Acute and chronic inflammation
The body’s normal reaction to a warning is called acute inflammation. “The body marshals its defenses to prevent injury or infection,” says Alan Mensch, MD, senior vice president of medical affairs at Northwell’s Plainview Hospital.
Signs of this reaction include swelling, dilated blood vessels, heat, redness, and pain. “Once the threat is gone, there are factors in the bloodstream that quiet things down again.”
Chronic inflammation is related to many illnesses, such as bursitis, colitis, phlebitis, and rhinitis to asthma, cardiac disease, liver disease, or Alzheimer’s disease.
It is hard to know whether you have chronic inflammation in your body, Dr. Mensch says: “It depends on where and how chronic inflammation manifests itself. And it’s not the same in every person.”
Find out the hidden signs of inflammation!
