What Is Inflammation?
Inflammation is simply one of the body’s defensive mechanisms so it plays a very vital role in the healing process. So, in simpler terms, when your body notices a foreign body which could either be an irritant, a pathogen (viruses, bacteria, or any other disease-causing organisms), the immune system activates by inducing a biological response to remove it.
These cells start an inflammatory response to kill the foreign body or start to heal the damaged tissue. The result of this could be swelling, redness, bruising, or pain.
Inflammation in the body is of two types. It could either be acute inflammation or chronic inflammation. Let us take a quick look at the differences between these two types of inflammation.
Acute Inflammation is the immediate response when there is sudden damage to the body, for example, when you cut your finger with a sharp object. Your body responds by sending inflammatory cells to the site of the injury and the healing process starts.
Chronic inflammation: This type of inflammation occurs when your body keeps sending inflammatory cells even when there is no foreign body.
Symptoms Of Inflammation
Of course, there are signs and symptoms to look out for. Now let’s take a look at the signs of inflammation in the body; basically, these are the five major ones that are associated with acute inflammation.
Redness: This symptom is a result of the increase in the supply of blood in the area where the redness appears.
Pain: This pain will be usually felt continually in the area, especially when the area is touched.
Heat: When blood flow increases, it may cause the affected area to be warm when it is touched.
Swelling: When fluids build up in certain areas of the body, it can be an indication too.
Loss of function: Somebody functions such as moving a joint, sensing smells, and moving joints can become difficult.
These signs of inflammation in the body may not always be present; that is, symptoms of body inflammation can sometimes be less visible. At most your body might just feel tired and unwell or maybe have a fever. When visible, the symptoms of acute inflammation only last for a couple of days.
Does body inflammation come with pain?
Acute inflammation can be accompanied by pains varying in severity. The pain can either be recurring, pulsating, pinching or tender. The pain is a result of the buildup of fluids, and this causes swelling making the swollen tissues force themselves against the sensitive nerve nodes.
What causes inflammation in the body?
Acute inflammation in the body can result from several conditions and circumstances. The most common causes of inflammation in the body are as follows:
- From an injury,
- From an infection,
- And also, from being exposed to a substance.
When your body’s immune system detects a pathogen or damage, the following number of reactions are triggered in your body:
- In the event of an injury, small blood vessels get enlarged to allow leukocytes and plasma proteins to get to the site of the injury easily.
- The tissues in your body accumulate plasma proteins and this leads to the buildup of fluid causing the swelling.
- Your body releases leukocytes or a type of blood cell, neutrophils, and they move to the affected area. These leukocytes have molecules in them that fight pathogens.
Depending on what the cause is, the symptoms of acute inflammation can become visible within a few hours or days. Also, how long they will last in the body depends on the cause and the part of your body that they affect.
Some of the factors and infections that can result in acute inflammation are as follows:
- Ingrown toenail
- Sore throat got from flu or a cold
- Wound or physical trauma
- Illnesses that end in “-itis” such as appendicitis.
How do I treat inflammation in my body?
Inflammation does not often need treatment. The treatment of body inflammation is dependent on what caused it and how severe it is, because, some inflammations can lead to life-threatening conditions if not treated. The following are how acute inflammation can be treated.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
These drugs will not take get rid of the cause of the inflammation in the body, but they will rather relieve the pain and other symptoms. They achieve this by counteracting the enzymes that enhance the inflammation.
Corticosteroids
These are a type of steroid hormone and an example is Cortisol. They affect the mechanisms that lead to inflammation. They are suitable for the following: arthritis, dermatitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and hepatitis.
Does drinking water get rid of inflammation?
It is recommended to always drink the proper amount of water daily as well as eat foods that have anti-inflammatory effects. Such foods as leafy and green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, nuts, and fish. They always help the body’s anti-inflammatory response.
Water provides support in the production of the lymph that transports white blood cells that fights infections all over the body.
As you go about your daily routine, steer as clear as possible you can in taking foods that contain refined sugar and carbs to keep your blood sugar level balanced. Instead, focus on taking more quantities of water, especially during hot summer and when you do rigorous activities. Do not also forget to do a regular body check-up to know the needs of your body at every point in time.
To be on the safer side, you should get the Vivoo 2.0 testing device. It allows you to track some vital wellness parameters. It also gives you information on what to do and when to do it for your optimal wellness. Get one today.
