Ways To Treat And Prevent Neutropenia
Neutropenia is a medical condition in which the body has an abnormally low amount of neutrophils. Neutrophils are a form of white blood cells, and having too few of them raises a patient's risk of infection. While neutropenia is rare in the general population, patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer commonly develop it. Sometimes, individuals with neutropenia may not have any symptoms. If symptoms are present, they typically include a fever, mouth ulcers, abscesses, wounds that are slow to heal, and a sore throat. Doctors perform blood tests to check for the absolute neutrophil count to diagnose neutropenia. At least two blood tests taken on different days are required to confirm a neutropenia diagnosis. Other than chemotherapy, common causes of neutropenia include radiation treatment, tuberculosis, leukemia, conditions that affect bone marrow, viral infections, and nutritional deficiencies. The methods outlined below are often recommended in the prevention and treatment of neutropenia.