Do you experience digestive problems, headaches, fatigue, aches, and pains, or other chronic symptoms? Chronic inflammation may be the reason why, and it is the primary cause of most chronic diseases and symptoms. Testing for inflammation markers can help pinpoint underlying health issues and discover the prime cause of your symptoms. Having this information enables your doctor to create an appropriate treatment plan so you regain your health and vitality.
What Is inflammation?
Inflammation is your body’s natural defense mechanism against toxins, allergens, foreign pathogens, or other harm. Your immune system responds to these threats by increasing blood flow, leukocyte infiltration, capillary dilation, and the production of an array of chemical mediators. This process produces cytokines and antibodies, which help to protect your body and fight harmful pathogens by eliminating toxic agents and repairing tissue damage.
In a response to an injury, inflammation can also protect the area and support recovery. Inflammation helps the body in cases of acute infections and injuries. However, chronic, low-grade systemic inflammation can cause harm.
The problems with chronic inflammation
Acute inflammation is a critical part of your body’s survival response to injury, illness, or infection. It protects you from pathogens and helps with the repair of damaged cells. Acute inflammation begins quickly once there is an infection. It may last from a few days to several weeks. It will decrease gradually and end once you have recovered. Signs of acute inflammation may include pain, swelling, redness, heat, itching, or in case of respiratory issues or allergies, sneezing, coughing, congestion, and watery eyes.
However, low-grade, chronic inflammation is systemic. It may last months, years, or for life if not treated. Typically, chronic inflammation has no single causative factor. It may develop over a length of time from a combination of issues like poor lifestyle choices, poor diet, environmental toxin exposure, chronic stress, and other factors. They place an excessive stress load on your body, which produces inflammatory modulators throughout your body. This response can overwhelm your immune system and negatively impact your overall wellbeing.
Members Only Content
To continue reading please subscribe to WellnessPlus by Dr. Jess MD
Be your own best doctor with our comprehensive suite of online health coaching tools.