Inflammation: Its Role Patients are often confused about inflammation and the role it plays in healing. Read on to learn about the difference between acute and chronic inflammation.
The body has a highly-complex immune system that protects us from disease and infection and enables healing. It has two main components: innate immunity, characterized by inflammation, is the body’s first line of defence; and adaptive immunity the body’s second line of defence which also provides protection from re-infection. The inflammatory immune response is the body’s natural response to infection, irritation or injury. Exposure sets in motion a cascade of immune responses including the activation of white blood cells, redness, heat, swelling, pain and dysfunction. The upside is that acute inflammation jump starts tissue repair, boosts immunity, and enables us to fight infection. The downside is that it is a painful process in part because this acute phase causes swelling that pushes against our sensitive nerve endings sending pain signals to the brain. Inflammation is essential to our healing response.
When the trauma is not resolved during the acute inflammatory response the condition has become long-lasting or chronic. Chronic inflammation is characterized by duration: lasting months or years, and its impact on tissue: scarring, thickening of connective tissue and destruction of tissue; and it is associated with continued painful symptoms. When the immune system is always activated, the body’s defences are weakened and may lead to systemic inflammation and chronic disease.
At Avalon Laser Health, we use low intensity laser therapy to manage the inflammatory response with both acute and chronic pain conditions. With acute conditions, laser therapy accelerates the healing process so the body heals more quickly and often with less scar tissue. With chronic conditions, laser therapy stimulates the inflammatory response and allows the body to initiate the natural healing response. Most patient see improvement in their condition when laser therapy is added to their treatment program.