As you know, leukocytes are special blood cells that play a major role in protecting the body. Their amount in the urine, blood and smear depends on a variety of factors and diseases. To bring the level of these white blood cells back to normal, for example, to increase or decrease white blood cells, depending on the cause, patients are prescribed medication, diet, or traditional methods are used.
Causes of an increase in the level of leukocytes in the blood
Normally, the human body should have 4-9 billion (from 4 E10 to 9 E10) leukocytes in 1 liter of blood. An increase in the number of white blood cells in the blood, or leukocytosis, can be both physiological, that is, occurring in completely he althy people in some situations, and pathological, when its cause lies in some disease.
Physiological leukocytosis observed:
- after intense psychoemotional or physical exertion;
- after eating, andthe number of leukocytes in this case does not exceed 10-12 billion per liter of blood.
- after a long stay in cold water or hot baths;
- women a few days before their period;
- during the second half of pregnancy.
In pathological leukocytosis, serious measures are required to lower leukocytes. This pathology is caused by:
- inflammatory diseases such as appendicitis, pleurisy, pancreatitis, pneumonia, meningitis, otitis media, arthritis, etc.;
- 3-4 degree burns;
- heart attacks;
- excessive blood loss, kidney problems, leukemia and uremia.
Folk remedies to lower the level of leukocytes in the blood
As mentioned above, an increased level of leukocytes in the blood can be the result of serious diseases, so if you have problems with leukocytes, you should immediately consult a hematologist. However, if the cause of leukocytosis is SARS, influenza and other similar diseases, then it is possible to lower white blood cells in the blood with folk remedies using a decoction of lime blossom, which is brewed at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. lime blossom in 1 cup boiling water, put on fire and boil for 10 minutes. Then the broth is filtered and drunk 2-3 glasses instead of tea.
Patients with liver problems, such as those with hepatitis, should follow a diet that excludes all fried, smoked, spicy and fatty foods, as well asstop smoking and drinking alcohol. As for patients diagnosed with heart diseases such as stroke or myocardial infarction, they need to treat the root cause. And usually in such cases it is often possible to lower leukocytes without taking additional measures.
Causes of changes in the level of leukocytes in the urine
A normal urinalysis for women should show 0-6 leukocytes, and 0-3 for men. If, as a result of a urine test for leukocytes, deviations from the norm were recorded, then this means that some inflammatory processes are taking place in the body. In this case, two situations are possible: leukocyturia - an increase in the level of leukocytes in the urine, which requires immediate action to lower the leukocytes, and leukopenia, when the reverse picture is observed. Leukocyturia usually indicates that the patient has such diseases of the urinary system as pyelonephritis, cystitis or urethritis. In addition, if we are talking about men, then an increased level of leukocytes in the urine can signal problems with the prostate gland. At the same time, a similar result of a urinalysis for leukocytes is a reason to suspect that a patient has kidney damage with amyloidosis, tuberculosis, or glomerulonephritis. As for leukopenia, this is a sign of infectious, often chronic diseases, and can also be a consequence of prolonged stress.
Ways to reduce the level of white blood cells in the urine
After patients are told that their urine tests indicate that they have leukocyturia, the first thing theyusually interested in how to lower white blood cells in the urine. However, it should be understood that this will be possible only if the underlying disease is cured. Antibiotics are most often used to fight infections that cause an increase in the number of white blood cells in the urine. The exception is cystitis. In this case, it is possible to lower white blood cells in the urine with the help of folk remedies, without the use of medicines. For example, it is recommended to increase the amount of liquid consumed during the day and take warm medicinal baths with a decoction of eucalyptus and chamomile, taken in a 1:1 ratio.
Why can the number of leukocytes in a smear be increased?
At every visit to the gynecologist, women take a swab for the flora, which is examined, including the level of leukocytes. It is believed that normally, in a he althy woman, 15-20 leukocytes can be detected in the field of view of a microscope. If this amount is exceeded, then it can be argued that an inflammatory process occurs in the genital area, which is caused by infections transmitted during sexual intercourse, as well as vaginitis or colpitis. In this case, there is usually a need for additional immunological, bacteriological and other studies, the results of which often indicate that the identified infections were present in the body for a long time and made themselves felt when immunity decreased for one reason or another. Especially often such phenomena are observed in pregnant women - hormonal changes in the body and changes in the immune system cause the activation of various kinds of pathogenicprocesses.
How to lower white blood cells in a smear?
If the situation is not critical and you can get by with folk remedies, then in order to lower the leukocytes in the vaginal smear, it can be recommended to resort to daily douching with a warm decoction of chamomile (2 tablespoons of raw materials per 1/2 liter of water). You can also do warm sitz baths from time to time with a decoction of oak bark, St. John's wort, chamomile, nettle and red root. To do this, all these ingredients are mixed in equal proportions and brewed in an opaque bowl (4 tablespoons of dry collection in 3 liters of boiling water). It should be remembered that the water for the bath should be between 40-45 degrees, so as not to cause burns to the genitals and skin.
