What is Chronic Inflammation

Inflammation is the normal body’s response to protect itself from infection caused by any irritant or foreign invaders such as bacteria. It can also typically result from stress, physical inactivity, obesity, diet, and toxins found in the environment.

Inflammation is a way the body uses to signal for the immune system to heal and repair any damaged tissue because of an injury, disease, or illness.

As a result, the immune system reacts by increasing the production of white blood cells, immune cells, and substances called cytokines so it can help fight infection.

Short-term signs of inflammation include pain, swelling, and redness. However, when inflammation becomes chronic, it can lead to many health conditions such as allergies, arthritis, diabetes, heart diseases, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), cancer, depression, gout, and stroke.

According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP), chronic inflammatory diseases have major health and economic costs in the United States.

They are the most substantial cause of death in the world. Three out of five people around the world die because of chronic inflammation-mediated diseases like diabetes, heart diseases, cancer, and obesity.

The World Health Organization (WHO) envisions that, by 2030, chronic inflammatory diseases might cause the death of three-quarters of the world's population.

Chronic Inflammation Causes

The causes of chronic inflammation are not well known yet. However, inflammation may occur due to the following reasons:

- Processed food: Processed food goes usually through a process of fermentation in which preservatives and other harmful substances may be added to it as well. The increased consumption of both processed food products, especially meat, triggers an inflammatory response in the body, leading to inflammation.

- Sugar: consuming high amounts of sugar consistently leads to ongoing inflammation in the body. The high levels of blood sugar in the body activate the production of particular molecules called advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) that lead to inflammatory responses.

- Alcohol: Consuming large amounts of alcohol can cause intestinal inflammation through various pathways and might lead to chronic inflammation. This is because alcohol metabolism causes the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which stimulates the activation of inflammatory responses in the body.

- Autoimmune disorders: they occur when the immune system starts attacking the healthy tissues of the body by mistake. Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis develop when the body’s healthy tissues and organs are continually attacked for a long time. 

- Untreated agents of acute inflammation: sometimes the immune system’s defense mechanism fails to eliminate agents causing acute inflammation such as infectious organisms. As a result, these agents can defy the immune systems’ defense mechanisms and remain in a person’s tissue for a prolonged period.

- Irritants or foreign materials: inflammation can occur if the body’s enzymes cannot break down and eliminate certain irritants or foreign materials such as silica dust or chemicals that are inhaled over a long period.

- Inflammatory stimulators: the production of particular molecules in the body for an extended period can cause oxidative stress and dysfunction in the mitochondria, triggering inflammation Free radicals and uric acid crystals can become inflammatory stimulators if they build up in the body.

- A malfunction in particular cells: inflammation can occur when the cells that regulate inflammation in the body malfunction. This can lead to persistent inflammation and some kinds of auto-inflammatory diseases.

Chronic Inflammation Risk Factors

Many factors can increase the risks of inflammation and worsen its effects. Below is a list of the most common ones:

- Smoking: nicotine, a chemical found in tobacco, activates certain white blood cells called neutrophils, which in turn release molecules called cytokines that lead to increased inflammation.

- Obesity: being overweight increases the body’s inflammatory response because a large number of fat cells can release cytokines that trigger inflammation. Thus, obesity puts a person’s body in a constant state of inflammation. Being overweight also weakens the immune system and reduces its ability to fight infections.

- Chronic stress: stress can cause inflammation in the body since prolonged stress increases the level of cortisol in the body. The increase in cortisol levels hinders the body’s ability to regulate the inflammatory response because it decreases the tissue sensitivity to cortisol.

Chronic Inflammation vs Acute Inflammation

What is the difference between chronic inflammation and acute inflammation, and how symptoms are different?

Chronic Inflammation Symptoms:

Chronic inflammation is often “invisible” and does not show indicative physical signs in the same way acute inflammation does. It can continue for months or even years without being noticed.

Chronic inflammation is the main cause behind a wide range of chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Acute inflammation Symptoms:

Signs of acute inflammation can appear within hours or days. In some cases, they can rapidly become severe. How the signs develop and how long they last depends on the cause, which part of the body they affect, and individual factors.

For example, when the immune system affects a person’s skin in some autoimmune diseases, rashes appear on the patient’s skin. In other types, the immune system attacks specific glands, leading to changes in the body’s hormone levels.

There are five key signs of acute inflammation:

- Pain: pain can occur continuously or only when a person touches the affected area.

- Redness: redness occurs because inflammation increases the blood supply to the area of injury to provide it with more nutrients and white cells to help it heal.

- Loss of functions: this can include difficulty moving a joint or difficulty breathing.

- Swelling: can develop if excess fluid becomes trapped and builds up in the body’s tissues.

- Heat: increased blood flow to the area of injury may leave the affected area feeling warm.

Chronic Inflammation Diagnosis

Doctors cannot diagnose inflammation or determine its causes based on a single test. They may use any of the following tests to diagnose inflammation:

- Blood tests: blood tests are used to measure the levels of inflammatory markers in the body. Abnormal levels indicate that something is wrong. Doctors may use any of the following techniques or markers to diagnose inflammation:

- Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE): this technique is the best one to detect chronic inflammation. It measures the levels of certain proteins in the liquid part of the blood to check for any issues. Abnormal levels of these proteins can indicate inflammation.

- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR): this test indirectly assesses inflammation by calculating the rate at which red blood cells sink to the bottom of a test tube. The quicker the red blood cells sink, the more likely a person is experiencing inflammation.

ESR test helps detect and monitor inflammation. However, it doesn’t indicate the specific causes of inflammation, so an ESR test is rarely carried out alone. 

- C-reactive protein (CRP): C-reactive protein is naturally produced by the liver in response to inflammation. A high level of CRP in the blood can point to inflammation.  However, this test cannot distinguish between acute and chronic inflammation, because both types of inflammation have elevated CRP levels.

- Plasma viscosity: inflammation can cause blood plasma to thicken because of the presence of proteins that can be produced as a normal response to inflammation. This test determines the thickness of blood which helps detect and monitor inflammation.

- MRIs and X-rays: doctors may request an imaging test to check certain parts of the body or brain when the patient develops certain symptoms such as chronic diarrhea or numbness on one side of the face.

- Colonoscopy: doctors perform a colonoscopy to help diagnose inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. During the colonoscopy, they can see inside the digestive tract and determine the severity of the inflammation.

Natural Treatments for Chronic Inflammation

There are several natural solutions to cure inflammation. For instance, a person can reduce inflammation by following a specific diet, using anti-inflammatory herbs, or consuming anti-inflammatory supplements.

Click on natural treatments for chronic inflammation to find a detailed list of all the natural solutions to treat and prevent chronic inflammation, including various natural therapies, diet programs, alternative medicine, vitamins, supplements, herbal medicine, and home remedies. You can also go to www.aposbook.com to find all the natural treatments for any medical condition IN ONE CLICK.

Meanwhile, the different types of natural solutions to treat and prevent chronic inflammation include:

- Diets: several types of diets, such as the anti-inflammatory diet, can be followed to treat and prevent chronic inflammation. This diet would mostly focus on consuming anti-inflammatory foods and at the same time eliminate sugars and processed foods that promote inflammation. Some other types of diet can be followed as well. These may work on strengthening the immune system to help the body maintain its proper functions and allow it to better fight inflammation.

- Herbs and plants: natural compounds present in certain herbs and plants may have anti-inflammatory properties. For example, turmeric and green tea can help lower inflammation by limiting the production of molecules called cytokines, which cause inflammation.

- Anti-inflammatory supplements: anti-inflammatory supplements may help reduce inflammation by restricting the production of pro-inflammatory molecules. An example is omega-3 fatty acids that are naturally present in foods like fish oil and flaxseed oil and possess anti-inflammatory properties. They are made available in supplement form as well.

Medical Treatment for Chronic Inflammation

It is usually best to let the inflammation do its work to help with healing. However, chronic inflammation requires treatment to get it under control and to reduce a person’s risk of long-term damage.

According to conventional medicine, there are two main types of medications used to treat chronic inflammation:

- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): over-the-counter pain relievers, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, help relieve symptoms and lower inflammation and pain.

- Steroids: steroids can reduce inflammation and restrain the immune system, which is essential especially when it starts attacking healthy tissues and organs in the body.

Chronic Inflammation Prevention

Visit the Chronic Inflammation Prevention Center to check all the information on how to prevent chronic inflammation, including the different recommendations to follow, lifestyle changes to make, and things to avoid.