The Inflammatory Process: Examining Its Impact on Persistent Pain
Inflammation is the origin of all pain according to a study by Sota Omuigui. It is the result of the body’s response to a number of things such as infection, irritation, or tissue damage. In a way, it is the biological process started by the immune system to protect the body from harmful stuff and promote healing. Unfortunately, chronic inflammation can also cause persistent pain that damages or injures healthy cells, tissues, and organs. Therefore, it is vital to understand how it can affect persistent pain that is felt by the human body to manage health effectively, prevent diseases, alleviate symptoms through medications and therapy, and prescribe personalized medicine.
How Inflammation Occurs
In understanding the inflammatory process, it is important to know that inflammation begins when the body recognizes the presence of harmful stimuli. These detrimental stimuli may be in the form of pathogens, irritants, or injuries to the tissue. When these provocations are detected by dedicated receptors in the body, immune cells that are responsible for defending the body from infections and foreign matter, release inflammatory mediators such as chemokines, cytokines, and histamine, to name some. Juhn et al confirm the role of inflammatory mediators in the ‘formation of inflammation.’ They assist in coordinating the inflammatory response and communicate with other immune cells to the area of injury or infections. However, these chemical or inflammatory mediators cause blood vessels in the affected area to dilate and become penetrable allowing increased blood flow to the site of the inflammation and facilitating the movement of immune cells, antibodies, and nutrients.
To illustrate, white blood cells migrate to the site of the inflammation helping eliminate pathogens and begin the tissue repair process. Furthermore, phagocytic immune cells, which are a type of white blood cells, surround and assimilate pathogens and dead cells at the area of inflammation, which assists in eliminating the source of infection or injury. It also prevents spreading the infection to other parts of the body. Once the source of inflammation is defused or removed, the body initiates the tissue repair and regeneration process. Ideally, after the underlying cause has been eliminated and tissue repair is complete, inflammation resolves by itself. Unfortunately, in some instances, inflammation may become chronic or uncontrolled. When chronic inflammation persists, it can affect healthy tissues, organs, and cells negatively. At worse, it can result to tissue death or internal scarring. Overall, enduring inflammation enhances the risk of many diseases such as cardiovascular disorders, cancers, and type 2 diabetes say authors Chen and others.
It’s Link to Persistent Pain
Continuing inflammation in chronic conditions such as respiratory diseases or autoimmune disorders can result in unrelenting pain and possible tissue damage. Moreover, it can affect the nervous system causing neuroinflammation. This condition promotes the sensitization of pain pathways. Therefore, pain perception is greater than before. Another direct consequence of the prolonged exposure to inflammatory mediators is that the way the processing of pain signals by the central nervous system can change. A condition known as central sensitization results in heightened sensitivity to pain. According to a Medical News Today article, the syndrome can prompt the brain to react excessively to harmless stimulation that can lead to intense pain feelings. Hence, it is vital to manage persistent pain that is associated with inflammation by using or combining with different approaches.
These may include using medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or (NSAIDs) and corticosteroids, to name some that can contain the infection and relieve pain. Equally, non-drug intermediations can provide relief in managing persistent pain. For example, one strategy that is currently gaining traction to manage pain is by modifying diets avoiding ultra processed foods (UPFs) that can trigger inflammations. UPFs are high in added sugars, which are linked to increased levels of inflammatory markers according to a study by Ma and others. Furthermore, being on high sugar diets also encourage insulin resistance. UPFs are high in unhealthy fats that increase inflammatory markers and pose a higher risk of chronic diseases that can exacerbate inflammation and contribute to persistent pain.
Overall, the relationship between the inflammatory process and persistent pain is multifaceted. While inflammation is essential to the body’s defense mechanism, it can cause chronic pain by stimulating neuroinflammation, encouraging central sensitization, damaging tissues, and dysregulating immune responses.
Authored by Jennifer Dawson
Published by International Pain Foundation, iPain Blog, Team iPain
