What is high white blood cell count?

Your white blood cell count may be high because your body is fighting an infection. But other things can cause it, such as some medicines, burns, an illness, or other health problems. When your doctor sees that your white blood cell count is high, he or she will try to find out why, and then treat the cause.

A high white blood cell count alone doesn't cause any symptoms. The symptoms you feel may come from the medical problem that your white blood cells are fighting. For example, if you have pneumonia, you may have a fever and trouble breathing. These are symptoms of pneumonia, not of a high white blood cell count.

• Your doctor may do more tests to find the problem that's making your white blood cell count high. Once your doctor finds the problem, he or she may be able to treat it.
• Part of your treatment may be telling your doctor if you feel worse. Watch your temperature, and call your doctor if your fever goes up and stays up.