Why does chronic inflammation occur

Examples include all types of berries, cherries, plums, red grapes, onions, turmeric, green tea, and dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale. Regular exercise can help protect against conditions linked with chronic inflammation, especially heart disease and obesity.

A study in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity found that just 20 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise in this case, walking on a treadmill can have an anti-inflammatory effect. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.

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This report will examine the role that chronic inflammation plays in these conditions, and will also provide information on the breadth of drugs currently available to alleviate symptoms. Thanks for visiting.

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In the case of acute inflammation — like getting a cut on your knee or dealing with a cold — the whole process usually lasts for a few hours or a few days. Chronic inflammation happens when this response lingers, leaving your body in a constant state of alert.

Over time, chronic inflammation may have a negative impact on your tissues and organs. Some research suggests that chronic inflammation could also play a role in a range of conditions, from cancer to stroke. Read on to learn more about chronic inflammation, including common causes and foods that may be able to help fight it.

Acute inflammation often causes noticeable symptoms, like pain, redness, or swelling. But chronic inflammation symptoms are usually much more subtle. This makes them easy to overlook. Over time, this can lead to DNA damage, tissue death, and internal scarring. There are no real tests to diagnose inflammation on its own. But certain blood tests are a good starting point, including ones that highlight C-reactive protein CRP , which indicates infections or inflammation in the general body like the joints , and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein hsCRP , which reflects inflammation of the heart.

Inflammation is a natural part of the healing process. For example, when inflammatory cells hang around too long in blood vessels, they promote the buildup of dangerous plaque. The body sees this plaque as foreign and sends more of its first responders. As the plaque continues to build, the arteries can thicken, making a heart attack or stroke much more likely. For many years the brain was thought to be off-limits to inflammation because of the blood-brain barrier — a sort of built-in security system — but scientists have proved that immune cells can and do infiltrate the brain during times of distress.

Their role in disease progression is not yet clear, however. Understanding exactly how it causes disease could lead to better interventions and treatments to stop it. The science of obesity offers an example. Understanding exactly how that cascade works could lead to treatments for such conditions. Future research to back up these findings could lead to better understanding, and even targeted therapy. This is normal. And every bump and bruise does not require an anti-inflammatory medication.

However, you can focus on lifestyle choices that reduce your risk of chronic inflammation — the kind that leads to disease. Many lifestyle factors have been shown to play a part in cellular inflammation: smoking, obesity, chronic stress and drinking alcohol excessively, for example. Fortunately, you can control these factors.