- Not all inflammation is bad. Acute inflammation is a helpful short-term response that can ward off infection. Chronic inflammation, however, can wreak havoc in your body.
- Chronic inflammation can present itself in a variety of ways from muscle aches and fatigue to digestive problems and skin irritation.
- When inflammation becomes chronic, it’s vital that you get it under control to help reduce the risk of long-term damage.
Being mindful of what we eat, how much we exercise, our quality of sleep, and our stress levels are all a part of living a healthy life. But there’s another important factor you should be mindful of too. And that is, signs of chronic inflammation in your body.
It turns out chronic inflammation may increase your risk of crippling diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. This is why it’s important to know the signs of chronic inflammation and what you can do to manage it.
What Is Inflammation and How Does It Impact the Body?
Before we dive into the signs of chronic inflammation, it’s important to understand what it is and how it impacts your body. First, it’s important to establish that not all inflammation is bad. Live Strong explains that “acute inflammation is a helpful, short-term immune response that happens because of an injury or infection (like an ankle sprain or a common cold).” After you’ve recovered, the inflammation disappears.
The type of inflammation you want to be wary of is chronic inflammation. This occurs when “the immune system goes into overdrive to fend off threats and sustains this attack mode for long periods of time,” explains the source. If this occurs, chronic inflammation can start damaging healthy cells, tissues, and organs, and ultimately, wreak havoc on your body.