Inflammation may occur in various forms and can affect your body in numerous different ways. Inflammation itself is not always bad. It is the body’s natural response to something being wrong. However, too much can lead to issues and cause problems throughout your body.
Why does inflammation occur in the body?
Inflammation occurs when activated by the immune system. This could be due to an injury, microbe (bacteria, virus, fungus), or damaged tissue. So as you can see it is not always a bad thing. It begins to cause problems when there is too much and the body is unable to get rid of the excess.
Without this immune response, wounds would heal slowly (or not at all) and infections caused by microbes would be worse.
What are the common signs of inflammation?
Swelling, redness, warm to the touch, decreased motion, and pain are often the typical signs of an immune response to an affected area.
How to reduce inflammation and swelling?
- Chiropractic Adjustments – When your body is functioning properly, that is without nerve interference, all of your bodily systems will work better, including your immune system. Chiropractic adjustments can increase motion and take the pressure off of the joints, muscles, discs, nerves, and other structures in your spine. This allows for proper signals to travel to and from the brain from the rest of your body.
- Drink Lots of Water – By staying properly hydrated you provide lubrication for your joints and muscles. This occurs all the way down to a cellular level. Not only does water help you move better but it also helps to flush out any excess fluid.
- Sleep – Sleep is important for many things including decreasing your inflated immune response. Some studies have shown that decreased sleep can cause decrease your body’s ability to deal with inflammation, therefore, increasing pain and stiffness.
- Eat Healthier – I have said it before and I will say it again…what you put in is what you get out. If you eat bad you will most likely feel bad. An anti-inflammatory diet will help to decrease the inflammatory chemicals in your body. Fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and protein are the way to go. It is very easy to find an anti-inflammatory diet online so find one that fits your lifestyle. Also, avoid alcohol, tobacco, refined sugars, and all the other junk that you know is bad for you!
- Exercise – Get your butt moving! Your body needs motion. By staying active and at a healthy weight your body has a better chance to heal more properly and at an increased rate.
If you or someone you know suffers from acute or chronic inflammation and suffer from the symptoms it may cause come check us out. At Express Chiropractic of Frisco, you never need an appointment and we are open 6 days a week. We are the chiropractor for Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Prosper, The Colony, and other surrounding areas. So give us a call at (496) 362-5711 or stop on by today!