{"id":12611,"date":"2020-03-12T11:40:53","date_gmt":"2020-03-12T11:40:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=12611"},"modified":"2021-07-01T12:21:33","modified_gmt":"2021-07-01T12:21:33","slug":"14-frequent-causes-of-low-lymphocyte-count","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/14-frequent-causes-of-low-lymphocyte-count\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Frequent Causes of Low Lymphocyte Count"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The term “lymphocytes” describes a component of the body that everyone has in their blood, but which people have in differing levels – and whether your lymphocyte count is low or high can tell a medical professional a lot about your health, how your immune system is responding to a condition and even what conditions they should subsequently look or test for.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Low lymphocyte count is common in conditions that compromise the body’s natural immune system such as AIDS, but there are also other conditions that might trigger it, including certain types of cancers and the use of the drugs or treatments that take care of these conditions.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lymphocyte count is one of the most important tests a doctor can order, and if they suspect any of the conditions below (or know that one needs to be managed), then they will order a lymphocyte count test in order to know what to do next.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 14 frequent causes of low lymphocyte count that you should know about.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. AIDS<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

HIV <\/a>and AIDS are common health conditions that affect as much as a million people in the United States according to popular statistics. Exposure to AIDS most commonly takes place when someone has unprotected sex with someone else who has the virus – although exposure can also happen through sharing needles, improper tattoo parlor hygiene or through the improper handling of infections in a medical or hospital setting.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are one of the world’s population who has HIV or AIDS, the first thing that you should know is that the condition has the potential to compromise your immune system.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lymphocyte count is something that has to be constantly tested in the event of an HIV\/AIDS infection: Sometimes flare-ups can cause your lymphocyte count to drop.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. Connective Tissue Disorders<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Connective tissue disorders such as Ehlers-Danlos<\/a> and Marfan Syndrome are diagnosed at a rate of 1 in every 4, 000 people – and it’s guessed that the rate of EDS and Marfan cases might be far higher than this if every case were accurately diagnosed at the right time.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have a connective tissue disorder, it means that your body’s connective tissue is weaker than that of everyone else around you without the condition; it can mean that you develop issues affecting the eyes, heart, and lungs – and it could mean that your immune system is compromised as a result of your condition, with certain periods of flare-ups where your immune system is worse off than usual.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lowered immune system can mean that your lymphocyte level is lower than it’s supposed to be: Speak to your doctor in order to have tests ordered and it might help you to manage your condition better and easier.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

3. Long-Term Alcoholism<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Alcoholism <\/a>affects thousands of people all over the world every year, and it might be affecting you right now if you are someone who cannot put a drink down or someone who seeks out alcohol after the stores are closed and the lights have long since gone off for everyone else.\u00a0
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While it classifies as an addiction, alcoholism also classifies as a very serious medical condition that has to be diagnosed and treated – and might go together with a host of different physical issues that includes fatty liver disease, regular digestive upsets, and a compromised immune system as a result of your illness.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long-term alcoholism can mean that your lymphocyte level is low and your immune system is affected as a result: This can mean that long-term alcoholics get sick easier than everyone else. It can also mean that you stay sick longer than everyone else,
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best thing you can do in this case is to see your doctor: Treatments are available in order to put a stop to alcoholism and repair the damage it might have caused.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

4. Heavy Drug Use<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Heavy drug use can have disastrous effects on the body and health no matter what type of drug we might be talking about. Using drugs once or twice isn’t likely to destroy your health overnight, but long-term use might – and the longer you use drugs, the harder the eventual effects on the body will be.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are a heavy drug user, then it’s only natural that your lymphocyte level will show up low, and your immune system<\/a> will be affected by this. Heavy drug use means that your body can’t keep up (and can’t repair itself at the usual rate) – and this could be a killer if drug use isn’t stopped or the addiction isn’t properly treated in time.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are a drug user who wants to stop, one of the first things you should do is an appointment with your doctor or a trip to the emergency room: Stopping long-term drug use alone can be more dangerous and should need the intervention of a medical specialist.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

5. Cancer or Cancer Treatment<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cancer <\/a>is one of the most common health conditions of our time: Either most people have had cancer themselves, or has seen someone go through the trials that having cancer might cause – and this means that people should automatically be more aware of their individual cancer risk in order to take better care of their health.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The majority of cancers are best diagnosed early: The earlier in the process, the better – and the more likely that you can receive treatment within a reasonable time. 
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many things that might contribute to your risk of developing certain types of cancers: It includes being a smoker, being a drinker, following an unhealthy diet and being overweight.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Low lymphocyte count goes together with cancer and might accompany cancer treatments, too. It’s one of the first things that a doctor will test for when treating a cancer patient, and it can be an indicator of how good or bad their health might be.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

6. A Current Infection<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Low lymphocyte count showing up during a blood test can be one of the first signs that your immune system<\/a> is being compromised; some of the conditions mentioned in this article are indicative of things that can affect your immune system and might mean that you get sick sooner, more often and stay sick for longer than everyone else around you.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have a current infection that you don’t know about, low lymphocyte count can be one of the first indicators that there is something wrong. 
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Low lymphocyte count means that you have something in your body that shouldn’t be there, and this can point towards a severe infection somewhere in the body that you were not aware of before. Infections can sometimes hide in the body for weeks to years; checking lymphocyte count guarantees that it won’t be able to – and doctors might use this to spot infections that don’t have other signs.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

7. Antibiotics<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you are sick, your doctor prescribes antibiotics<\/a>.\u00a0
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Antibiotics are one of the best ways in which an infection can be countered, and sometimes this presents the only way in which an infection can be reliably treated once it has been diagnosed. If you have developed an infection that needs to be treated with antibiotics, your doctor will first recommend that you finish the course as prescribed – and skipping just one dosage can mean that your treatment is ineffective.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Antibiotics can have side-effects and after-effects that are associated with taking them, and some of the after-effects can include low lymphocyte count after you’ve finished your course of antibiotics. This is normal, and it will usually take a few days, weeks to months for your count to return back to normal – speak to your doctor about natural ways to boost your immune system in order to do this at a better, faster rate.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

8. A Lowered Immune System <\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The body’s immune system is the first line of defense that it has against illnesses, infections, and viruses that might affect the body: When your immune system is in good condition, it means that you won’t get sick as often and should be able to fight off the signs of an infection <\/a>with less trouble – but if your immune system is affected negatively, then it means that you are going to get sick more often (and stay sick for much longer).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does this have to do with low lymphocyte count? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having a low lymphocyte count means that your immune system is compromised: It can be due to several different reasons, but it almost always means the very same thing for your health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctors might order a lymphocyte count test if you have been sick for a while, or if you know of any conditions that affect your immune system.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

9. Anemia <\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Anemia <\/a>is a common medical condition that gets diagnosed in thousands of people every year, and that might be diagnosed in you if you experience symptoms that include regular digestive upsets, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, a compromised immune system and other signs that go together with this common condition.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have anemia, then it means that your body isn’t processing nutrients in the way that it should: It might also mean that you are likely to get ill faster, and might experience a lowered immune system as a result of the rest of what the condition can do to your body.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have anemia, an iron deficiency is common: You might notice paleness of the skin and weight loss as initial symptoms, but it might also include other, drastic and serious symptoms alongside it.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together with anemia, low lymphocyte count is common: Speak to your doctor about tests if you suspect that this is what’s wrong with your health.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

10. Recent Illness Recovery <\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A low natural lymphocyte count in the blood can indicate the presence of a serious infection <\/a>raging in the body, and sometimes it can be the fastest way for a doctor to diagnose and spot it: This is especially true in the case of infections that might be hidden on the inside and might not show the typical infection symptoms that you might expect.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this isn’t all: Your lymphocyte count might also be low in cases where you have recently recovered from infection instead of cases where the infection is currently active.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have recovered from an infection or illness in the past few weeks, work on increasing your immune system and guarding your health as soon as you can: This is the only thing that can get your health back to normal and increase your lymphocyte count to where it’s supposed to be.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seeing your doctor is especially important.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

11. Steroid Use<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When people think of the term steroids<\/a>, their minds often jump to the illegal use of steroids as a stimulant or way to gain muscle (against anti-doping regulations and often also illegally) first, this isn’t the only circumstances in which someone might take steroids.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steroids are often prescribed for a variety of different medical conditions, and this might include difficulty breathing, muscle degradation and others. Sometimes, steroids are prescribed alongside other medications in order to lessen their side-effects – including, rarely, some types of antibiotics.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The legal or illegal use of steroids can both have associated side-effects, some of which can include lowered immunity and low lymphocytes. 
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should you experience side-effects owing to a medication that has been prescribed for you, see your doctor before starting, stopping or changing your treatment: Seeing your doctor first ensures that you don’t take any unnecessary chances with your health – or stop treatment which could be life-threatening.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

12. Certain Medications<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Other than antibiotics and steroids, there are other medications which might have serious associated side-effects, and which might lower your natural lymphocyte count – and this can have other effects on your health that can include a lowered immunity <\/a>as a result of the “knock” that the medication gives to your system.\u00a0
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you suspect that a medication you are taking is causing immunity-related effects, one of the first things that you should do is make an appointment with your doctor.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never stop or start any treatments without consulting with your doctor first and foremost: Any alternations in treatment should be approached only with your doctor’s co-operation and consent – and doing anything else by your own means is potentially fatal, even if side-effects are involved.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The list of medications that can trigger lowered immunity together with a low lymphocyte count is vast: Thus, if you’re concerned or think that you have reason to be, speak to your doctor first.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

13. Chronic Heart Conditions<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lymphocytes say a lot about your overall health and what could be affecting it, and this is why doctors will test the level of lymphocytes in your blood first if they suspect any number of possible medical conditions or other things that might be affecting your health right now.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chronic heart conditions can drop your lymphocyte count, in addition to affecting everything else present in your body from breathing through to circulation and sleeping patterns.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You could be at an increased risk for chronic heart disease<\/a> if your lymphocyte count shows up low on a blood test, or you might already have developed a heart condition such as high blood pressure or arrhythmia. Factors such as heavy drinking or being a smoker can increase your risk further.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See your doctor if you suspect a heart condition: The proper tests are usually noninvasive and can take only a few minutes for something that will likely save your life. Early diagnosis and treatment are key to heart conditions.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

14. Autoimmune Diseases<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A low lymphocyte count can commonly indicate a lowered immune system: In fact, as you might know from reading through the rest of the potential causes in this article, a lowered lymphocyte count and lowered immunity go hand-in-hand and tests for the one can be a fast indicator of the other.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes a compromised immune system is temporary: Something that happens due to illness, infection or a virus that you have been exposed to. Dietary changes and environmental factors, as well as stress<\/a>, can affect the immune system even further.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other times, what’s triggering a compromised immune condition might be chronic. If you are sick regularly and the symptoms don’t appear to go away (or appear to show up again just when you think you’ve healed up), it can mean that you have a chronic condition causing it.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speak to your doctor about any potential symptoms that you might be experiencing (or conditions that you might think you have. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

<\/div>