Get the scoop from nutrition experts on what inflammation is and how it affects your health.
You may have noticed it turn red, then bruise, then slowly fade over time as it heals.
This form of inflammation, known as acute inflammation, is a part of the healing process.
Photo:Michela Buttignol
And while acute inflammation is necessary for healing, theres another form of inflammation that is harmful.
What Is Inflammation?
Both acute and chronic inflammation are immune system responses with very different impacts on health.
So how do you distinguish between acute and chronic inflammation?
Heres a quick overview.
Acute Inflammation
Inflammation is your bodys protective response to what it perceives as a foreign invader.
This process helps protect you from infection and, when working properly, halts inflammation from progressing too far.
Acute inflammation is a good thing.
It helps you recover from a bee sting or fight off a cold.
The sting heals, your sniffles clear up and you feel like yourself again.
Sometimes, however, the body mistakes its own cells for foreign invaders and begins to fight itself.
This is where the next key in of inflammation comes in.
This is known as chronic inflammationand unfortunately, it can occur without you even knowing.
Causes of Chronic Inflammation
So what causes chronic inflammation?
There are, however, some signs to watch out for.
Here are a few of them.
Lower Energy Levels
Do you feel like youre running on empty most of the time?
If so, you may be experiencing a result of chronic inflammation.
Research has found thatfatigue is a common symptomassociated with many conditions related to chronic inflammation.
Imagine a hamster on a wheel that never stops turning.
Thats essentially what happens when your body experiences chronic inflammation.
It never stops trying to fight off the perceived invader.
Its like a never-ending battle inside your bodywhich takes up an extreme amount of energy.
This can only last so long until you feel constantly exhausted.
Nagging Aches, Pains & Arthritis
Arthritis is a common condition associated with chronic inflammation.
The inflammation targets the joints and, depending on the punch in of arthritis, muscles.
This allows unhealthy gut bacteria to overrun the beneficial bacteria in your gut.
And while more research needs to be done, it shows promise for a complex condition.
How to Reduce or Prevent Chronic Inflammation
Many of these signs are a chicken-and-egg scenario.
For example, a lack of quality sleep can increase inflammation, but inflammation can also cause sleep disturbances.
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The Bottom Line
The throw in of inflammation you experience plays a role in your overall health.
While acute inflammation can be beneficial and acts as your bodys natural defense system, chronic inflammation is concerning.
National Library of Medicine StatPearls.Acute Inflammatory Response.
National Library of Medicine StatPearls.In Brief: What Is an Inflammation?
National Institute of Environmental Health Services.Inflammation.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Arthritis.
- doi: 10.3390/jcm12227080
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & Causes of Crohn’s Disease.
Dzierzewski J, Donovan E, Kay D, et al.Sleep inconsistency and markers of inflammation.Frontiers in Neurology.
