Low WBC counts are often linked to bone marrow problems. Your doctor will do a physical exam and consider symptoms that you have along with your past medical issues to figure out what's behind your result.īone marrow problems: The spongy center of your bones, which is called the bone marrow, makes blood cells.
A low number is sometimes called leukopenia. How many white blood cells (WBCs) someone has varies, but the normal range is usually between 4,000 and 11,000 per microliter of blood.Ī blood test that shows a WBC count of less than 4,000 per microliter (some labs say less than 4,500) could mean your body may not be able to fight infection the way it should. Most often, a low white blood cell count is nothing to worry about. It may point toward or confirm a diagnosis, or show whether a treatment is working or not. Your white blood cell count is one of the numbers you get back from this test. Your doctor measures how many of these cells you have by sending some of your blood to a lab to do a complete blood count, or CBC. And your body is continuously making a fresh supply.
They move throughout your body in your blood, looking for invaders. White blood cells, also called leukocytes, fight infection.
