What Is a Sed Rate (ESR) Blood Test?

ESR (sed rate) measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a tube — faster settling = more inflammation.

Normal Ranges

• Men under 50: below 15 mm/hr
• Women under 50: below 20 mm/hr
• Increases with age

Elevated ESR Causes

• Infection
• Autoimmune disease (RA, lupus, temporal arteritis)
• Kidney disease
• Pregnancy
• Cancer (lymphoma, myeloma)

ESR vs CRP

• CRP rises in hours, ESR takes days
• CRP normalizes fast, ESR stays elevated for weeks
• Both non-specific

When Ordered

• Unexplained fever
• Temporal arteritis screening
• RA monitoring
• Multiple myeloma screening