The body’s immune system reacts to perceived injury or infection by producing inflammation. Because a lot of white blood cells are rushing into the injured area to fight infection and promote healing, inflammation makes the area red and swollen. Infection and inflammation are not the same thing, and it’s critical to distinguish between the two. The invasion of disease-causing organisms into body tissues, their subsequent growth, and the immune system’s response to the organisms and the toxins they produce are all considered infections. This indicates that although an infection is usually linked to inflammation, an infection is not always present when an inflammatory response occurs.

The body’s defense mechanism
The immune system uses inflammatory cells and cytokines during an injury or infection, which in turn triggers the production of more inflammatory cells. This triggers the body’s inflammatory response, which the cells use to ensnare pathogens or toxins and begin the healing process of the damaged tissue. Pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function are all indicators of inflammation. 4 Loss of function can include breathing difficulties if you have bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchi), losing the ability to smell during a cold, or being unable to move an inflamed joint properly. All five of these symptoms, however, are not always the result of an inflammatory response; some forms of inflammation can manifest silently and without any symptoms.

In response to an inflammatory response, the immune system may also release inflammatory mediators from different immune cells, including hormones like histamine and bradykinin. Inflamed areas can turn red and feel hot because these hormones cause vasodilation, which widens the tissue’s tiny blood vessels and increases blood flow to the injured area. More blood flow also makes it possible for more immune cells to move to the site of the injury and promote healing.

Acute inflammation: A short-term response
Short-term acute inflammation and long-term chronic inflammation are the two primary forms of inflammation. The immune system’s quick and transient reaction to an unexpected injury or disease is known as acute inflammation. Inflammatory cells make up this transient reaction, which travels to the site of an infection or injury to initiate the healing process. The duration of this kind of inflammation can range from a few hours to several days. Acute inflammation is frequently brought on by wounds like cuts, bacterial infections like step throat, and viral infections like the flu that can irritate the throat.

Enteritis, or inflammation of the small intestine, can also be brought on by other kinds of bacterial and viral infections. This type of inflammatory response can aid in the healing process because fever can show that the immune system is healthy, which is very active and energy-demanding. This is because a fever may increase metabolism, which allows for the production of more antibodies and immune cells to aid in the fight against infection.

Nonetheless, it is critical to be mindful of immune system complications, such as septicemia, also referred to as blood poisoning, which is an uncommon but serious infection-related complication. Feeling very sick, having a high fever, and chills are some of the symptoms of this complication. If the bacteria that has entered the body multiply rapidly in one area of the body and then a significant number of them abruptly enter the bloodstream, septicemia may result. This could happen for many reasons, including the body’s inability to combat the infection locally, a compromised immune system, or an extremely aggressive bacterium.

Chronic inflammation: A silent threat
Although inflammation is a helpful immune response, the body does not always benefit from it. In certain diseases, the immune system unintentionally fights against the body’s cells, which can lead to dangerous illnesses. Even in the absence of danger, the body still releases inflammatory cells when there is chronic inflammation. There may be times when symptoms get better and times when they get worse over months or even years of chronic inflammation. Examples include inflammatory bowel disorders like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, a chronic skin condition called psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis, which is characterized by persistent joint inflammation.

Numerous inflammatory diseases, including cardiovascular conditions like heart disease, autoimmune diseases like lupus, and even some types of cancer, have been connected by researchers to chronic inflammation. Acute inflammation is typically brought on by injuries and infections, but environmental factors like daily life activities and exposure to toxins are usually the primary cause of chronic inflammation. Low levels of physical activity, long-term stress, having a high body mass index (BMI) or excess weight around the stomach, eating inflammatory foods, sleep disturbances, exposure to toxins, and an imbalance of good and bad gut bacteria are all common causes of chronic inflammation.

The ripple effect: Inflammation and disease
Numerous body systems, including the cardiovascular system, can be significantly impacted by inflammation, as cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis are the world’s leading cause of death. Inflammatory mediators play a significant role in atherosclerosis, helping to recruit cells initially for the development of plaques in blood vessels and ultimately leading to vessel rupture. Inflammation is one way that cardiac stress shows up in the body, with impacted cardiac tissues exhibiting elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines.

The most frequent cause of heart attacks is coronary atherosclerosis, which causes the heart’s tissue to deteriorate. As the cardiac cells die during a heart attack, inflammatory cells migrate to the necrotic tissue site to remove debris and dead cells. Moreover, polygenic inflammatory bowel disease, which includes Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, can result from excessive inflammatory reactions to gut microbial flora. These two digestive disorders are driven by cytokines, which can also result from non-infectious intestinal inflammation.

It’s interesting to note that elevated inflammation has also been linked to depression and exhaustion, with alterations observed in the central nervous system (CNS). Increased blood-brain barrier permeability brought on by inflammation can make it simpler for immune cells or inflammatory molecules to enter the central nervous system. People who suffer from depression and exhaustion may experience structural and functional changes as a result of inflammatory signaling in the central nervous system.

As was already mentioned, inflammation plays a major role in chronic illnesses, including autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. Additionally, there is mounting evidence that inflammation plays a significant role in the development and course of diabetes. Since CRP and other indicators of active inflammation are linked to an increased risk of diabetes in people with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic inflammation associated with the disease may also raise the chance of developing diabetes in the future.

Reducing inflammation: Lifestyle and medical approaches
Lowering inflammation is essential for lowering the risk of diseases linked to inflammation. This can involve eating an anti-inflammatory diet, as many foods, including leafy greens, fresh fruits, and fatty fish like salmon, can help reduce inflammation in the body. 2 To lower and prevent inflammation in the body, some dieticians advise following the DASH or Mediterranean diets, which increase potassium and decrease sodium intake.

Frequent exercise can reduce chronic stress and stress-triggered hormones, as well as the risk for chronic inflammation. This includes 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking. Yoga, deep breathing, mindfulness, and other relaxation techniques that soothe the nervous system are examples of stress management strategies. Furthermore, supplements like zinc and omega-3 that may lower inflammation and promote the body’s ability to repair itself may be included in over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs. In addition to ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are also available over-the-counter and can be used to reduce inflammation.

A corticosteroid injection may also be administered by a medical professional to reduce inflammation in particular muscles or joints. Prednisone can also be prescribed by medical professionals to treat inflammatory diseases like vasculitis, lupus, and arthritis. In order to prevent inflammation-related disorders and diseases, it is important to reduce chronic inflammation on a daily basis through exercise, a healthy diet, stress reduction, and maintaining a healthy weight.