Inflammation

Abstract

Inflammation is a tissue-destroying process that involves the recruitment of blood-derived products, such as plasma proteins, fluid, and leukocytes into perturbed tissue. The source of the inflammation needs to be found by identifying the trigger factors which cause the inflammation, which includes physical, environmental, emotional, chemical, and most important nutritional factors. Inflammation cascade is regulated by immunological, physiological, and behavioral processes that are orchestrated by immune signaling molecule called cytokines. Inflammation is the basis for many diseases; it progresses to more serious degenerative conditions that ultimately get diagnosed as disease, i.e., irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, arthritis, allergies, hay fever, infertility, endometriosis, skin disorders like eczema along with major disorders including cancers, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders like systemic lupus erythematosus. While inflammation is necessary for debridement after injury, understanding the important role and stages of inflammation in the process of healing is fundamental to prevent chronic and debilitating diseases from occurring. This chapter signifies inflammation and its cause, mechanism, functions, and recovery.