what is esr in medical terms

ESR stands for erythrocyte sedimentation rate, which is a blood test that indirectly measures the level of certain proteins in the blood. An ESR test measures how quickly red blood cells settle to the bottom of a test tube, and it can show if there is inflammation in the body. Inflammation is the immune systems response to injury, infection, or irritation. An ESR test can be used with other tests to help diagnose conditions that cause inflammation, including arthritis, vasculitis, infection, and inflammatory bowel disease. It can also be used to monitor these conditions. An abnormal ESR may help with a diagnosis, but it does not prove that a person has a certain condition. Other tests are almost always needed. An increased ESR rate may occur in people with anemia, cancers such as lymphoma or multiple myeloma, kidney disease, pregnancy, thyroid disease, and autoimmune disorders. A low ESR test result may be caused by conditions such as heart failure, certain blood disorders, and certain kidney and liver problems. It is important to note that an ESR test alone cannot diagnose any disease or medical condition. It must be used in conjunction with other tests to detect and monitor health problems.