SED Rate

[Squaw]

I had some swelling on the left side of my head & down my jawline. It is very tender to the touch. My lab work flagged my SED rate as high. It is 32 on a referral range of 0-30. What does that mean? Thanks for any info.

[ITYFIALMCTT]

SED rate is aka ESR and is an indication of inflammation and that you're a little bit higher than the reference range - it's not a specific marker altho' it sounds like it might well be associated with your head and jawline swelling.

labtestsonline.org.uk/under...

Do you have any dental problems or issues with your mouth, throat glands etc.?

[Squaw in reply to ITYFIALMCTT]

I am kinda having pain at the very back of my jaw. The ultrasound showed some lymph nodes. It showed my thyroid to be normal although all of my hair has stopped growing.

[Saggyuk in reply to Squaw]

I think it's worth going to dentist and getting xray to rule out. I had exact same thing with a wisdom tooth that had never erupted and had stayed under the gum low at the back of the jaw and the roots had impacted and had grown through the jaw as not enough space for it and at some point became infected as access to my sinuses. The pain (and infection) travelled along the Jaw line and up head a little. This would be approximately the right location at the back of your jaw so def worth ruling out and doctors are a bit useless with teeth

Unless of course you've had all your wisdom teeth out or all erupted and seem fine lol?

Another time, I also had some form of weird chronic dental abscess that had grown silently and painlessly from bottom of tooth into jaw bone and beyond and by the time the swelling and pain occurred it was so bad, I was on three different antibiotics - always two at a time - for nearly four months to get rid of it - this caused pain in all these areas, particularly tender at back of jaw and swollen lymph nodes

Hope you figure it out soon

[Squaw in reply to Saggyuk]

My bottom wisdom teeth have already been removed. I had no top ones to worry about. I have a follow-up with the doc Friday so guess I'll see what she says. Thanks for your input!

[Saggyuk in reply to Squaw]

Most people have all four wisdom teeth, do you mean they never pushed out or you literally never grew them lol.

I can't even have the problematic one that never moved up removed as it's sitting sight on the blinking main nerve through my jaw and no one wants to touch it!!!

Hope it gets better soon

[Squaw in reply to Saggyuk]

Years ago they told me the x-rays didn't show any top wisdom teeth. Neither one of my grown children have any top ones either. I guess we are lucky. I go to the dentist every 6 months & they x-ray every time so they would know. I hope you get some relief for your problem.

[Saggyuk in reply to Squaw]

Sorry didn't mean to sound like questioning you, just had always thought everyone had four so was surprised You have a sensible mouth then lol! Why your body would grow something there's no space for it to go is beyond me lol!

It's fine, not a problem most the time

[silverfox7]

My wisdom teeth didn't show on an X-ray as it wasn't done low enough and I have the lower ones on their side and lying on a nerve so I have been told that dangerous to move them as could paralyse face unless they got infected then I would have to take the risk. I was going to have a gold crown so asked as no rom for them to come through so didn't want to pay privately for the crown and the lose it. I've now lost my back teeth so I'm assuming it's that that as stirred some movement from the wisdom teeth.

[Saggyuk in reply to silverfox7]

Yes I have the same problem and no one wants to take the risk to remove - mine did get infected but it went away eventually but they still don't want to remove unless the infection becomes recurring lol! Such a pain but really don't want the risk of paralysis in my face either

Mine didn't show up on normal dental xray neither until they did the whole face one

[silverfox7]

Yes mine said he wouldn't touch it but send me to the dental hospital but didn't think they would touch me either unless infected!

[radd]

Squaw,

Welcome to our forum.

SED is an inflammation marker and it usually accompanied by other blood tests such as the CRP (C-reactive protein) test.

Do you feel generally unwell ? Have you had thyroid hormones//antibodies tested ? ? ..

Some lymph glands (nodes) are located in the neck and are critical for the body's immune response, being principal sites where many immune reactions are initiated. My Hashimotos first showed itself in these lymph nodes situated behind my ears, which were often swollen and tender throughout my child hood. They still inflame now if I get over tired.

If blood results show a struggling thyroid or elevated antibodies but your ultra scan showed a "normal" looking thyroid, look into Ords Hashimotos or early onset hypothyroidism caused by Hashimotos.

[Squaw in reply to radd]

I just feel tired all the time & achy with the pain on the left side of my head, neck & jaw. I do not think its from my teet. My CRP was 3.5 in range of 0-4.9. I'm not sure which tests are for the thyroid... TSH.a is 1.035 in range of 0.358-3.740... Free T4.a is 1.11 in range of 0.76-1.46... Amylase serum (R) is 57 in range of 31-124.

[radd in reply to Squaw]

Squaw,

To get a better idea of thyroid function you need T3 levels measured, which is the bioactive hormone.

Also get thyroid antibodies TPOAb & TGAb tested.

Members use private labs when GP's are uncooperative.

[Squaw in reply to radd]

I'll ask my doc about these tests when I go Friday. Thanks for the info!

[ndstephens49]

Hi Squaw, I had jaw problems as the first symptom of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). However, this is a rare manifestation. I eventually developed severe left lower jaw pain which was relieved by Coumadin. Initially I thought it was an infected tooth, but it was not. It was poor blood flow (ischemia) to the jaw bone. I also was found to have additional clotting problems besides APS. The Coumadin thinned my sticky blood enough that it improved blood flow and eliminated pain.

Another consideration is left jaw/ neck pain due to cardiac angina, again, ischemia. A cardiologist or internist could evaluate you for heart/hyper coagulation problems.

Don't want to scare you but it is worth consideration if dental evaluation reveals nothing.

Good luck. Nancy

[Squaw in reply to ndstephens49]

Thank for the info! I think it is my lymph nodes are swollen. It's been 2 weeks & I've taken a round of antibiotics but it's still very painful on my head, neck & jaw. I just wondered what the high SED rate meant. Everything else looked normal. I go back to the doc tomorrow.