While ESR is a helpful clue, it’s a non-specific test, meaning it doesn’t pinpoint the exact cause. Your doctor will consider it along with other tests and symptoms to understand what’s going on in your body. Common Symptoms of a High ESR If your ESR is higher than normal, your body might be telling you something. Below are some common signs and symptoms that may be present along with a raised ESR: Erythrocytes are red blood cells. The sedimentation rate is the time it takes for your red blood cells to settle at the bottom of a test tube. An erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a blood test that can show if you have inflammation in your body. The ESR or Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate test quantifies the speed at which erythrocytes (red blood cells) settle at the base of a blood specimen. The results of the ESR test cannot be used to diagnose a specific disease, as various health conditions can lead to either high or low ESR values. ESR test means Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate which measures at what speed red blood cells settle down in a blood sample during a standard blood test within a particular timeframe. ESR test indirectly evaluates the specific protein levels that enable the settling down of erythrocytes.