Inflammation is your body's natural response to injury or infection. It is characterized by redness, heat, pain, swelling, and loss of function in the affected area.
When tissue gets injured, the body triggers an inflammatory cascade involving:
This increased blood flow causes the redness and heat. Fluids and leukocytes entering the tissue leads to swelling. The swelling activates nociceptors (pain receptors), causing pain. All these changes can limit the function of the affected area.
Short-term inflammation is beneficial - it destroys pathogens, removes debris, and stimulates tissue repair. However, prolonged inflammation can damage healthy tissue over time. That's why controlling inflammatory diseases is so important.
Now back to inflammation...
There are two main types:
Common inflammatory diseases include:
Lifestyle changes like a nutritious anti-inflammatory diet, exercise, stress management, and restful sleep may help reduce inflammation. Certain herbs, spices, and supplements can also help.
For moderate or severe inflammatory conditions, steroids, DMARDs, or biologics may be necessary to control symptoms and limit tissue damage over time.