5 Signs of Underlying Inflammation & What to Do About It
Let's talk about inflammation. What exactly is it? I may have a different perspective than other doctors, but the answer is, to me anyway, an overly reactive immune response. The immune system sees a threat and launches a series of events to neutralize said threat. We could get into the weeds a bit and talk about all the involved scientific components like antigens, antibodies, cytokines, immune cells, inflammatory pathways, etc. But, lets skip that and talk about the important stuff you might care about, like signs and symptoms of inflammation that might not be particularly obvious. Think about you or someone you care about, and decide if this list sounds familiar.
Anxiety & Depression: There's some pretty solid data out there looking into the effects inflammation can have on anxiety or depressive disorders. Know anyone that struggles here? There's many. This study looked at the relationship between higher C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) and depression or anxiety in men and women. The trick is figuring out the chicken or the egg question. Sometimes inflammation precedes anxiety/depression, and sometimes the latter precedes the former. Either way, inflammation is there and should be addressed.
Joint Pain & Degeneration: The more I'm in practice, the more joint pain and degeneration I witness. It's common that a patient presents with "degenerative arthritis" or osteoarthritis and believes the pain associated is normal or unavoidable. This, thankfully, is being proven wrong. Just because you have arthritis doesn't mean you can't be pain free or close to it. Why? Because inflammation is more commonly the cause of the pain, NOT the degenerative joint change, itself. Studies are starting to look more at the role inflammation plays in the etiology and treatment of osteoarthritis. How many people do you know that struggle with joint pain? Arthritis?
Allergies: Tis' the season. Our pollen counts have been through the roof and a lot are struggling with their allergies currently. While your eyes are watering and nose is running, do you ever wonder what separates you from the person who never struggles with their allergies? It just might be inflammation, or an overly zealous immune response to those allergens. This study points to, in part, a dysregulated immune response in the context of sinus infections and asthma. There's also evidence pointing to the role our gut microbiome, the microbial ecosystem inside us, plays with regard to allergies. Know anyone with allergy problems?
Fatigue: This may be a symptom of every condition known to man, but it really goes without saying that inflammation can be at the root. It has also been demonstrated that an anti-inflammatory diet can combat fatigue associated with many chronic diseases.
Metabolic Syndrome: How does this apply to inflammation? Generally, these markers are associated with "over-nutrition" that results in increased inflammation. It entails having 3 of the following...Know anyone? About 1/2 the US has this syndrome:
Large waist — A waistline that measures at least 35 inches (89 centimeters) for women and 40 inches (102 centimeters) for men
High triglyceride level — 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 1.7 millimoles per liter (mmol/L), or higher of this type of fat found in blood
Reduced "good" or HDL cholesterol — Less than 40 mg/dL (1.04 mmol/L) in men or less than 50 mg/dL (1.3 mmol/L) in women of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
Increased blood pressure — 130/85 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or higher
Elevated fasting blood sugar — 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) or higher
So, maybe you or someone you know has the above issues, but you're not buying that inflammation is involved. Well, we have labs for that. The following would be a good battery of tests to run to see what your systemic inflammation is looking like. We can order these for you following a functional medicine consultation.
High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein (hs-CRP)
IL-6
Ferritin
Fibrinogen
Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-ɑ)
Luckily, by focusing on a lifestyle that adopts healthy behaviors, inflammation can be reduced drastically. Simple tips would be following a nutritional approach like Whole 30 or the the paleo diet. Get outside everyday. Get adjusted. Get your Gloyeske Naturals CBD in (shameless plug). Get acupuncture. Focus on being thankful for what you do have, not necessarily what you want. This is especially tough in light of current events, and can be an easy pattern to fall into. I know we do at times. I hope you find this article enlightening. We are still here to serve you. Our clinic remains open with the following days/hours to practice proper CDC guidelines: Monday: 12-4 PM Wednesday: 12-4 PM Saturday: 9 AM-1 PM
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