There are three types of blood cells in your body. They are platelets, red blood cells (RBC) and white blood cells (WBC). These cells travel through your arteries and veins. When you’re sick, for instance with an infection, your body increases these WBCs to fight infections. In addition, once they fight off infections the lymphocytes remember how to ward off the same infection again, according to Kids Health. So, these cells are an important part of your immune system. WBCs create the spongy, soft tissue inside your bones, called bone marrow. When your WBCs reach higher than 10,500 white blood cells, or leukocytes, per microliter of blood then your count is consider high, according to the Mayo Clinic and indicates that something is wrong.

Decrease White Blood Count

Know the causes. Higher than normal WBCs typically means that there’s an underlying problem. Some causes can be inflammation or infections. In addition, your body may be fighting bone marrow diseases like leukemia. Medication such as epinephrine and corticosteroids can cause a high WBC count. Other causes are measles, allergic reactions, rheumatoid arthritis and stress, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Undergo treatment. For instance, if you suffer from leukemia, you could undergo consolidation and induction therapy. Both therapies destroy your leukemia cells. However, induction therapy is aimed at your blood and bone marrow and consolidation therapy is targeted at your spinal cord and brain. If you undergo leukapheresis, your blood is removed via an IV then transfused back into you without your WBCs to lower your cell count, according to Drugs Information Online.

Use medications. According to Drugs Information Online, your doctor can prescribe medication which decreases your WBC count. For example, steroid medication is available to decrease your WBCs and any inflammation in your body. Or your doctor can prescribe antibiotics. These antibiotics can help you avoid developing sepsis, a blood infection, treat and prevent the infections causing your high WBC count.