Introduction
The CRP value, also known as C-reactive protein, refers to an inflammatory parameter in the human blood. It belongs to the acute phase proteins and plays an important role in immune defence, for example by labelling pathogens (foreign bodies) or activating the complement system, a part of the immune system. It is produced in the liver and is a laboratory marker for infectious, non-infectious and autoimmune inflammatory reactions in the body.
However, it is very unspecific and does not give any precise information about the location or type of inflammation. The normal value for adults is about 10mg/l or 1mg/dl. There are various treatment options to fight the inflammation in the body and thus reduce the CRP level.
What are the options for reducing the CRP value?
The most common cause of an elevated CRP value is bacterial inflammation, for example in diverticulitis, appendicitis, gall bladder inflammation, etc. In the case of bacterial inflammation, the first choice is antibiotics. Antibiotics fight the bacteria at various points and thus ensure a decrease in the infection.
The CRP value usually lags a few days behind the decrease in inflammation, but should then decrease if the therapy responds well. However, an increase in CRP levels can also occur due to a non-infectious genesis, for example, rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or collagenoses. No antibiotics help here.
Anti-inflammatory substances such as ibuprofen, diclofenac and paracetamol are frequently used. These also lead to a decrease in the inflammation and the CRP value. Immunosuppressive drugs such as methotrexate and biologicals can also reduce this.
Frequently, an increase in the CRP value also occurs in the context of a tumor disease. However, this is not a tumor marker and should decrease again with good treatment of the tumor. A popular means of lowering the CRP level is also cortisone, a glucocorticoid.
This hormone also has an anti-inflammatory effect and thus lowers the CRP level. Furthermore, there are also non-drug ways to lower the CRP level. Smoking leads to an increase in the CRP level, so giving up smoking can lower it.
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