Inflammation is your body's natural response to infection, injury, or cellular damage. It's an important part of the immune system's defense against threats like bacteria and viruses.
When tissue gets damaged, the body triggers an inflammatory cascade involving:
This causes cardinal signs of inflammation including:
In a properly functioning immune system, inflammation is tightly regulated and self-limiting. Once the threat is cleared, anti-inflammatory signaling dampens the response.
However, dysregulated inflammation can cause chronic inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It likely also plays a role in heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative conditions.
If you're struggling with unresolved inflammation, the expert physicians at Optimum Hormone Clinic can help. We specialize in identifying and treating hormone imbalances that often underlie chronic inflammation. Schedule a consultation today to learn about individualized treatment plans using bioidentical hormone therapy, customized nutrition plans, and lifestyle changes to finally resolve lingering inflammation.
I hope this gives you a good overview of what inflammation is on a cellular level and how it can go awry. Let me know if you have any other questions!