ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) measures how quickly red blood cells settle to the bottom of a thin tube in one hour. Inflammation makes them stick together and fall faster, so a raised ESR is a general marker of inflammation, infection or some cancers. Rheumatology teams use it alongside CRP to gauge how active a disease like polymyalgia rheumatica, giant cell arteritis or rheumatoid arthritis is, and to track response to treatment. It rises and falls more slowly than CRP.
What is esr?
ESR: ESR measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a tube, indirectly indicating inflammation. Elevated in inflammatory arthritis, infections, and other conditions. Used alongside CRP to monitor disease activity, not for diagnosis alone.
Last updated 2026-07-04. This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.