Ever had a blood test show a raised inflammatory marker like CRP or ESR and wondered what it actually means? These markers help us detect inflammation in the body — but they don’t tell us exactly where or why. Think of them as a smoke alarm: helpful tbut you still need to find the source. Common markers include: 🩸CRP (C-reactive protein): rises quickly in response to infection or inflammation. A high sudden CRP usually means an acute infection 🩸ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate): slower to r