BSR full form in medical is Blood Sedimentation Rate. BSR is a test that measures how fast red blood cells settle to the bottom of a tube of blood. It’s a way to check for inflammation or infection in the body. Here’s how it works: when you have inflammation going on in your body, certain proteins in your blood called fibrinogen increase. These proteins make your red blood cells stick together and form clumps. The clumps are heavier than individual red blood cells, so they sink to the bottom of the tube faster. The rate at which the red blood cells sink is measured in millimeters per hour (mm/hr). A higher BSR means there is more inflammation in your body.
To do the BSR test, a sample of your blood is put in a tall, thin tube and left to sit for an hour at room temperature. The distance that the red blood cells have settled from the top of the tube is measured and reported as your BSR. It’s important to know that the BSR test isn’t specific to any one particular condition. It’s a general test that can be used to help diagnose a range of conditions that involve inflammation, like infections, autoimmune diseases, and certain types of cancer.