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FAQs:

What is Inflammation?

When your body encounters an offending agent (like viruses, bacteria or toxic chemicals) or suffers an injury, it activates your immune system. Your immune system sends out its first responders: inflammatory cells and cytokines (substances that stimulate more inflammatory cells). These cells begin an inflammatory response to trap bacteria and other offending agents or start healing injured tissue. The result can be pain, swelling, bruising or redness. But inflammation also affects body systems you can’t see.

How Does Inflammation Look Like?

Acute inflammation is the short-term form of inflammation that occurs when you get an injury or contract an infection. It often shows up as redness, swelling, warmth, and pain in the affected area. Rashes can come from infections or be caused by an allergic reaction, but they may also be a sign of chronic inflammatory conditions. Your skin is highly sensitive and can reflect your overall health. Alternately, the immune system may begin to attack healthy skin cells, which can lead to rashes or certain skin conditions, like eczema and psoriasis.

Does Inflammation Mean Infection?

Inflammation is not a synonym for infection, even in cases where inflammation is caused by infection. Although infection is caused by a microorganism, inflammation is one of the responses of the organism to the pathogen. However, inflammation is a stereotyped response, and therefore it is considered as a mechanism of innate immunity, as compared to adaptive immunity, which is specific for each pathogen’.

Can Inflammation Go Away by Itself?

If you’re experiencing short-term redness, sensitivity or swelling due to a cold or cut, you’re dealing with acute inflammation, which should heal soon on its own. If you have an underlying condition or your inflammation lasts longer than a couple weeks, it’s best to set up an appointment with your doctor.

What is a Home Remedy for Inflammation?

There is some evidence to support the claim that turmeric, green tea, and ginger have anti-inflammatory properties. For people with inflammatory health conditions, consuming these herbal remedies could be useful for reducing inflammation. However, more high-quality research will be necessary to confirm these effects. These herbal remedies are generally safe, but it is important to consult a doctor before taking them in conjunction with other types of medication.

Which Vitamin is Good for Inflammation?

Vitamin E. Packed with antioxidants, vitamin E boosts your immune system and may also ease inflammation. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you might find it helps manage pain when used with standard treatment. You can easily get it from the foods you eat. It’s in olive oil, almonds, peanuts, meat, dairy products, leafy greens, and fortified cereal. If you need extra vitamin E, your doctor might prescribe it in drops or capsule form.

Can Stress Cause Inflammation?

Preliminary evidence suggests that acute and chronic stress is associated with increased inflammatory activity and enhanced attentional processing of negative information. Both are predictive of negative mood and depression symptoms that, in turn, increase inflammatory and cognitive stress reactivity.

Does Drinking Water Reduce Inflammation?

Hydration Fights Inflammation. Hydration helps our bodies fight inflammation by flushing out toxins. Adequate water intake can also help keep our joints well lubricated and prevent gout attacks. Most of the water in our bodies is stored in connective tissue (tendons, ligaments, etc.) and joints, where water acts as a lubricant and helps clear out toxins. When we get dehydrated, our bodies look for water in other areas, including our joints, and redistribute it where it’s needed. Taking water from your joints enables toxins to remain, which fuels pain and inflammation.

Is Coconut Water Good for Inflammation?

Coconut water can aid in the treatment of muscle cramps and/or soreness if taken actively during the recovery period after exercise, especially in athletes. This is because the minerals or ingredients in coconut water are electrolytes necessary for muscle function. Also, like other popular sports drinks, coconut water contains high levels of electrolytes like potassium and magnesium. So studies have shown that coconut water is as beneficial for post-workout recovery as even bottled sports drinks.

Moreover, should drinking coconut water every day help relieve muscle pain? Muscle soreness is one of the biggest hindrances to steady strength building and can be difficult to train. In this context, the habit of drinking coconut water will be beneficial in speeding up recovery time and eliminating soreness, through the process of removing toxins from the body and keeping muscles functioning properly.

Coconut water has the basic properties of an anti-inflammatory and helps reduce acidity in the body. This can help reduce inflammation and pain in the body, especially when drinking coconut water every day. In addition, this healthy drink also contains vitamin B6, which helps reduce and prevent inflammation, especially inflammatory joints caused by osteoarthritis.

Are Bananas Anti-Inflammatory?

Bananas are versatile fruits with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties that can help counteract inflammation and support the body’s immune system. People may benefit from an anti-inflammatory diet and avoiding pro-inflammatory foods.

How Long Does Inflammation Last?

Symptoms of acute inflammation last a few days. Subacute inflammation lasts 2–6 weeks. Chronic inflammation can continue for months or years.

What is Chronic Inflammation?

Chronic inflammation is also referred to as slow, long-term inflammation lasting for prolonged periods of several months to years. Generally, the extent and effects of chronic inflammation vary with the cause of the injury and the ability of the body to repair and overcome the damage.

The 5 Signs of Inflammation 

The five cardinal signs of inflammation can affect different parts of the body. Some signs overlap between body systems. 

Pain

With both acute and chronic inflammation, inflammatory chemicals can stimulate nerve endings, causing the affected areas to feel more sensitive. Inflammation can cause pain in joints and muscles. When inflammation is chronic, a person will have high levels of pain sensitivity and stiffness. The inflamed areas may be sensitive to touch. 

Heat

When inflamed areas of the body feel warm, it is because there is more blood flow going to them. People with arthritic conditions may have inflamed joints that feel warm to the touch. However, the skin around the joints may not have the same warmth. Whole-body inflammation may cause fevers due to the inflammatory response in the body when it is fighting off an infection or illness.

Redness 

Inflamed areas of the body may look red because the blood vessels of inflamed areas are wider than usual.

Swelling 

Swelling (edema) is common when a part of the body is inflamed. It is caused by fluid building up in tissues either throughout the body or in the affected area. Swelling can cause pressure on the skin and other tissue, leading to pain. Swelling can also occur without inflammation, especially with injuries. 

Loss of Function         

Inflammation may cause loss of function related to both injury and illness. For example, an inflamed joint may not move properly, or a respiratory infection causing signs of inflammation in the lungs can make it hard to breathe. 

Acute inflammation occurs at the onset of an injury that lasts for several days. It has two components:

1. The cellular component, in which first-line white blood cells (leukocytes and macrophages) are activated and recruited to the site of the injury

2. The vascular phase, in which blood vessels open (dilate) and tissues swell to accommodate the rapid influx of immune cells and antimicrobial chemicals

Causes of Inflammation

The causes of inflammation can be broadly classified as:

- Biological (e.g., infections, diseases, and abnormal immune responses, including autoimmune diseases, atopy, allergy, and drug hypersensitivity)

- Chemical (e.g., poisons, toxins, and alcohol)

- Physical (e.g., injuries, burns, frostbite, or radiation exposure)

Acute and chronic inflammation can have different causes.

Acute Inflammation

Possible causes of acute inflammation include:

- Injuries

- Acute infections or illnesses (e.g., skin infection, insect bites or stings, colds and flus)

- Allergens

- Toxin exposures 

- Foreign body ingestion 

Chronic Inflammation 

Possible causes of chronic inflammation include:

- Organ transplant rejection 

- Chronic disease (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, heart disease, diabetes, cancer)

- Untreated or recurrent infections 

- Lifestyle factors (e.g., obesity, alcohol use, heavy exercise, high stress, smoking)

What Foods Cause Inflammation?

There's more bad news: The problem foods are ones that happen to be abundant throughout the typical American diet.

The five types of foods that cause inflammation include:

1. Red meat and processed meats, including bacon, hot dogs, lunch meats and cured meats

2. Refined grains, including white bread, white rice, pasta and breakfast cereals

3. Snack foods, including chips, cookies, crackers and pastries

4. Sodas and other sweetened drinks

5. Fried foods

What these foods all have in common is that they contain added sugars, saturated fats and/or trans fats. With the exception of red meat, these are also all considered processed foods.

Alcohol can also cause inflammation. What's more, alcohol is often combined with the aforementioned inflammation-promoting foods. When combined with refined grains, added sugars or mixed with soda, alcoholic drinks become a double whammy.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods

An anti-inflammatory diet should include these foods:

1. tomatoes

2. olive oil

3. green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards

4. nuts like almonds and walnuts

5. fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines

6. fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges

9 Herbs and Spices That Fight Inflammation

Diet plays a crucial role in your health. What you eat, including various herbs and spices, can affect inflammation in your body. Here are nine herbs and spices that can fight inflammation.

1. Ginger

Ginger contains more than 100 active compounds, such as gingerol, shogaol, zingiberene, and zingerone, to name a few. These are likely responsible for its health effects, including helping reduce inflammation in the body.

2. Garlic

Most of the health benefits of garlic come from its sulfur compounds, such as allicin, diallyl disulfide, and S-allylcysteine, which appear to have anti-inflammatory properties.

3. Turmeric

It’s packed with over 300 active compounds. The main one is an antioxidant called curcumin, which has powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

4. Cardamom

Research suggests that taking cardamom supplements may reduce inflammatory markers such as CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, and MDA. Additionally, one study found that cardamom raised antioxidant status by 90%.

5. Black pepper

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is known as the king of spices, as it’s popular worldwide. Traditionally, people used black pepper to treat certain health conditions, such as asthma, diarrhea, and many other gastric ailments. Research suggests that black pepper and its main active compound piperine may play a role in reducing inflammation in the body.

6. Ginseng

Ginseng has been associated with many health benefits, mainly due to its active compounds called ginsenosides. Their effects include reducing signs of inflammation in the body.

7. Green tea

This plant is packed with healthy compounds called polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Studies have linked these compounds to benefits for the brain and heart. They may also help people lose body fat and reduce inflammation.

8. Rosemary

Research suggests that rosemary may help reduce inflammation. This is believed to be due to its high content of polyphenols, particularly rosmarinic acid and carnosic acid.

9. Cinnamon

An analysis of 12 studies in over 690 participants found that taking 1,500–4,000 mg of cinnamon daily for 10–110 days significantly reduced the inflammatory markers CRP and MDA, compared with a placebo. Also, cinnamon raised the body’s antioxidant levels.

8 Supplements to Reduce Inflammation

Interested in learning which supplements are best at blocking inflammation? Keep reading for our list of the eight superb supplements that may help you fight off inflammation—along with offering plenty of other enviable health benefits.

1. Curcumin

There’s ample evidence to support the idea that curcumin or turmeric may be helpful in reducing bodily inflammation. Key to this idea is the fact that curcumin has enzyme-inhibiting properties that act on cyclooxygenase enzymes, which have been linked to inflammation.

2. Fish Oil

Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Some studies suggest that omega-3s may be useful in alleviating inflammatory episodes caused by conditions like diabetes and heart disease. This is because among those omega-3 fatty acids that are so prevalent in fish oil, there is one called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)—which is especially successful at fighting inflammation.

3. Ginger

According to some studies, ginger may be useful in reducing inflammation, especially in people with type 2 diabetes. This may be thanks to special compounds in ginger, namely gingerol and zingerone, which are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties.

4. Resveratrol

Like many antioxidants, resveratrol has the potential for widespread medical application. Antioxidants are generally linked to properties that fight aging, promote brain health, and help prevent cancer. But according to studies, resveratrol, in particular, may be useful in reducing inflammation for people with a range of health conditions, including liver disease, colitis, and obesity.

5. Spirulina

Recent studies show spirulina may be linked to reducing symptoms of chronic inflammation. It may also be beneficial in fighting certain diseases.

6. Vitamin D

According to studies, there’s a strong correlation between vitamin D deficiency and increased inflammation. As a well-known antioxidant, vitamin D neutralizes free radicals before they have a chance to cause cell damage that can provoke an inflammatory response from your body.

7. Vitamin C

Another of the 13 nutrients essential to human life, vitamin C also has antioxidant properties that fight against harmful free radicals. This in itself is cause for optimism when it comes to whether vitamin C supplements can reduce inflammation in the body. But vitamin C also has a range of other health benefits that may be useful in preventing or reducing inflammation.

8. Green Tea extract

green tea extract may be able to do more than potentially boost your energy levels. Aside from caffeine, it also contains an antioxidant known as Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Studies suggest that EGCG may help fight inflammation by lowering oxidative cell stress.

How to Treat Inflammation

Treatment will depend on the specific disease or ailment and the severity of symptoms.

Acute Inflammation

For general acute inflammation, your healthcare provider may recommend:

1. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): NSAIDs are usually the first-line treatment for short-term pain and inflammation. Most of these medications are available over the counter (OTC), and include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. Your healthcare provider can also prescribe prescription-strength NSAIDs for certain inflammatory conditions. Certain people should not take NSAIDs (even OTC NSAIDs), such as people with a history of chronic kidney disease or who are taking blood thinners (anticoagulation therapy).

2. Corticosteroids: This is a type of steroid commonly used to treat swelling and inflammation. Corticosteroids are available in pill form and as injections. These drugs are only prescribed for a short time because they can cause serious side effects.

3. Topical medications: Topicals, including analgesics and steroids, can help with acute and chronic pain and inflammation of the skin and joints, without the side effects of oral treatments. They are also helpful for managing long-term inflammation when they contain an NSAID, such as diclofenac or ibuprofen.

4. Antibiotics: If inflammation is caused by a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be necessary. The antibiotic used and the course of treatment will depend on the infection. 

Chronic Inflammation

In addition to treating joint pain and inflammation, medications for inflammatory diseases can help to prevent the disease from getting worse or at least help slow it down. Medications may include:

1. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), such as Rheumatrex (methotrexate), Azulfidine (sulfasalazine), and Arava (leflunomide)

2. Biologic drugs, such as Enbrel (etanercept), Humira (adalimumab), and Orencia (abatacept)

3. Anti-malarial drugs, such as hydroxychloroquine

4. Statins

5. Diabetes medications

Many medications used to treat inflammatory diseases can cause side effects, so it is important to see your healthcare provider regularly while you’re on them.

How to Reduce Inflammation

You can reduce chronic inflammation by making lifestyle changes.

1. Eat anti-inflammatory foods. Anti-inflammatory foods contain omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols or antioxidants to help combat inflammation. These include leafy greens (like spinach, kale and arugula), cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts), fatty fish (such as mackerel, tuna and salmon), nuts and seeds (like chia seeds, flaxseeds and almonds), fruits (such as apples, berries, oranges and mangoes), olive oil, curcumin (found in turmeric), green tea and black tea.  

2. Quit smoking. If you smoke, vape or use tobacco products, talk to your primary care provider about the best way to quit.

3. Limit or avoid alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are inflammatory, so if you want to fight inflammation, limit or avoid them.

4. Avoid inflammatory foods. Tolbert recommends decreasing your intake of sugar (often found in desserts, candy, baked goods, soda, fruit juice and even ketchup and pasta sauce), refined carbohydrates (like white pasta, bread and rice), fried foods, red and processed meat (like beef, pork, lamb, bacon, sausage and salami), dairy and processed foods (like chips, crackers and freezer meals).  

5. Practice stress management techniques. Stress can have an inflammatory effect on the body, so make time for de-stressing activities like meditation, journaling, yoga, walks in nature, reading, spending time with loved ones, gardening or another hobby. Take time away from your phone, computer and other devices to rest, think and process your feelings.

6. Maintain a healthy weight. Ask your primary care provider if you’re at a healthy weight for your age, height and other factors. If you are overweight or obese, ask your provider about the safest, healthiest ways to achieve weight loss.

7. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise will help you decrease stress, maintain a healthy weight, improve your digestion and maintain healthy bones and muscle mass. Each week, aim for at least two strength training workouts and 150 minutes of moderate cardiovascular activity, like walking, biking, swimming, hiking, tennis, dancing or aerobics.

8. Practice good sleep hygiene. Do your best to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day; sleep seven to nine hours each night; sleep in a cool, dark room; avoid digital devices an hour before bed; invest in a comfortable mattress, pillow and sheets; use a white noise machine to block out distractions; and see your primary care provider if you frequently feel fatigued.

When to See an Inflammation Specialist

Most of the time, you don't need to worry too much about acute inflammation. You can take an over-the-counter pain reliever to help relieve symptoms, or apply cold compresses to reduce swelling. Otherwise, it is usually best to let the inflammation do its work to help with healing.

Of course, the cause of acute inflammation may need treatment. For example, a bacterial infection may require antibiotics, so if you have a fever or significant symptoms — such as severe pain or shortness of breath — see your doctor.

Chronic inflammation is trickier to deal with. The problem is that chronic inflammation is often "invisible," since it does not show telltale physical signs the way acute inflammation does.

So how can you prevent or reduce inflammation you cannot necessarily see or feel?

The only way to detect chronic inflammation is to have an evaluation by your doctor. He or she will review your symptoms, perform a physical exam, and perhaps check your blood for signs of inflammation.

Otherwise, the best approach is to prevent conditions related to chronic inflammation. It goes back to the basics: maintaining a healthy weight, choosing a good diet, getting plenty of sleep, and exercising regularly.

Sources:

Cleveland Clinic

Very Well Health

Houston Methodist

Harvard Health

Piedmont

Right as Rain

Medical News Today

WebMD

NIH

Everlywell

Goodwin Living

VinMec

Healthline

The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 (in the United States) immediately.