Inflammatory Conditions

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Inflammation is an important part of the body’s defense system. For example, a simple cut causes inflammation that helps to ward off infection at the site of the wound. But inflammation that occurs without a good reason and continues over an extended period of time can result in unhealthy consequences.

Inflammatory conditions, also known as inflammatory diseases, affect many parts of the body. Chronic inflammation develops slowly and lasts for months to years. This type of inflammation can worsen some of the most common diseases in the U.S. and is linked to more than half of all deaths worlwide.

Inflammatory conditions are diseases in which excess inflammation plays a key role. These conditions can affect different parts or systems in the body, including the:

• Digestive tract (digests food and nutrients)
• Immune system (defends the body from infection)
• Circulatory and respiratory systems (heart and lungs, which circulate blood and oxygen)
• Metabolic system (converts food into energy)
• Nervous system (coordinates brain and body)

Inflammatory conditions can begin in various ways, such as:

• An infection that the body struggles to clear
• Exposure to an environmental irritant, such as a chemical
• An autoimmune disorder, or a disease related to an overactive immune system
• A problem with the cells that control inflammation
• Short-lived but recurring inflammation

Inflammation plays a role in allergies, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, disease of the joints, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.