High lymphocytes: causes, symptoms and treatment

Our body is a complex organism that interacts with the environment continuously. Despite this complexity, it is extremely delicate, requiring its proper functioning of a balance or homeostasis that different external agents could alter and destroy.

Fortunately, we have a system dedicated to defending ourselves from attacks by substances from outside our body through their destruction: the immune system, which through cells such as lymphocytes acts to signal and destroy elements that are possibly harmful to our organism. But sometimes the body generates a number of lymphocytes that exceeds normal, with the subject having high lymphocytes.

Lymphocytes in the immune system

Lymphocytes are one of the most important cell types in our body, since they allow that the organism fights against the possible arrival of bacteria and viruses that can cause us a disease. It is a type of white blood cell or leukocyte, forming part of the immune system and circulating in the blood on a regular basis. There are different types, the best known being the T, B and NK lymphocytes or natural killers..

Faced with an infection or aggression by agents outside the organism itself, these cells proceed to act by joining the substance that has generating the reaction of the immune system (the so-called antigen) and synthesizing antibodies, so that they either destroy or serve as a marker so that other cells called phagocytes or some subtypes of lymphocytes (such as NK or natural killers) destroy the supposed agent harmful. Lymphocytes can also store the information of these antigens, so that the system is allowed to The immune system remembers and rejects more easily any entry into the body of the same antigen that occurs with posteriority.

Although they generally act on harmful foreign cells, they do not need to be pathogens, and they can be observed disproportionate reactions to harmless substances such as allergies, rejection responses to implants or even cell attacks the body's own health in some disorders in which the immune system does not act properly.

Lymphocytosis or the presence of high lymphocytes

In general, we have stable levels of this type of cells, located in most adults between 1500 and 4000 leukocytes per milliliter. However, in different circumstances we can find that these levels of lymphocytes can get to go off, indicating that the body is acting to try to defend itself against an agent invasive. When these levels are above 4000 / ml we can consider that we have high lymphocytes, a situation also known as lymphocytosis.

It must be taken into account that in children normal values ​​are between 5000 and 7000, so the existence of high lymphocytes will mean that these are the levels that are exceeded. In childhood, likewise, lymphocytosis is more common.

Having high lymphocytes does not necessarily have to generate symptoms, although generally those derived from the cause that causes the body to generate so many lymphocytes will appear. Since the most common is that it is a consequence of an infection, it is common for hypothermia, exhaustion, fever, digestive problems such as nausea and vomiting, chills. Respiratory problems, weight loss, poor concentration, and visual and hearing abilities are also common. Also muscle stiffness, runny nose and tissue inflammation.

This increase in lymphocytes, if maintained over time, increases the chances that the subject will suffer from different types of cancer. It has also been linked to the onset of type 1 diabetes, allergies and asthma.

Causes and types

Having high lymphocytes is not usually a medical problem or disorder per se, but rather an effect or reaction of the body to a certain situation. As a general rule, you have high lymphocytes in situations such as autoimmune disorders or, the one that is the most common reason for it, the presence of viral and / or bacterial infections.

So there are multiple factors that can cause us to have high lymphocytes, but in general we can find two large groups of them. This is what makes it possible to distinguish between two types of lymphocytosis or high lymphocytes.

1. Monoclonal lymphocytosis

In the first place, there is monoclonal lymphocytosis, produced by an alteration in the lymph that causes it to generate many more lymphocytes than usual or not to function properly. This occurs without an external factor appearing. This is what happens in cancers like leukemia or other related types of tumors.

In addition to this we can also find, as we have said, autoimmune diseases such as sclerosis, the existence of tumors or the presence of myeloproliferative problems such as leukemia.

2. Polyclonal lymphocytosis

In this case, the lymphocytes are high due to the existence of an infection or the appearance of an external factor that induces a defensive response in the body. This is the case with infections and allergies.

Among the different infections in which it can appear, we find infections by viruses such as HIV (Although AIDS is greatly reduced in the end, during the initial infection there is some lymphocytosis that claims to act to eliminate infection) and other STDs, whooping cough or flu, rubella or herpes. It is also considered as such those situations in which we have high lymphocytes due to stress or substance intoxications.

Treatment

If our lymphocyte levels are exaggeratedly high, it will be necessary to lower them, and for this we will have to combat the reason why they are present in such quantity. Thus, in the case of infection, antibiotics and antivirals will cause the infectious process to be slowed down and the leukocyte levels gradually return to normal.

At the pharmacological level, immunosuppressants such as methotrexate, or steroids such as the widely known glucocorticoids can be applied. In case of allergies, it is also recommended to avoid the element that causes them and / or to use epinephrine in case a life-threatening reaction is taking place. If the cause is a cancer such as leukemia, radiation therapy and chemotherapy will also be applied.

Other strategies that can complement the above are the reduction of lymphocytes through diet, hydration and exercise, which will help us purify our body of agents harmful that may be causing the defensive reaction of our body (although exercise helps to generate lymphocytes, it can also serve to reduce the causes of them being high).

The use of relaxation and meditation methods can also help solve those cases in which lymphocytosis have a psychogenic cause, as well as the application of expressive therapies, problem management and regulation of the stress.