Yes I agree with the last 2 posters - there are many other causes for inflammation. I was concentrating more on cortisol because I was supporting my statement. Although most people know this: cortisol shouldn't be confused with 'cortisone' injection - that's used to relieve inflammation.

Off topic a bit:
Eight years ago we went to a petting zoo where they had goats. They had a food dispenser where you could feed the goats. So I got myself a handful of food(so naive) and was instantly charged by an adult goat. Since I was never raised around farm animals I had no clue, my getting food would cause such a reaction. The goat hit my shin with it's horn and split it open. Luckily my 4 yr old wasn't next to me. I disinfected it when I got home and 3 days later my hands and legs(from the knee down) swelled up and became so painful. I couldn't wear my rings or put on shoes and I was scared. I couldn't even windex a table top, it was so painful. They put me on antibiotics and anti-inflammatory.

I went to the emergency clinic and they made me an appointment with a rheumatologist. They put me on antibiotics and anti-inflammatory. Luckily by the time I saw him I was feeling better but he still wanted to know what happened - he was a great doctor...like a detective. I had many tubes of blood drawn. On the follow up appoint. he said it showed that I was recently infected with Parvo Virus......ding, ding.....GOAT ATTACK. Usually most kids contract Parvo when they're kids(you only get it once) but I guess I was sheltered lol. He said some people get a bad inflammatory response like I did and sometimes it's permanent. I'm glad I found out what was wrong and I couldn't imagine feeling like that forever.

In hindsight I feel disappointed in the people who ran the petting zoo. Why let a full grown goat be in the zoo, especially when there are kids there.