
Inflammation | Chronic viral infections |
Smoking (yes..) | Liver disease |
Obesity (yep..) | Medications |
Blood cancers | Autoimmune diseases |
Blood cancers - yes they can present as LOW blood counts! |
Did you find this useful? What other topic would you like me to simplify in this newsletter?
Check out the first newsletter that talks about hemoglobin here
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