What is inflamation?

I have chronic pain. It hurts all over. I am told I have some sort of inflamatory issue. Is that my body reacting inside to the painful situation, like to the part where I''m not right. Why would my body be inflamedd? I question it, cause I have been questioned about my pain, and I know its real, its a 9 on the pain scale, its a true nightmare. So what exactly is inflamation? Good question eh

(((((((Lorna)))))))))))

Inflamation is swelling, which basically means that you might want to try Ice Packs and elevate and IBProfen reduces swelling.

It does seem to feel like inflamation makes everything worlse and I feel it does

However Lorna,

Seems like alot of meds have swelling as a sign effect
like Lyrica for me, will make my hands and feet swell on occassion?

I think there is alot of sodium in the meds because I don't eat salt which usually makes one swell as well.

We are so sorry your hurting! That just sucks!
, !

We are having Pain Chat tomorrow night at 7pm or actually tonight at 7pm since it's 1:06 am now.

Take care and put some ice on for a few minutes then the head back to a relaxed position....

Take care, Crew

Inflammation is a process in which the body's white blood cells and chemicals protect us from infection and or foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses that often invade the body.... but in some disorders the body's defense system triggers an inflammatory response when there are no foreign substances to fight off... these particular disorders are called autoimmune diseases and they allow the body's normal protective immune system to cause damage to its own tissues (the body responds as if normal tissues are infected or abnormal)... as seen in RA and many other autoimmune diseases.

Great answers so far. If you hurt in many places you might want to ask your doctor about Fibromyalgia. When the body is under stress we produce cortisol which causes inflammation. In addition many people who are depressed often feel physical pain which is why I like that Cymbalta commercial - it's not just mental it's physical too. But if your pain's a 9 you should ask for a more specific diagnosis.

Actually cortisol is an anti-inflammatory. Cortisone injections into chronically inflammed and painful joints is a treatment for some things, and hydrocortisone cream on ezcema or skin irritations help relieve that.

Inflammation is caused by basically anything that creates an immune response. It can be a foreign body causing inflammation, or it can be your own immune system attacking yourself. It isn't just swelling, in a classic case being an infection the inflammatory response creates "PRISH" which is Pain, Redness, Immobility, Swelling, and Heat. Same thing can be seen in autoimmune disorders such as RA. The affected joints become swollen red and painful, hard to move and hot feeling.

Have you been given a diagnosis for your pain? or did they just say it's inflammation? Usually a diagnosis will have the suffix -itis on the end of the word which indicates an inflammation of the root. Treatment options for inflammation would be NSAIDs like naproxen or ibuprofen...or stronger steroid drugs. However because the steroid drugs work by lowering immune response it leaves you open to more infections/colds/flus/whatever.

Thanks for all of yrou reponses. i do see the ra doc this next month coming up so I should know moe. You all have all helped me and appeciat yourt responses.

http://www.womentowomen.com/inflammation/causes.aspx

Hope you find solutions for yourself!

Inflammation can be caused by lots of things as can body aches and pains.

One thing I have been reading about lately is that hypothyroid may be related to fibromyalgia, the hormone one takes may not be enough or the way the body uses the hormone in pill form isn't the same as the way it naturally does, etc. I changed the maker of my thyroid pill, so I had fewer "inactive" ingredients and I have much less body pain. But I had to do that myself, my doctor didn't have the time/inclination to look into what is supposed to be the "same" hormone, no matter who makes it. But there's lactose in Synthroid, for example, and that was giving me all sorts of bowel problems! :-) as I'm lactose sensitive.

I would have your doctor do a full physical and I would look at any of your medications and see exactly what is in them and what side effects they have, etc. and look at your diet and exercise routines and your whole lifestyle and play around with that, get as "healthy" as you can figure out how, for yourself. I'm glad you know it hurts and that it isn't "in your head" and that you're asking questions and looking for your own answers. I don't throw my doctor out with the bath water but I sure don't lean on him exclusively. He's just a guide, it's my life/body.

[quote=watchthestarsfall;1333189]"Actually cortisol is an anti-inflammatory. Cortisone injections into chronically inflammed and painful joints is a treatment for some things, and hydrocortisone cream on ezcema or skin irritations help relieve that."

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Cortisol produced in normal amounts aren't damaging to the body. But if a person is chronically stressed, cortisol is produced in larger amounts which are damging to the body. Cortisol shouldn't be confused with 'cortisone injections or cortisone cream' which reduce inflamation. But there are other explanations for inflamation in the body. Here's more information on cortisol damage:

Higher and more prolonged levels of cortisol in the bloodstream (like those associated with chronic stress) have been shown to have negative effects, such as:

• Impaired cognitive performance
• Suppressed thyroid function
• Blood sugar imbalances such as hyperglycemia
• Decreased bone density
• Decrease in muscle tissue
• Higher blood pressure

• *Lowered immunity and inflammatory responses in the body, slowed wound healing, and other health consequences *
• Increased abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body. Some of the health problems associated with increased stomach fat are heart attacks, strokes, the development of metabolic syndrome, higher levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and lower levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL), which can lead to other health problems!

I feel like I know a lot more about inflamation. Its definately a topic that you need to be aware of in the "pain" world. Inflamation is often a factor with many causes and outcomes. Thank you all for the valuable info

Exactly what I said...it lowers your inflammatory responses. Cortisol decreases inflammation. It's a stress hormone which lowers your immune responses (the 1st response being inflammation). It doesn't cause inflammation.

While Cortisol may not directly cause inflammation it is released into the body when stressed - and stress is a big inflammation (flare up) response after being over stressed, therefore, I can see how cortisol could be interpreted as causing inflammation in the body... its all one bad circle.

I truly think im stuck in the inflamation cycle. Like i have an accident that causess a surgery and ever since this i have had bad inflation rates. I find pople just not understanding the pain connected into daily life that is inflamed and hurt

I disagree - cortisol does cause inflammation in the body. There are numerous articles that support this. Here another link:

http://www.weightloss-dietfree.com/c...bromyalgia.htm

I take holy basil and have recently added ashwaganda to combat cortisol.

Here's another link for you : http://altmedicine.about.com/od/heal...pain_herbs.htm

You might also look at your diet. There are definite foods that cause increased pain due to inflammation.

(gentle hug)

"Since antiquity (and to every medical student), the defining clinical features of inflammation have been known in Latin as rubor (redness), calor (warmth), tumor (swelling) and dolor (pain). These hallmarks of inflammation were first described by Celsus -- Aulus (Aurelius) Cornelius, a Roman physician and medical writer, who lived from about 30 B.C. to 45 A.D."

From: http://www.medterms.com/script/main/...rticlekey=3979

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.

That link doesn't work, could you send me some more?

As I said before cortisol is positive at certain level but destructive as well. Here is some info I copied:

http://www.womentowomen.com/inflammation/causes.aspx

Psychological stress — cortisol and inflammation

Have you ever had a panic attack? Woken from a scary dream in a cold sweat with your heart pounding? These are vasoreactions initiated by a perceived threat that dilates your blood vessels — just like inflammation. Wider capillaries mean more blood and nutrients to your organs to better ward off an attack or deal with a situation. This “fight or flight” response is orchestrated by your HPA axis and triggers the release of the stress hormone cortisol from your adrenal glands.
Cortisol directly influences your insulin levels and metabolism. It also plays a role in chronic inflammation and your immune system. I’m sure you’ve seen this relationship in your own life: how many times have you worked endless hours only to go on vacation and get sick? Your body is good at keeping a lid on things, but it can’t do it forever. Coping with persistent stress takes a steady toll on your immune system, your adrenals, and your central nervous system.
Your body reacts to stressors universally, whether they are biological or psychological. The more acute the threat feels, the more dramatic the response will be. With inflammation, painful emotional baggage is as incendiary as physical stress. Think about asthma. An emotional shock will trigger an attack in some people as often as physical exertion or an allergen. Thoughts and internalized feelings are very powerful — and they manifest themselves physically all the time with symptoms of inflammation. Stress makes your skin break out. Your intestines go into revolt during a painful break-up. But the good news is your feelings can — and should — be enlisted as allies in the healing process.
With all the other factors contributing to inflammation, coping with stress and emotional pain is often overlooked — but it’s really important. And it can play a big part in restoring your immune system’s balance before it gets overloaded.

I still see nothing about cortisol causing inflammation other than it decreasing our immune response during stress so that when the stress lessens or the problem (pathogen/etc) increases past a certain threshold the symptoms of inflammations would arise. But that isn't it causing inflammation in the least.

It is also important to note that the "fight or flight" response doesn't just dilate blood vessels haphazardly like inflammation does. It constricts some blood vessels and dilates others needed for the whole fight or flight phenomenon.

Not trying to be offensive or anything...I just like spreading scientific truths...

I find it hard to believe that all these articles are wrong. I no longer wish to debate this. I never said it was the prime reason for inflammation but it's one of the causes.
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"Another way in which cortisol works is by suppressing the immune system. T-cells are a type of cell which plays a major role in inflammation and immune system responses. Cortisol has the ability to block the ability of some T-cells to produce chemicals that the immune system uses to cause inflammation and immune responses. For this reason, cortisol is often given (orally, via injection or topically) to block the immune system's response. It is particularly useful in treating conditions caused by inflammation, including allergic rashes and some forms of arthritis."

The hormone cortisol at a normal healthy level is good for the body. When we're under too much stress the 'fight or flight response' releases too much cortisol, which then becomes problematic. Of course there are other explanations for inflammation as well. If a person has too much estrogen, testosterone, thyroid hormone - it would cause problems. Why is it unreasonable to believe, that too much cortisol would be a problem. Here's another link:

http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/cortisol.htm
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{"Actually cortisol is an anti-inflammatory. Cortisone injections into chronically inflammed and painful joints is a treatment for some things, and hydrocortisone cream on ezcema or skin irritations help relieve that."}

^^^^^
BTW I'm not talking about 'cortisone injections' or 'cortisone creams' and these shouldn't be confused with excessive cortisol or normal levels of cortisol. I had cortisone injections and know the benefit of such an injection.

I haven't been discussing cortisone, but it is virtually the same thing as cortisol. And once again, none of those links say anything about cortisol having any part in the cause of inflammation. I don't know where you're reading that it is even remotely a cause.

Good article: http://healthletter.mayoclinic.com/e...0inflammation/

That's interesting the brief connection they made there between NSAIDs and possibly treating cancers. Interesting to see where that goes in the next few years (decades?)