Some medical conditions, such as bone marrow disease, can cause low white blood cells. These cells are an important part of the immune system, and low white blood cells can lead to medical problems, especially infections. Low white blood cells can also cause wound healing problems, making you more susceptible to cancer and other diseases.
Symptoms of Low White Blood Cells
You would not expect to have direct symptoms of low white blood cells. But when these cells are low, it can lead to a weakened immune system. As a result of a weakened immune system, medical problems can occur that often cause symptoms.
infection is the most common effect of low numbers of white blood cells and . Infections can be more frequent and more severe than you would experience with a healthy immune system. A lack of white blood cells can also make it difficult for you to heal from an injury or recover from an illness.
Complications of a low white blood cell count (such as infection) Possible symptoms include:
Fatigue
Fever, chills
Sore throat, cough, difficulty breathing
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Painful urination, Blood in the urine, Frequent urination
Non-healing skin ulcers
Mouth ulcers, Oral pain
The symptoms that accompany a low white blood cell count may vary and depend on what is causing the low count. For example, a bladder infection can cause urinary symptoms, and a stomach infection can cause nausea and vomiting.
Sometimes a lack of white blood cells can lead to opportunistic infections , which typically do not develop in people with healthy immune systems.
Cancer is another potentially serious effect of low white blood cells. These immune cells normally recognize and destroy abnormal cancer cells, and a lack of white blood cells can allow cancer cells to multiply and spread in the body.
Causes of a low white blood cell count
Common causes of a low white blood cell count are:
Medications and cancer treatments, such as some antibiotics, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy
Bone marrow cancer and bone marrow disorders, including aplastic anemia and multiple myeloma
Infectious diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and severe infections
White blood cells are produced in the bone marrow and circulate throughout the body. Diseases, toxins, drugs, or medical treatments that damage the bone marrow can prevent enough white blood cells from being produced. Some medical conditions can also cause the destruction of white blood cells.
Often, low white blood cells are a sign of chronic disease. But sometimes medications or infections can temporarily cause the problem because of the destruction of white blood cells. This condition should resolve once the infection clears or the medication is discontinued.
Benign racial neutropenia is an inherited cause of chronic neutropenia (a low number of white blood cells, which are usually the most numerous white blood cells). It is primarily found around the world in people of African, Middle Eastern, and West Indian ancestry. It does not increase a person's risk of infection.
How to Treat Low White Blood Cell Symptoms
Symptoms that may occur due to low white blood cells often require treatment in addition to those needed to manage the underlying problem.
Treatment may include:
Covering the wound to prevent infection
Tylenol (acetaminophen) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Advil (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen sodium) to treat pain or fever
Ingestion of fluids to prevent dehydration caused by vomiting or diarrhea
Dietary supplements to prevent or treat malnutrition
Antibiotics or antiviral medications to treat infections
In addition, low white blood cell counts can sometimes be treated depending on the cause. Examples of treatments may include antiretroviral therapy for HIV or bone marrow transplantation for cancer.
Neulasta (pegfilgrastim) is a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), a drug that may be used in some cases to prevent low white blood cells from occurring as a side effect of chemotherapy.
These treatments require ongoing and close medical care.
Summary
A low white blood cell count is the consequence of a serious illness, which can lead to harmful health problems - including infections, slow healing, and cancer. A low white blood cell count does not cause symptoms, but complications of a low white blood cell count can cause many different symptoms.These symptoms usually require treatment, and management of low white blood cells is important to prevent serious complications.
