Our body is a complex organism that interacts with the environment continuously . Despite this complexity it is extremely delicate, requiring its correct functioning of a balance or homeostasis that different external agents could alter and destroy.

Fortunately, we have a system dedicated to defending ourselves from aggressions from substances coming from outside our body by destroying them: the immune system, which by means of cells such as lymphocytes acts to signal and destroy elements possibly harmful to our body. But sometimes the body generates an amount of lymphocytes that exceeds normal, having the subject high lymphocytes .

Lymphocytes in the immune system

Lymphocytes are one of the most important cell types in our body, as they enable the body to fight against the possible arrival of bacteria and viruses that can make us sick. They are a type of white blood cell or leukocyte, forming part of the immune system and circulating in the blood in a regular way. There are different types, the best known being T, B and NK lymphocytes or natural killers .

In the event of infection or aggression by agents outside the body, these cells proceed to act by binding to the substance that has generated the immune system reaction (the so-called antigen) and synthesizing antibodies, so that they either destroy or serve as a marker for other cells called phagocytes or some subtypes of lymphocytes (such as NK or natural killers) to destroy the alleged harmful agent. The lymphocytes can also store the information of these antigens, so that the immune system can more easily remember and reject any later entry of the same antigen into the body.

While they generally act on harmful foreign cells, they need not be pathogenic, and disproportionate reactions to harmless substances such as allergies, rejection responses to implants or even attacks on healthy cells in the body can be observed in some disorders where the immune system does not act properly.

Lymphocytosis or the presence of high lymphocytes

We generally have stable levels of this type of cell, located in most adults between 1500 and 4000 leukocytes per milliliter. However, in different circumstances we may find that these levels of lymphocytes may rise, indicating that the organism is acting to try to defend itself against an invading agent. When these levels are above 4000/ml we can consider that we have high lymphocytes, situation also called lymphocytosis.

It must be taken into account that in children the normal values are between 5000 and 7000, so the existence of high lymphocytes will mean that these are the levels that are exceeded. In childhood, it is also more common to have lymphocytosis.

Having high lymphocytes does not necessarily generate symptoms, although those derived from the cause of the body generating so many lymphocytes will usually appear. Since it is most often the result of an infection, it is common to have hypothermia, exhaustion, fever, digestive problems such as nausea and vomiting, and chills. Also common are respiratory problems, weight loss, poor concentration, and visual and hearing impairment. Also muscle stiffness, runny nose and tissue inflammation.

Such an increase in lymphocytes, if maintained over time, increases the chances of the subject suffering from different types of cancer . It has also been linked to the onset of type 1 diabetes, allergies and asthma.

Causes and Types

Having high lymphocytes is usually not a medical disorder or problem per se, but an effect or reaction of the body to a given situation. High lymphocytes are usually found in situations such as autoimmune disorders or, the most common reason for this, the presence of viral and/or bacterial infections.

So there are multiple factors that can cause us to have high lymphocytes, but in general we can find two large groups of them. This is what allows us to distinguish between two types of lymphocytosis or high lymphocytes.

1. Monoclonal lymphocytosis

Firstly, there is monoclonal lymphocytosis, produced by an alteration in the lymph that causes it to generate many more lymphocytes than usual or that does not function properly. This occurs without the appearance of an external factor. This is what happens in cancers such as leukaemia or other types of related tumours.

In addition to this we can also find, as we have said, autoimmune diseases such as sclerosis, the existence of tumours or the presence of myeloproliferative problems such as leukaemia.

2. Polyclonal lymphocytosis

In this case, the lymphocytes are high due to the existence of an infection or the appearance of an external factor that induces a defensive response in the body. This is the case with infections and allergies.

Among the different infections in which it can appear, we find infections by viruses such as HIV (although AIDS is greatly reduced in the end, during the initial infection there is a certain lymphocytosis that pretends to act to eliminate the infection) and other STDs, pertussis or flu, rubella or herpes. Also considered as such are those situations in which we have high lymphocytes due to stress or substance intoxication.

Treatment

If our lymphocyte levels are exaggeratedly high it will be necessary to lower them, and for that we will have to fight against the reason why they are present in such quantity. Thus, in the case of infection, antibiotics and antivirals will cause the infectious process to be slowed down and the levels of leukocytes to gradually return to normal.

At the pharmacological level, immunosuppressants such as methotrexate, or steroids such as the widely known glucocorticoids can be applied. In case of allergies, it is also recommended to avoid the element that causes them and/or to use epinephrine in case a life-threatening reaction is occurring. If the cause is a cancer such as leukemia, radiotherapy and chemotherapy should also be applied.

Other strategies that can complement the above are the reduction of lymphocytes through diet, hydration and exercise, which will help us cleanse our bodies of harmful agents that may be causing our body’s defensive reaction (although exercise helps generate lymphocytes, it can also serve to reduce the causes of high ones).

The use of relaxation and meditation methods can also contribute to solve those cases where lymphocytosis has a psychogenic cause, as well as the application of expressive therapies, problem management and stress regulation.