Why inflammation hurts

The acute inflammation process happens quickly and can be severe. Common signs of inflammation following an injury include:.

Depending on the cause and severity of the wound, acute inflammation can last anywhere from a few days to a few months. Sometimes acute inflammation is localized to one area and sometimes it is systemic, as with a viral infection. When your body identifies a harmful invader, such as a bacteria or virus, it initiates a whole-body immune response to fight it off.

White blood cells trigger the release of several inflammatory chemicals. This type of acute inflammation causes you to feel sick and exhausted, as your body puts all of its energy toward fighting off infection. Symptoms of this type of inflammation include:.

Signs and symptoms may be present for a few days or weeks, or possibly longer in more serious causes. Some acute infections are caused by more localized inflammation. Chronic, long-term inflammation can last for years or even an entire lifetime. It often begins when there is no injury or illness present, and it lasts far longer than it should. Research has found an association between chronic inflammation and a wide variety of serious conditions.

Keep in mind that there is a major difference between two things being associated and one thing causing another. Chronic inflammation is one of several contributing factors in disease onset and progression. So far, the strongest link between chronic inflammation and disease has been seen in type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Other conditions associated with chronic inflammation include:.

Chronic inflammation often progresses quietly, with few independent symptoms. Despite its subtlety, chronic inflammation represents a major threat to the health and longevity of a large population of individuals. Researchers have identified several common causes of chronic systemic inflammation, many of which are closely associated with modern living and aging.

Causes of chronic inflammation include:. There are several potential reasons for this finding, but reduced inflammation likely plays a role. In some diseases, the inflammatory process can be triggered even when there are no foreign invaders.

In autoimmune diseases , the immune system attacks its own tissues, mistaking them as foreign or abnormal. More than 80 different autoimmune diseases affect different parts of the body. Inflammation caused by autoimmune disorders does different types of damage to different parts of the body. Type 1 diabetes, for example, is an autoimmune disorder that happens after the body attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, leading to lifelong health consequences.

Psoriasis, another autoimmune condition, involves inflammation of the skin that comes and goes throughout a lifetime. Other common autoimmune diseases include:. Some types of autoimmune arthritis—but not all—are the result of misdirected inflammation. Arthritis is a general term describing the inflammation of the joints. Some autoimmune diseases that cause joint inflammation are:.

Treatment for autoimmune diseases varies, but often focuses on reducing the overactivity of the immune system. Inflammation—whether acute or chronic—can hurt. A person may feel pain, stiffness, distress, and discomfort, depending on the severity of the inflammation.

Inflammation causes pain because swelling pushes on sensitive nerve endings, sending pain signals to the brain. Additionally, some of the chemical processes of inflammation affect the behavior of nerves, causing enhanced pain sensation. The increased number of cells and inflammatory substances may also enter joints, causing irritation, swelling of the joint lining, and eventual breakdown of cartilage—the smooth tissue covering the ends of bones where they come together to form joints.

More serious injuries may require medical treatment or even surgery. People with a bacterial infection often need antibiotics. In severe cases, they may need to stay in the hospital.

For serious injuries and chronic inflammation, these medical treatments may help :. Inflammation comes in many forms, and it can affect a single joint or many joints throughout the body. While chronic inflammation can be difficult to treat and may get worse with time, various medications can help. A person can contact a doctor for help managing all forms of inflammation. Read this article in Spanish. Arthritis is a term that describes around conditions that cause pain in the joints and the tissues surrounding the joints.

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Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. What is joint inflammation? Causes Symptoms Treatment Remedies Contacting a doctor Summary Joint inflammation can lead to swollen, painful joints. When you feel inflammation symptoms like joint pain , redness, and sensitivity, it is your body trying to heal itself.

Many people confuse inflammation with infection, but they are two different reactions. Much like pain, there is acute and chronic inflammation. The cause of the inflammation often determines the form. Acute Inflammation — In acute inflammation the symptoms occur rapidly and in some cases may be severe. Patients may feel discomfort for several days, though more serious cases persist for weeks. Causes of acute inflammation include but are not limited to:.

Chronic Inflammation — Chronic inflammation can last for several months or years. This may be from the acute inflammation failing to destroy the root cause of harm in the body, the immune system is attacking itself, or a low intensity irritant continues to persist.

Examples of chronic inflammation causes include:.