Why understanding inflammation is important for health
Inflammation happens to everyone whether they notice it or not. It is a normal immune response of the body to harmful stimuli, damage or infection.
Our bodies activate the immune system by sending out inflammatory cells. The cells then attack the bacteria or heal the damaged tissue.
Inflammation is classified into two types: acute inflammation and chronic inflammation.
Acute inflammation ordinarily happens for a brief time and usually settles in two weeks or less. The purpose of this type of inflammation is to restore the body to its state prior to injury or illness.
Heat, pain, redness, swelling, and loss of functions are some signs that you have inflammation.
On the other hand, chronic inflammation lasts longer and may occur even without any injury or damage. This kind of inflammation may be linked to autoimmune diseases. If the body sends out inflammatory cells without sickness or injury, it is likely a case of chronic inflammation.
Chronic inflammation symptoms may be harder to spot than the acute inflammation symptoms. Signs of chronic inflammation can include abdominal pain, chest pain, fatigue, fever, joint pain or stiffness, mouth sores, skin rash, etc. This kind of inflammation may be connected to Alzheimer's disease, asthma, cancer, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and type two diabetes.
In order to diagnose inflammation or conditions that cause it, your doctor may give you different tests based on your symptoms.
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