US Medical Term · tests
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
Velocidad de sedimentación globular
Also: VSG (regional variant)
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) |
| Spanish (Español) | Velocidad de sedimentación globular |
| Chinese (中文) | 紅細胞沉降率 |
| Korean (한국어) | 적혈구 침강 속도 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Tốc độ lắng hồng cầu |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate |
| Portuguese (Português) | Velocidade de hemossedimentação (VHS) |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | อัตราการตกตะกอนของเม็ดเลือดแดง |
| Japanese (日本語) | 赤血球沈降速度 |
What it means
The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a blood test that indirectly measures inflammation in your body. When inflammation is present, red blood cells clump together and fall faster to the bottom of a test tube. A lab technician draws blood from a vein in your arm and places it in a tall, thin tube, then measures how many millimeters the cells fall in one hour. A high ESR suggests inflammation but does not pinpoint the cause. Doctors use ESR to screen for inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, temporal arteritis, and infections, and to monitor how well treatment for those conditions is working.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My doctor ordered an ESR test — what does it tell them about my health?
Mi médico ordenó una prueba de VSG — ¿qué les dice sobre mi salud?
My sedimentation rate is elevated — what conditions could cause that?
Mi velocidad de sedimentación está elevada — ¿qué enfermedades pueden causar eso?
How is the ESR test different from the CRP test for inflammation?
¿En qué se diferencia la prueba de VSG de la prueba de PCR para la inflamación?
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026