If you’re wondering how to beat chronic inflammation, look no further than this how-to guide from MVM Health.
Table of Contents
What Is Chronic Inflammation?
Your body’s immune response is key to fighting off infections and toxins, as well as in healing itself from injuries. When something damages your cells, your body releases antibodies and proteins in response. This is a process called inflammation. Acute inflammation lasts only as long as the paper cut on your hand or however long you have a cold, meaning just hours or days, depending on the circumstances or the injury or illness.
When it comes to chronic inflammation, this immune response lingers and keeps your body in a state of alert. In cases of chronic inflammation, your body may continue to send out inflammatory cells, even in the absence of an outside danger. As a result, your body’s immune system could attack healthy body tissue. Depending on the reason for someone’s chronic inflammation, symptoms can include fatigue, fever, chest pain, abdominal pain, joint pain, rashes on the skin, or mouth sores. Chronic inflammation can be caused by lupus and other autoimmune diseases. Other causes can include exposure to pollution or toxic industrial chemicals, or as result of acute inflammation that is not properly treated.
What Medical Conditions Are Associated With Chronic Inflammation?
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Inflammatory arthritis
- Type 2 diabetes
- Alzheimer’s disease
What Are Chronic Inflammation Symptoms Associated With Arthritis?
When someone has an overactive immune system that causes inflammation in one or more joints throughout the body, they have inflammatory arthritis. Types of inflammatory arthritis include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, gout, ankylosing spondylitis, and Lyme disease.
Depending on the person and their condition, someone with inflammatory arthritis can experience consistent joint pain until they receive treatment or experience flare-ups that alternate with periods of inactivity. Common symptoms include joint pain and stiffness; swelling, warmth, or redness around the affected joints; and inflammation in other parts of the body.
If diagnosed and detected in the early stages, patients with inflammatory arthritis can expect their symptoms to be greatly reduced with proper treatment. With the help of a specialist, people with inflammatory arthritis can form a daily strategy that balances both activities and rest, and helps maintain strength and function to reduce pain.
What Are Lifestyle Changes That Can Reduce Inflammation?
Eat more foods with anti-inflammatory properties, such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines, leafy greens such as spinach and kale, olive oil, and tomatoes. Research has shown that people who eat a Mediterranean diet are less likely to have inflammation. Nuts and fruits such as blueberries, cherries, and oranges are recommended as well.
- Cut down on foods that can cause inflammation. This includes fried foods, cured meats with nitrates, trans fats, and refined carbohydrates, such as sugar, white bread, and pastries.
- Quitting smoking.
- Limiting your alcohol consumption.
- Regular exercise. Studies show that 20 to 30 minutes of moderate exercise can help reduce inflammation. It is advised to exercise at least 3 or more times per week. At-home exercise activities can include walking, yoga, or cycling.
If you are living with chronic arthritis pain, find that the pain is affecting your enjoyment of day-to-day life, and wonder if you are a good candidate for any of our treatments, it may be time to seek pain management. For patients in Pennsylvania, MVM Health is glad to offer services in East Stroudsburg, Scranton, Wilkes Barre, and Lehigh Valley. The experts at MVM Health would be glad to offer guidance and a variety of treatment methods for chronic pain, including minimally-invasive alternatives to surgery. Call 223-213-2084 to request an appointment.
