When you're watching a war movie, you may hear the line, “First line of defense.” It essentially means the first people who will be the first to meet their enemies on the field of battle. Your body does a similar thing against harmful stimulants, and the effect can result to inflammation.
Inflammation is from the Latin word inflammatio, which means to set on fire. It's your body's way of responding against harmful stimulants, damaged cells amd irritants. It's a way to protect you by removing the harmful stimuli and starting the healing process. Without inflammation, your wounds and infections will not heal. However, prolonged inflammation can lead to a number of diseases. There are two kinds of inflammation:
Acute inflammation. Acute inflammation is the initial response of your body to harmful stimuli, making plasma and white blood cells (our immunity cells) rush to the area where the stimuli is.
Chronic inflammation. Prolonged inflammation. There is a definite shift in what kind of cells the body sends to ward off the harmful stimuli. Chronic inflammation is also characterized by the simultaneous destruction and healing of tissue in the affected area. Having chronic inflammation is usually not good news and it may be pointing to a systemic, degenerative disease
Symptoms
Acute inflammation and chronic inflammation have different symptoms. For acute inflammation, symptoms include:
•Redness
•Swelling
•Pain
•Heat
•Loss of function (ie, you can't use that body part for the time being)
Chronic inflammation may not show symptoms of acute inflammation at all. However, these are the symptoms you can expect from chronic inflammation:
•Fever
•High blood pressure
•Decreased sweating
•Loss of appetite
•Loss of sleep
•Chronic inflammation displays these symptoms:
•Active inflammation, due to a persistent stimulus.
•Tissue destruction
•Attempts at repairing the affected area
Causes
Inflammation may be caused by external stimulants or environments, which include:
•Burns
•Chemical irritants
•Frostbite
•Toxins
•Infections by pathogens
•Necrosis (skin death)
•Physical injury
•Reactions caused by hypersensitivity
•Foreign bodies such as splinters and dirt
Inflammation may also be caused by a systemic disorder, such as
•Allergies
•Autoimmunity, a disorder where the body's immune system attacks its own cells and tissues
•Myopathy, a disease where muscles do not function for various reasons, resulting in muscle weakness
•Arthritis
•Anemia
•Cancer
•Atherosclerosis
•Surgical complications, such as rejection of an organ following a transplant
Treatment
The heat is on. Heat provides temporary relief to sprains, strains, muscle spasms, arthritis and back pain. Applying heat to the affected area increases blood flow and flexibility of connective tissue. It can also decrease stiffness, pain and spasm. Make sure it's not too hot, and only apply when the heat is tolerable to your skin.
Ice, ice, baby. Sometimes it's always a choice between hot or cold. If applying heat to the affected area does not work, apply a cold pack. Make sure that it is tolerable cold to avoid tissue damage or hypothermia.
Compress. Compress the affected area using an elastic band or stocking to prevent further swelling and reduces pain.
Elevate. If the inflammation occurs on your extremities, it's best to elevate it to encourage the fluids to drain towards the heart, lessening the swelling and other symptoms of acute inflammation.
Rest. Try not to move around or modify your activities that may aggravate your pain.
Physical therapy. Physical therapy may be needed especially on inflamed joints and muscles. Professional help may be needed for you to correctly treat inflamed body parts. (For more information regarding Physical Therapy, read The Guide To Physical Therapy)
Support. You can also use canes, braces and splints to alleviate pain and lessen pressure on inflamed body parts.
Medication. There are various ways to treat inflammation depending on what is causing it.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen
Corticosteroids
Anti-malarial medication
Anti-rheumatic drugs
Anti-histamine, for inflammation caused by allergies
Anti-malarial medications such as hydroxychloroquine
Your doctor can prescribe analgesics or pain-relieving medications. For inflammation caused by allergies, anti-allergic medication may be prescribed.
Other medication may depend if your inflammation is caused by a systemic disease. It may disappear along with other symptoms once taken.
Modify your diet. A diet consisting mostly of vegetables and fish. Halibut and salmon are said to be one of the least inflammatory food. You are also encouraged to take fish oil if you don't like eating fish. Eating healthy food will also help boost your immune system.
You should also eat food rich in vitamin K and the antioxidant vitamin E, which can be found in green leafy vegetables, bread, grain and poultry.
Avoid overcooked food, food with sugar, simple carbohydrates and certain fatty acids and oils.Avoid junk food such as doughnuts, pastry and sugary drinks.
While vegetables are considered an arsenal against the fight against inflammation, avoid eating potatoes and eggplants as they may aggravate inflammation.
Drink lots of fluids. Flush out those toxins by drinking lots of water, 100% fruit juice and tea. Chamomile tea is said to have anti-inflammatory properties, so you may want to favor that flavor for a while.
Nettle leaf. Take 1000 mg of nettle leaf extract everyday. It will suppress cytokine, which causes inflammation in your body.
Sleep well. Studies have shown that a constant lack of sleep can lead to chronic inflammation in your body. Sleep helps the body heal and refresh itself, so make sure you get your eight hours of sleep everyday. (see 12 Top tips to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer)
Surgery. Taking out a chronically inflamed area surgically is also an option to reduce its symptoms and relieve pain.
Acupuncture. A traditional Chinese that uses tiny needles to cure ailing persons. Acupuncture is an alternative treatment that you can have to alleviate pain and lessen inflammation. The needles are usually put in areas far from the affected area itself.
DHEA. Dehydroepiandrosterone or DHEA is a hormone that the body produces less as you age and helps fight inflammation. Check first on the DHEA replacement protocol and suggested blood tests to safely use this hormone.
Carnosine. Take 1000 mg per day of carnosine, a dipeptide consisting of amino acids and histidine. It is usually found in your brain matter and can stop glycation reactions in the body. Glycation can cause your blood vessels to weaken and can cause strokes and infarctions.
Inflammation is our body's first line of defense against unwanted invaders. However, if left to its own devices for too long, may turn against us. You should treat it more as a warning and less as a solution—it can only do so much on its own. Check with your doctor if you're not sure what is causing the inflammation or if you are experiencing symptoms pointing to chronic inflammation, which is more serious. There may not be a quick way in getting rid of it, but a good healthy lifestyle, a proper diet and a robust immune system can help you win the war eventually.