High white blood cell count and chest pain

Acute pericarditis (PAIR-ih-kar-DI-tiss) is an inflammation of the sac around the heart, which is called the pericardium (PAIR-ih-KAR-dee-um). It usually happens in men 20 to 50 years of age, but it can happen in anyone.

How do you get it?

Usually it is caused by a virus. It can also be caused by a heart attack, a tear in the heart, or another disease. Other possible causes are cancer or a reaction to a medicine you have taken. Many times the cause is not known.

What are the symptoms?

Most patients have chest pain. The pain can spread to your jaw and arm, which may feel like a heart attack. This pain may get worse when you lie on your back, cough, or take a deep breath. It usually gets better when you sit and lean forward. Some people never have any chest pain.

How is it diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask about the pain, listen to your heart, and check for signs of fluid around your heart. He or she may order a test called an electrocardiogram, which shows the electrical activity of your heart. You may need more tests, such as a chest x-ray, an ultrasound of your heart, and blood tests.

How is it treated?

It is treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin or ibuprofen (one brand: Motrin), or another medicine called colchicine. Colchicine can help if you have already been diagnosed with acute pericarditis, or if your symptoms do not get better with NSAIDs. This medicine should be taken until your symptoms go away.

What can I expect?

Most patients get better in two to six weeks. You may need to be treated in the hospital if you have a fever higher than 100.4°F, a high white blood cell count, or a lot of fluid in the sac around your heart. You may also be at risk of getting very sick if you take blood thinner medicine, have a weak immune system, have hurt your chest before, or do not get better with NSAIDs.

How do you prevent it?

Acute pericarditis cannot be prevented. There is nothing you can do to lower your risk of getting it.

Where can I get more information?

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can cause many different signs and symptoms. Some are more common with certain subtypes of AML.

General symptoms

People with AML often have several non-specific (general) symptoms. These can include:

  • Weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Night sweats
  • Loss of appetite

These are not just symptoms of AML. More often they are caused by something other than leukemia.

Symptoms caused by low numbers of blood cells

Many signs and symptoms of AML are the result of a shortage of normal blood cells, which happens when the leukemia cells crowd out the normal blood-making cells in the bone marrow. As a result, people don't have enough normal red blood cells, white blood cells, and blood platelets. These shortages show up on blood tests, and they can also cause symptoms.

Symptoms from low red blood cell counts (anemia)

Red blood cells carry oxygen to all of the cells in the body. A shortage of red blood cells can cause:

  • Tiredness (fatigue)
  • Weakness
  • Feeling cold
  • Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
  • Headaches
  • Pale skin
  • Shortness of breath

Symptoms from low white blood cell counts

Infections can occur because of a shortage of normal white blood cells (leukopenia), specifically a shortage of infection-fighting white blood cells called neutrophils (a condition called neutropenia). People with AML can get infections that don’t seem to go away or may get one infection after another. Fever often goes along with the infection.

Although people with AML can have high white blood cell counts due to excess numbers of leukemia cells, these cells don’t protect against infection the way normal white blood cells do.

Symptoms from low blood platelet counts

Platelets normally help stop bleeding. A shortage of blood platelets (called thrombocytopenia) can lead to:

  • Bruises (or small red or purple spots) on the skin
  • Excess bleeding
  • Frequent or severe nosebleeds
  • Bleeding gums
  • Heavy periods (menstrual bleeding) in women

Symptoms caused by high numbers of leukemia cells

The cancer cells in AML (called blasts) are bigger than normal white blood cells and have more trouble going through tiny blood vessels. If the blast count gets very high, these cells can clog up blood vessels and make it hard for normal red blood cells (and oxygen) to get to tissues. This is called leukostasis. Leukostasis is rare, but it is a medical emergency that needs to be treated right away. Some of the symptoms are like those seen with a stroke, and include:

  • Headache
  • Weakness in one side of the body
  • Slurred speech
  • Confusion
  • Sleepiness

When blood vessels in the lungs are affected, people can have shortness of breath. Blood vessels in the eye can be affected as well, leading to blurry vision or even loss of vision.

Bleeding and clotting problems

Patients with a certain type of AML called acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) might have problems with bleeding and blood clotting. They might have a nosebleed that won’t stop, or a cut that won’t stop oozing. They might also have calf swelling from a blood clot called a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or chest pain and shortness of breath from a blood clot in the lung (called a pulmonary embolism or PE).

Bone or joint pain

Some people with AML have bone pain or joint pain caused by the buildup of leukemia cells in these areas.

Swelling in the abdomen

Leukemia cells may build up in the liver and spleen, making them larger. This may be noticed as a fullness or swelling of the belly. The lower ribs usually cover these organs, but when they are enlarged the doctor can feel them.

Symptoms caused by leukemia spread

Spread to the skin

If leukemia cells spread to the skin, they can cause lumps or spots that may look like common rashes. A tumor-like collection of AML cells under the skin or other parts of the body is called a chloroma, granulocytic sarcoma,ormyeloid sarcoma. Rarely, AML will first appear as a chloroma, with no leukemia cells in the bone marrow.

Spread to the gums

Certain types of AML may spread to the gums, causing swelling, pain, and bleeding.

Spread to other organs

Less often, leukemia cells can spread to other organs. Spread to the brain and spinal cord can cause symptoms such as:

  • Headaches
  • Weakness
  • Seizures
  • Vomiting
  • Trouble with balance
  • Facial numbness
  • Blurred vision

On rare occasions AML can spread to the eyes, testicles, kidneys, or other organs.

Enlarged lymph nodes

Rarely, AML can spread to lymph nodes (bean-sized collections of immune cells throughout the body), making them bigger. Affected nodes in the neck, groin, underarm areas, or above the collarbone may be felt as lumps under the skin.

Although any of the symptoms and signs above may be caused by AML, they can also be caused by other conditions. Still, if you have any of these problems, especially if they don't go away or are getting worse, it’s important to see a doctor so the cause can be found and treated, if needed.

Can heart problems cause high white blood cell count?

The development of new congestive heart failure or shock was also associated with a higher WBC count (0% for WBC count 0 to 5×109/L, 5.2% for WBC count 5 to 10×109/L, 6.1% for WBC count 10 to 15×109/L, 17.1% for WBC count >15×109/L; P<0.001), an observation that remained significant in a multivariable model that ...

Can white blood cell count be high due to pain?

Leukocytosis is most commonly caused by infection or inflammation. Other high white blood cell count causes may include: Excessive physical or emotional stress (such as fever, injury or surgery). Burns.

How do you feel when your white blood count is high?

A high white blood cell count alone doesn't cause any symptoms. The symptoms you feel may come from the medical problem that your white blood cells are fighting. For example, if you have pneumonia, you may have a fever and trouble breathing. These are symptoms of pneumonia, not of a high white blood cell count.

What is the most common reason for high white blood cell count?

Overall, the most common cause for a high white blood cell count is response to infection. Another potential cause of an elevated white blood cell count is leukemia. This is effectively a cancerous change of the blood and bone marrow which causes significant overproduction of white blood cells.