Injuries happen to all of us. Besides the embarrassment that accompanies a fall, or the frustration we feel when we need to spend a few weeks on the sideline, we also have to manage the pain, swelling, and inflammation.
You might think that swelling and inflammation are the same things. Even though those terms are used interchangeably, there is a difference between the two. This means there is also a difference in how we should approach them.
It’s often difficult to know how to handle swelling and inflammation because both have negative and positive sides.
Read on to learn the difference between swelling and inflammation and understand how to approach them.
Create the right environment for your body to heal, and move around confidently in no time.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Swelling vs Inflammation:
Inflammation is our body’s natural response to physical trauma to our musculoskeletal system – our bones, joints, muscles, and connective tissues.
There’s a rush of fluid to the affected area that helps our body heal from this trauma. This fluid is a cocktail of white blood cells, metabolites, and other chemicals.
Swelling’s what happens when all this fluid builds up around the injured area. Our bodies often overreact to the situation which causes a build-up. This build-up of fluid makes it hard for your body to remove germs and dead cells and will restrict the entry of new white blood cells.
Is inflammation good for you?
The short answer is yes and no.
You see, it isn’t the presence of inflammation that is the problem, but rather how much inflammation there is.
If there isn’t enough inflammation, your body won’t have enough of the required chemicals to support recovery.
White blood cells remove germs and damaged tissue – a process called phagocytosis. The accompanying swelling – from chemicals like histamine, bradykinin, and prostaglandins – helps to keep those germs and dead tissue from escaping.
On the other hand, too much inflammation will cause swelling. This swelling will restrict the flow of chemicals to the affected area. Those white blood cells won’t be able to join the party and there will be a build-up of germs and dead tissue.
What is good inflammation?
Good inflammation is called acute inflammation. It is a sign that our body is trying to mend itself. If inflammation doesn’t cause too much swelling and is relatively short-lived then the inflammation is good.
What we want is inflammation that flares up and then goes away. The time it takes to go away depends on the nature and severity of the injury.
For areas of the body that are further away from the heart, like your lower limbs, it may take a bit longer for inflammation to subside because they don’t receive as much blood flow.
Now, that doesn’t mean we should just let our bodies fight this battle by themselves. As previously mentioned, our bodies tend to overreact a bit. Luckily, there are a few simple methods to manage inflammation and swelling.
What is bad inflammation?
Bad inflammation is called chronic inflammation. It’s a sign there’s an infection, disease, or untreated injury.
It can increase your risk of reinjuring yourself because it can cause the tissue to become less flexible.
But it can also have some pretty nasty long-term effects on your body.
Chronic inflammation may cause your immune system to attack healthy tissues and organs. This will increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Conclusion:
Swelling and inflammation are not the same things. Swelling is a response to too much inflammation. You should look to manage swelling so that it does not get in the way of the healing process.
Inflammation can be good or bad for you. It depends on whether it is acute or chronic.
Acute inflammation is short-term and a sign that your body is healing.
Chronic inflammation is long-term and can cause diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis.
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References
Anft, M. (2018, November 21). Understanding Inflammation. BoostAlive. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://boostalive.com/2018/11/21/understanding-inflammation/
Immune response. (2022, January 23). MedlinePlus. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000821.htm
Inflammation: What Is It, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment. (2021, July 28). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21660-inflammation
Muscle damage and inflammation during recovery from exercise. (2017, March 6). Journal of Applied Physiology, 122(3), 559-570. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00971.2016
Baker, A.R., da Silva, N.F., Quinn, D., Harte, A.L., Pagano, D., Bonser, R.S., Kumar, S., & McTernan, P.G. (2006). Human epicardial adipose tissue expresses a pathogenic profile of adipocytokines in patients with cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular Diabetology, 5, 1 - 1.
Dregan, A., Charlton, J., Chowienczyk, P.J., & Gulliford, M.C. (2014). Chronic Inflammatory Disorders and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Coronary Heart Disease, and Stroke: A Population-Based Cohort Study. Circulation, 130, 837–844.