Monocytosis is when your monocyte count is too high. Monocytosis is often linked to infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases. It’s also linked to blood disorders and certain cancers. But being diagnosed with monocytosis doesn’t mean you have a serious medical condition. It’s simply an indication of a potential issue.
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Monocytosis is when your monocyte count is too high. Monocytes are a type of white blood cell that protect your body from toxic substances or invaders, like germs. A high monocyte count is often a sign of an infection that your body is trying to get rid of. But causes include everything from chronic conditions to temporary stress from a strenuous workout.
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The important thing to remember is that a high monocyte count doesn’t necessarily mean you have a serious medical condition. If you have monocytosis, your healthcare provider will take a close look at your overall health so they can identify and treat any underlying cause.
Monocytosis doesn’t cause symptoms. Instead, you may have symptoms of the medical condition that caused your high monocyte count. General symptoms of conditions that may cause monocytosis include:
Monocytosis is most often linked to a chronic infection or disease that your body is fighting. Causes may or may not be serious. Conditions associated with monocytosis include:
Identifying monocytosis is often the first step toward diagnosing the condition that’s causing it.
Healthcare providers use blood tests to count your monocytes. This is the only way to diagnose monocytosis. In adults, a high monocyte count is 1,000 monocytes per microliter of blood, with monocytes accounting for more than 10% of your white blood cells.
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Tests include:
Your provider may also check your spleen, liver and lymph nodes to see if they are larger than normal. Depending on these findings, your provider may recommend other tests to help them identify what’s causing your monocytosis.
Healthcare providers treat the underlying condition that causes you to have a high monocyte count. There is a range of treatments for monocytosis, depending on the cause. They include:
Monocytosis is a sign of an underlying infection or other condition. Not all causes are preventable. Given that, the best way to reduce your risk of monocytosis is to avoid infections, manage any current medical conditions and boost your immune system. Here are some other suggestions:
A high monocyte count is a sign of several medical conditions that require different treatments. Once you and your provider know the underlying cause, you’ll have a better idea of how your condition may affect your daily life.
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Lots of medical conditions can cause high monocyte counts. If you’re receiving treatment for one of these medical conditions, you’ll probably have regular appointments so your provider can diagnose and treat the underlying condition.
If you see anything on test results that concerns you, ask your provider to explain what it means.
If you have a medical condition linked to monocytosis, you should go to the emergency room if your symptoms get worse, you have new symptoms or your reaction to treatment is more than you expected.
Being diagnosed with monocytosis may be the first time you realize you may have a medical condition. Or you may already be dealing with the condition. Either way, you may have questions for your healthcare provider. Here are a few questions to consider:
Monocytosis may be a sign you have a medical condition, like an autoimmune disease, a blood disorder or even cancer. Or it may mean something less serious, like you’ve been under stress or are recovering from an infection. You won’t know what it means until a healthcare provider can identify the underlying cause. Try to remember that there’s a big difference between signs, symptoms and a final diagnosis. Ask your healthcare provider to explain what to expect if your monocyte count is high.
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Last reviewed on 12/23/2024.
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