Chronic inflammation can cause tissue damage and lead to systemic disease. Treatment may include anti-inflammatory drugs and other therapies. Autoimmune diseases and allergies can cause chronic inflammation, which can be identified by diagnostic clues such as persistent redness and swelling. Treatment may also include physical therapy and surgery. Patients may need to see a specialist and undergo tests to determine the extent of organ damage caused by inflammation.
Chronic inflammation is inflammation that persists beyond initial exposure to an irritant, leading to tissue damage and complications such as systemic disease. Inflammation is a natural and healthy response to irritants such as infectious organisms or foreign bodies, but when it becomes chronic, the body goes into overdrive and injury can occur. Treatment of chronic inflammation may include anti-inflammatory drugs and other therapeutic approaches, depending on the location of the inflammation and the type of complications experienced by the patient.
Autoimmune diseases such as lupus and arthritis are examples of chronic inflammation. People with conditions like asthma and allergies can also develop chronic inflammation. In all cases, the inflammation begins with an immune system response where swelling, redness, and itching develop. Instead of resolving once the trigger is gone, the inflammation persists. The patient may develop chronic pain as the inflammation eats away at the body’s tissues. In arthritis, for example, constant heat and swelling damage the joints, causing discomfort and reducing the patient’s mobility.
Several diagnostic clues can be used to identify chronic inflammation. The patient’s white blood cell count often rises, and the area of inflammation may appear thickened, lumpy, and damaged. Redness and swelling may persist rather than resolve, and the patient may report pain and tenderness. Clues such as a history of inflammatory responses may also be useful, as they can provide insight into what triggered the chronic inflammation.
Immediate treatment for chronic inflammation may include placing ice on the area to reduce swelling and using anti-inflammatory medications, including steroids, to suppress the inflammation. The immune system may go haywire, requiring suppression with drugs to halt inflammatory reactions until the patient’s condition is no longer stable. Other treatments may include physical therapy to increase range of motion, topical medications to address thickening and discomfort, and sometimes surgery to treat tissue severely damaged by inflammation.
A patient with chronic inflammation may need to see a specialist doctor who focuses on conditions involving inflammation and the immune system. This specialist can order tests to find out more about what is happening inside the patient’s body. A patient evaluation may include a workup to determine sensitivity to various medications and check for complications such as organ damage caused by inflammation. Such complications may require more aggressive treatment and supportive care, including things like dialysis for failed or damaged kidneys, or organ transplants for organs damaged beyond repair by inflammatory processes within the body.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
