In this post, we’re going to focus on a little-known health issue that has huge consequences. Most of us know what inflammation is on a localized, acute level; we understand, for example, that a cut will swell if it is infected due to inflammation. However, there is another form of inflammation which is far less well-known, and which could have far-reaching consequences for human health.

 

What is chronic inflammation?

Inflammation is the body’s response to harm, injury, or infection. It tends to mean swelling, pain, redness, and discomfort of whatever areas of the body have been harmed or infected.

In chronic inflammation, the problem is systemic, and your entire body is constantly in “fight” mode. The inflammation is widespread and can cause a number of symptoms, as we’ll discuss soon. When this widespread inflammation lasts for longer than three months without cure, it is known as chronic inflammation.

 

What are the symptoms of chronic inflammation?

The symptoms of chronic inflammation vary between people, but tend to involve a mixture of the following:

  • Just feeling “not right” or persistently under the weather
  • Suffering from recurrent viral and bacterial infections (such as the common cold)
  • Fatigue
  • Mouth sores
  • Unexplained pain throughout the body, but particularly in the joints and abdomen
  • Unexplained rashes

If any of these symptoms sound familiar to your experience, it’s worth a trip to a doctor just to rule out any other causes outside of inflammation.

 

Who is most likely to suffer from chronic inflammation?

Chronic inflammation can impact anyone at any time, so there are no “rules” regarding overall health, gender, lifestyle, or age. If you fit the symptoms, and your doctor has ruled out any underlying conditions, then it’s worth investigating whether chronic inflammation could be the cause of your woes.

 

What can be done about chronic inflammation?

The treatments for chronic inflammation all focus, unsurprisingly, on trying to reduce the inflammatory response from the body. There are numerous ways this can be done.

  • There are a number of foods that are considered to either have anti-inflammatory properties, or simply don’t cause any additional inflammation when consumed. It’s also worth adding foods with known anti-inflammatory properties to you diet if you’re trying to fight a chronic case of the condition.
  • You should also read this list of foods that are particularly known for causing inflammation, so you can avoid them.
  • There are a number of supplements such as Fibrenza that can benefit sufferers of chronic inflammation, so it’s well worth investigating further to enhance the dietary changes you’ll want to undertake.
  • Finally, it’s not just supplements and food that can help in your fight against chronic inflammation: green tea, for example, is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and is likely to be beneficial to chronic sufferers.

 

And remember…

Chronic inflammation is a potentially lifestyle-damaging condition, and if you suspect you are suffering with it, then you should speak to your doctor as a first port of call. Furthermore, it is inadvisable to undertake any lifestyle changes without your doctor’s say-so— it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your health!

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