Inflammation is the body’s basic response to injury. Conditions that have “itis” and “osis” at the end of their names are all some form of inflammation. Inflammation is a process in which white blood cells and chemicals protect the body from infection, and repair injury. The immune system, sensing inflammation or irritation, creates a protein chain called CIC (Circulating Immune Complex) which is tagged specifically to that irritation.

With inflammation, white blood cells are released to protect the body from injury. These white blood cells have chemicals within them that, when leaked, induce swelling. If the injury occurs near the surface of the skin, the damaged area will throb and become red and warm. Blood flow also increases during inflammation. Inflammation can also affect internal organs, displaying a variety of symptoms depending upon the organ involved. The most common symptom of inflammation is pain.

More and more research is also finding a significant link between inflammation and a host of seemingly unrelated diseases that have begun to be epidemic in Western cultures, such as asthma, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, and other aging diseases.^4,5

Additional Information about Inflammation

1. Common symptoms of inflammation
2. Common causes of inflammation
3. Natural and alternative treatments for inflammation
4. Dietary and lifestyle recommendations that may help in the treatment of inflammation
5. Conventional or prescription medications used in the treatment of inflammation
6. Cited Sources and Additional Reading for inflammation

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