When you cut your finger with a knife, the area becomes a little red, swollen, and painful, right? Or when you get a fever, your body becomes hot and stiff, right? Think about it, all of this is actually a way for our body to heal itself and fight off invaders. In medical terms, we call this process inflammation . Simply put, it's like our body's defense system. But sometimes, if this defense system goes overboard, it can actually harm our body. So today, let's talk about exactly this.
What exactly is inflammation?
Simply put, inflammation is the body's response to an illness, injury, or something that doesn't belong in our body (for example, germs, viruses, toxic chemicals). This is a normal and very important process.
Think about it this way: if an invader like a virus tries to enter your body, or if you get an injury, your immune system immediately sends its "first responders" to the scene. This team is what we call inflammatory cells and cytokines. These cells are the ones that attack the germs and start healing the injured tissue. This process is what causes us to experience things like pain, swelling, and skin discoloration . These are actually signs that the body is healing itself.
But remember, this inflammation can also occur in places inside our bodies that we can't see. Sometimes it helps us, but sometimes it can harm our health.
There are two main types of inflammation: acute and chronic.
Inflammation can be divided into two main types: acute inflammation and chronic inflammation.
Acute Inflammation
This is the immediate response of our immune system to a sudden injury or illness. Think of it this way: when you cut your finger, inflammatory cells rush to the site of the injury and begin the healing process. A good example of this is when your throat swells when you get a strep throat infection or a virus like the flu.
Acute inflammation usually lasts for a short period of time, such as a few hours or a few days.
Chronic Inflammation
This is a slightly more dangerous situation. What happens here is that our body continues to send out inflammatory cells even when there is no danger. For example, in rheumatoid arthritis , these inflammatory cells attack our own healthy joints. This causes long-term swelling in the joints, which can cause severe damage to the joints.
Simply put, chronic inflammationIn some cases, the very process that is supposed to protect our body is harmed. This condition can last for months or even years.
What are the symptoms of inflammation?
Symptoms vary depending on the type of inflammation. Let's take a look at what these symptoms are.
| Symptoms of Acute Inflammation | Symptoms of Chronic Inflammation |
|---|---|
| Redness or discoloration of the skin at the site of the injury | Stomach pain |
| Mild pain or tenderness in the area only | Chest pain |
| Swelling (e.g., knee swelling) | Fatigue and insomnia |
| Feeling hot to the touch | Fever |
| Inability to use that body part normally | Joint pain or joint stiffness |
| Mouth sores | |
| Skin rash | |
| Mental problems such as depression or anxiety | |
| Stomach problems (diarrhea, constipation, gas) | |
| Weight gain or loss | |
| Frequent infections |
What diseases is chronic inflammation associated with?
Chronic inflammation is the root cause of many serious diseases. Here are some of them:
- Autoimmune diseases: For example, diseases like Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), and Psoriasis.
- Cardiovascular diseases: Things like heart disease and high blood pressure.
- Some types of cancer.
- Digestive system diseases: Crohn's disease and IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease).
- Lung diseases: Asthma and COPD.
- Mental health problems: Depression and Anxiety.
- Metabolic diseases: Type 2 Diabetes.
- Diseases of the nervous system: Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
How to reduce inflammation in the body?
Inflammation doesn't always require treatment. If it's an acute inflammation, you can usually get relief from these things:
- Resting the injured body part.
- Apply ice to the affected area for 15-20 minutes every four hours.
- Proper care of cuts and scrapes.
But if you have chronic inflammation, your doctor may recommend things like:
- Vitamins and Supplements: Things like zinc, certain vitamins, and omega-3s can help reduce inflammation. But be sure to talk to a doctor before taking these.
- NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs):These are painkillers. Medicines like Ibuprofen, Aspirin, and Naproxen belong to this category. But don't use these for more than 10 days without talking to a doctor.
- Corticosteroids: Sometimes your doctor will give you an injection to reduce inflammation in a joint or muscle. Or he may prescribe oral medications. When using these, you should definitely follow your doctor's instructions. Prednisone is also a type of medication.
What foods reduce and increase inflammation?
Our food and drinks can be a big help in controlling inflammation.
| ✅ Anti-inflammatory Foods | ❌ Foods that increase inflammation (Inflammatory Foods) |
|---|---|
| Oily fish like salmon | Foods containing trans fat |
| Fresh fruits and dark green vegetables (spinach, kale) | Deep-fried foods, fast food |
| Spices like turmeric, ginger, and garlic | Processed meats such as sausages and meatballs |
| Olive oil, nuts | High-salt foods |
| Fruits like tomatoes, cherries, strawberries | Refined carbohydrates like sugar, sweets, and bread |
Before making any changes to your diet, it's important to talk to a doctor or nutritionist. They can help you create a meal plan that's best for you.
When should I see a doctor?
If you feel anything like this, seek medical advice.
- If a minor wound persists without healing.
- If you have persistent pain, swelling, or stiffness in any part of the body.
- If the medication you are taking is causing side effects.
- If you have questions or concerns about your treatment plan.
When should I go to the ETU (Emergency Treatment Unit)?
In this case, go to an emergency treatment unit (ETU) immediately.
- If a bone breaks (Broken bone).
- Dislocation of a joint.
- If the body is severely damaged by something like a car accident.
Take-Home Message
- Inflammation is a natural defense mechanism in our body. It helps us in the short term.
- But if this inflammation becomes chronic, it can lead to many serious diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
- Managing your lifestyle, especially diet, exercise, and stress, can go a long way in controlling chronic inflammation.
- If you have persistent pain, swelling, or other unusual symptoms, be sure to talk to your doctor about it. Avoid self-treatment.
👩🏽⚕️ Additional questions (FAQs)
💬 What is Colesevelam / Welchol tablets used for?
This is a very effective (Bile Acid Sequestrant) pill that dissolves 'bad cholesterol (High LDL)'! The biggest advantage of this is (unlike other old drugs), when this pill is given to patients with 'Diabetes (Type 2 Diabetes)', it significantly reduces sugar levels (HbA1c) in addition to cholesterol (FDA approved). In addition, it can be safely given to pregnant mothers.
💬 How does this cholesterol pill (Colesevelam) dissolve bad cholesterol when it enters our body?
Our liver makes new lipids/cholesterol every day to make 'bile (Bile Acids),' which is then reabsorbed by the intestines. When you take this pill, it goes to the intestines, binds that 'bile', and instead of allowing it to be absorbed by the body, it is passed out in the feces. When the old bile is gone, the liver has no other choice but to forcibly absorb the 'bad cholesterol/LDL' in your blood and make new bile.
💬 What are the most annoying and dangerous dangers to be aware of when taking this medicine (Welchol)?
The biggest danger with this is that it increases a dangerous type of fat called 'Triglycerides'! So if you already have high triglycerides, if you give this, your pancreas can explode (Pancreatitis) and you can die (drinking it is completely forbidden!). The other main annoying side effects are that it definitely causes constipation and bloating.
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