There are two types of inflammation; acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is a short-lived healthy immune system response and can present itself in many ways such as joint inflammation due to injury or as a response to illness such as bronchitis or a sore throat. This is the body using inflammation as part of the healing process. Chronic inflammation is persistent. It can also be present as joint inflammation like rheumatoid arthritis or in chronic disease such as heart disease, cancer and autoimmune diseases. This is when inflammation becomes a serious problem.
What Is Chronic Inflammation?
Inflammation is chronic when it goes from being a normal short-term response to a long term, persistent response that your body can’t turn off. Inflammation that was supposed to help your body heal is now capable of harming healthy tissue and causing long term, serious health issues by affecting your joints, digestive system, heart and more.
Benefits Of Chiropractic Treatment
Chronic inflammation including chronic joint inflammation can be relieved with the help of chiropractic treatment. Inflammation can occur when joints are misaligned. When this inflammation remains past the acute stage, it becomes chronic and can cause long-term problems. Proper alignment through chiropractic treatment can reduce inflammation around the affected joint, and promote a healthy nervous system that can in turn contribute to healing throughout the body.
A study conducted by the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College found that chiropractic adjustments can reduce chronic inflammation and joint inflammation by reducing inflammatory cytokines in the body. Many other studies conducted over recent decades show that chiropractic adjustments can help improve immune system function, which in turn reduces the instance of chronic inflammation.
Chiropractic treatment should be paired with healthy lifestyle changes that together will have a good chance of eliminating chronic inflammation and its associated diseases. Patients can work with their chiropractor to develop a lifestyle plan to go hand in hand with chiropractic treatment. This should include eating an anti-inflammatory diet low in sugar and saturated fat, reducing stress, getting enough sleep, increasing vitamin D intake and moderate exercise.
Contact us today to see how we can help treat your chronic inflammation.